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Donor-to-Grant Reconciliation Template

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TLDR

Donor CRM records and grant fund records describe the same funders from different operational perspectives. Without a reconciliation process, the two systems accumulate discrepancies that create unreliable data across development and finance. This template provides a structured approach to matching, identifying discrepancies, and documenting resolutions.

What This Template Does

The donor-to-grant reconciliation template provides a structured working document for matching records between a donor CRM and a grant management or accounting system. It identifies four types of discrepancies, guides the resolution of each, and documents the reconciliation for the audit file.

Use this template annually before the year-end audit. Use a simplified version of the matching section for monthly spot checks during active grant periods.

The Reconciliation Template Structure

Header Information

  • Reconciliation period (fiscal year or specified date range)
  • Date of reconciliation
  • Reconciler name
  • Reviewer name
  • CRM system used
  • Grant/accounting system used

Donor-to-Grant Reconciliation Template

A reconciliation worksheet for matching donor CRM records to grant management records: funder name, CRM entry, grant record, matching status, discrepancies found, resolution steps, and instructions for annual reconciliation and mid-year spot checks. Delivered by email.

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Frequently asked

Frequently Asked Questions

Development staff enter funder gift records when relationships events happen - award letters, check receipts, pledge agreements. Finance staff post grant receipts when cash arrives in the bank. These workflows operate independently with different timing and different purposes. Without a reconciliation process, the two systems accumulate discrepancies: different amounts, different restriction classifications, or records that exist in one system but not the other.
A complete reconciliation should be performed at least annually, before the year-end audit. Mid-year spot checks for major funders - those representing more than 10% of restricted revenue - are advisable. After the initial reconciliation establishes a clean baseline, ongoing monthly checks prevent the gap from growing.
The reconciliation requires access to both the donor CRM and the accounting system. At most organizations, this means a finance staff member performs the reconciliation with input from the development director to explain classification decisions and relationship context. Both teams should review and sign off on the completed reconciliation.

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