How-To Guides

A practical guide to grant closeout record retention under 2 CFR 200.334 - what to keep, how long, what format, how to organize the file, and the mistakes

What institutional knowledge lives in your outgoing grants manager's head, how to document it before they leave, the 30/60/90 day onboarding plan, and how a

A step-by-step guide to completing the SF-425 Federal Financial Report - every section explained, GL reconciliation before submission, common errors on lines

What program officers look for during a site visit, a 30-day prep checklist, what documents to have ready, and how to handle questions about budget variances

What the board needs to see versus what finance staff track, a one-page grant summary format, how to handle questions about compliance, and how to present a

Development and finance track the same funders in different systems with different data. This guide explains why the records diverge, what a reconciliation

A no-cost extension extends your period of performance without additional funds. When to request one, what justification works, agency-specific procedures

A grant kickoff meeting done well surfaces compliance obligations, assigns ownership, and creates the cross-functional handoff that keeps finance and program

A grant compliance calendar is not the same as a reporting calendar. This guide covers what recurring compliance tasks to schedule, how to assign ownership

The first five things to enter when you receive an award letter, common setup errors that cause downstream problems, and how to link the award to your donor

A practical guide to building grant-specific internal controls - role-based approval levels, segregation of duties, policy documentation, and how to present

A practical guide to federal grant draw tracking - advance payment vs. reimbursement methods, connecting draws to actual expenses, reconciling draws to the