Step 4 of the grant development process explains what to do after a grant is awarded.

Grant management ensures that the grant is effectively administered as agreed to by the grantor and grantee and adheres to any grant agreements/contracts. It also ensures a coordinated approach to gather information for grant reporting and funder acknowledgement. The activities involved in grant management include:

  • Receive official notification of grant award.
    • Typically, a written grant award letter is sent to the authorizing agent and/or persons named in the grant application. A check for the full amount of the grant or the first payment is often included with the award letter.
  • Accept the grant award/acknowledge the funder.
    • Promptly, thank the funder for the award either by phone or email.
    • Accept the grant by returning any grant agreements/contracts with signatures as requested. Also, submit any additional documentation requested by the funder. For some foundations, depositing the check can constitute grant acceptance.
    • Accept the grant by having the city council approve in resolution. View the model resolution “Authorizing Grant Acceptance” (doc).
    • Prepare and send an acknowledgement letter to the funder, thanking them for the award and acknowledging grant receipt.
  • Announce grant award to internal stakeholders.
    • Inform the grants team and city/organization leadership of the grant award.
  • Record the gift in a donor database.
    • Grants tracking in a donor database (or spreadsheet) should include basic information such as funder name, funder address, funder contact info, date of the grant award, grant period, grant award amount, and grant purpose.
  • Plan steps to implement the grant and spend the funds.
    • Convene the grants team to give them a refresher on the plan as described in the grant proposal. Often several months will have passed between the grant application submission and the grant award.
    • Communicate grant expectations and stakeholder roles.
    • Confirm responsibilities and expectations for implementing the project.
    • Determine if any adjustments are needed to the staffing plan or the project timeline. If significant adjustments are needed, contact the funder.
    • Plan how the grant team will collaborate to complete any reports required by the funder. View the Minnesota Common Report Form to see commonly asked grant report questions.
  • Announce the grant award to external stakeholders and/or the public (if relevant).
    • Check with the funder and review the grant agreement before announcing the grant award publicly. Funders often have stipulations on how and when they would like to be recognized. Some funders prefer to remain anonymous.
    • If the funder gives approval, consider announcing the grant award through communication channels as a way to recognize the funder, inform the community, and build momentum for the project.
  • Set up the grant in the accounting/finance system.
    • Work with accounting/finance staff to set up the grant in the accounting system. This might include identifying cost center codes and completing other steps as defined by the finance policies and procedures.
  • Ensure grant monitoring and reporting.
    • To ensure grant monitoring and reporting, the staff responsible for implementing the project will work with the grant writer or persons responsible for submitting reports to the funder. Ongoing communication with the funder is helpful to keep the funder informed of project successes and any needed changes to the project scope and budget.
  • Submit final acknowledgement and report.
    • Within a month after the end of the grant period, it’s a good practice to thank the funder and share a final grant report, whether or not it’s required. This is also the time to confirm that the funder has received all required grant reports.
  • Facilitate debrief discussion with internal stakeholders and/or funder.
    • Debrief grant development processes by considering questions such as:
      • What went well?
      • What didn’t go as planned?
      • What could be improved?