Separate the key dates
Record the delivery end date, any cost or reporting cut-off, final submission deadline and remaining follow-up dates. Do not assume that all obligations end on the same day. Confirm programme-specific instructions with the appropriate source.
List outstanding supplier, partner, evidence and approval items that could affect the final position. Ask finance and delivery to confirm their respective schedules before the final narrative is signed off.
Reconcile the final reporting pack
Bring the final financial schedule, delivery account and evidence index together. Check that they describe the same period and that material differences are explained. Record unresolved questions and decide who must resolve or escalate them.
Keep the version submitted and any receipt or acknowledgement. A prepared report is not the same as a submitted report, and submission alone should not be treated as confirmation that every remaining issue has been accepted by the funder.
Agree what remains after submission
Identify the person who will respond to funder questions, maintain access to records and manage any remaining agreed obligation. Where the award involves assets, publicity, unspent funding or continuing conditions, confirm the relevant requirements rather than applying a generic close-out rule.
If a question needs accounting, legal or funder interpretation, retain it as an open item with the appropriate route. Do not assume that unspent funds can be retained or redirected without checking the agreement and advice needed.
Leave a usable record
Create a short close-out index naming the grant, agreement version, final report location, unresolved items, record owner and access arrangements. Follow the organisation’s applicable retention and data handling policies; there is no single retention period in this checklist that overrides them.
Ask a colleague who did not prepare the final pack to locate a sample requirement and its evidence. A successful handover means the record remains understandable when the delivery team has moved on.
A worked example
Fictional illustration. These dates, amounts and requirements are examples, not a rule for every funder or a client result.
| Close-out item | Fictional status | Owner / next action |
|---|---|---|
| Final report | Draft ready; approval pending | Report owner to obtain approval before submission |
| Financial position | One supplier invoice outstanding | Finance lead to explain treatment in the final schedule |
| Evidence index | Two links inaccessible to reviewer | Delivery lead to correct controlled access |
| Future questions | Named contact not yet confirmed | Senior lead to agree the record custodian |
Check your working version
- All relevant end dates and reporting dates are recorded.
- Finance, delivery and evidence agree on the final period.
- Submission and approval records are retained.
- Remaining obligations and questions have owners.
- The record custodian and access arrangements are confirmed.
Use the free branded workbook (.xlsx) to record your own case. The workbook includes Obligations, Evidence and Exceptions tabs.
Sources and scope
The steps and example above are suggested operating practices. Confirm the actual requirements against your award agreement and current programme instructions. They are not a compliance opinion.
- Charity Commission: internal financial controls (CC8). General context for charities in England and Wales; different jurisdictions and organisations need the relevant guidance.
- National Lottery Community Fund: managing your funding. An example of funder-specific guidance, not a universal rule.
Published for Antony Draper Advisory with AI-assisted drafting. Examples are fictional and have not been presented as client evidence.
Choose a practical next step.
Use the free plan yourself, or talk to Antony about the grant that needs attention. The free call ends with one agreed priority, a suggested owner and the next action.
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