Journal Entries

This recurring website feature highlights articles from The GASB Report, the GASB’s monthly newsletter. The current article appeared in the July 2010 issue.

GASB Awards 2010 Gil Crain Research Grant

The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) has awarded the 2010 Gil Crain Memorial Research Grant to three professors at the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business & Entrepreneurship at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale-Davie, Florida. Judith Harris, associate professor of accounting; Karen McKenzie, professor of accounting; and Randall Rentfro, assistant professor of accounting, will conduct research and prepare a research memorandum addressing various issues related to tax abatement disclosures. This year’s award winners were selected from 11 applicants.

The GASB seeks to leverage research efforts by encouraging the academic community to conduct applied research that is relevant to the GASB’s standards-setting activities. The GASB has encouraged academics and other researchers since its formation in 1984 to conduct studies that would be relevant to the GASB’s standards-setting activities. During the past quarter century, such research efforts have resulted in the publication of 21 GASB Research Reports and numerous journal articles.

The GASB’s annual academic research grants were named for the late Dr. Gilbert W. Crain, a long-time friend and colleague of the GASB. Dr. Crain served as a facilitator of GASB user focus groups and interviews for a number of significant projects and performed user needs research on the GASB’s behalf. His commitment to improving financial reporting for state and local government was unsurpassed in his field.