Quick Question: Internal Review Process for Grantee Reports

[Kristin Eldon Whylly]

Hi all,

I’m hoping to get a quick pulse check from this group:

When a grantee submits a report that triggers a payment, how many staff members are typically involved in reviewing or signing off on it? Do you require multiple layers of review (e.g., program, finance, compliance) or is it just one sign-off?

We’re reviewing our process and would appreciate any insights into how your team handles this, especially how many people look at a grantee report before a payment is made.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Kristin

—

	Kristin Eldon Whylly Sr. Grants Manager & Change Management Lead
	Subscribe to our Newsletter Future of Flourishing Blog Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook
	Templeton World Charity Foundation Bayside Executive Park, West Bay St. Nassau, Bahamas

[Marc Hurlbert]

Hi Kristin,

At MRA we get annual (i) science progress, and (ii) financial reports.

 

Science progress is signed off by one person (Director, Scientific Programs). Although our CSO, me and other science team members like to also read all progress reports.
Financial reports are signed off by at least two people (Director, Scientific Programs) and either CSO, President/COO, or CEO (me) to actually review and trigger the payment.

 

Marc

[Richard McFarland]

Hi Kristin,

 

At the Simons Foundation the following staff members review and sign off on progress and financial reports, which result in the release of payments during the following period on a multi year award. The Simons Foundation also withholds payments on grants with $200,000 or more of unspent funds at the end of an award period on a multi year award, until the unspent balance of funds carried over to the next period is less than $100,000 as reported to the foundation via a Funds Expended deliverable. Finance and Compliance are not involved in the review of deliverables or the approval of payments. For context, in 2024 we had 3,340 active gifts and grants, 3,513 deliverables tied to payments, and 3,165 payments.

• Progress Reports – 2 layers

• 1st Tier Review

• Grants Administrator – review for completeness

2nd Tier Review

• Scientific Program Manager – review and sign off on progress

Financial Statements – 2 to 3 layers

• 1st Tier Review

• Grants Administrator

2nd Tier Review or review and sign off

• Grants Manager – less than $500K
• Senior Grants Managers – less than $1M

3rd Tier Review and sign off

• Director of Grants – $500K or more
• VP of Grants – $1M or more

Funds Expended Deliverables – 3 layers

• 1st Tier Review

• Grants Payment Assistant

2nd Tier Review and payment update

• Grants Payment Manager

3rd Tier Review and payment approval

• VP of Grants

Regards,

RICHARD T. MCFARLAND  He/Him 

Vice President, Grants Management

Simons Foundation 

 

212.524.1604 direct

646.654.0066 main

[email protected]

160 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010 

simonsfoundation.org 

 

[Lindsay Redman Rivera]

Hi Kristen,

 

Our process can vary by grant program but is generally as follows:

1. Financial and written progress reports are checked for completeness by a Grants Coordinator.
2. Financial and written progress reports are reviewed by a Grants Officer to flag for any issues or concerns related to progress/spending (if the staff does not have scientific background to review progress, a senior scientific staff member may get pulled in).
3. For auditing purposes, the preference is that all reports must get approved by an external scientific reviewer. We will either send them to past reviewers or summarize our findings and send to the review chair. We will elevate any specific issues that were flagged internally for their consideration.

 

Hopefully this helps!

Lindsay   

 

​​— 
Lindsay Redman Rivera, PhD (she/her) 

​Senior Grants Officer 

​ 

​2 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116  

​617-865-4583 

​hria.org  

​ ​ 

 

 

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