The assessment panel has met, decisions have been made, and the board has approved the grant round recommendations. Now what? Closing a grant round properly — completing all the administrative tasks that turn decisions into grants — is critical work that's easy to underestimate.
This guide covers the key steps in closing a grant round and transitioning to active grant management.
Record all decisions. Before communicating with anyone, ensure every application has a recorded decision in the grants management system — funded, declined, declined-ineligible, or other status — with the decision rationale documented.
Check for errors and inconsistencies. Review the full decision list before communications go out. Are all decisions consistent with the assessment panel's recommendations? Are dollar amounts correct? Are there any applications that slipped through without a clear decision?
Prepare decision communications. Both funded and declined applicants need timely notification. Prepare:
- Offer letters or grant agreement packages for funded applicants
- Decline notification letters for unsuccessful applicants
- Any conditional offer communications for conditionally funded applications
Timely notification matters. Applicants who have been waiting weeks for a decision deserve prompt notification. Delayed decline notifications are disrespectful of applicants' time and planning.
Clear, respectful language. Decline letters should be clear about the outcome, avoid vague or misleading language, and be respectful of the effort applicants invested. "We received many high-quality applications" is a cliché — be specific about what you can share about the decision.
Appropriate feedback. If your programme offers feedback to declined applicants — a brief note on why the application wasn't funded, or an offer of a debrief conversation — deliver this promptly. Generic or unhelpful "feedback" that doesn't tell applicants anything useful is worse than no feedback.
Record the communication. Log when decline letters were sent in the grants management system.
Grant agreement generation. Generate grant agreements for all funded applications. Agreements should include the funded amount, purpose, milestones (if applicable), reporting requirements, grant conditions, and execution instructions.
Track execution. Monitor which funded applicants have returned signed agreements. Chase unreturned agreements promptly — a signed agreement is typically a condition for payment release.
Handle queries. Funded applicants often have questions about grant agreement terms. Programme staff should be responsive and clear in answering agreement queries.
Record signed agreements. Store executed agreements in the grants management system linked to the grant record.
Payment conditions. Confirm any pre-payment conditions are met — signed agreement received, any eligibility re-confirmation completed.
Payment instructions. Generate and process payment instructions for grants where payment is due immediately. For milestone-based grants, record the payment schedule.
Payment confirmation. Confirm payments were processed and record in the grants management system.
Close out the round. Update programme status to reflect the round is closed. Record key metrics — applications received, funded, total funding distributed.
Update grantee records. Ensure organisational records for funded applicants are current — contact details, bank account information, registered charity status.
Prepare for reporting. Set up reporting requirements and due dates for each funded grant.
Board/governance report. Prepare a summary of the round for board review — applications received, assessment process, funding recommendations and decisions, total distributed, any notable applications or issues.
Public communication. If your programme publishes funded recipients — on your website, in an announcement, or in an annual report — prepare and publish this information.
Staff debrief. A structured team debrief after each round — what went well, what was difficult, what should change next time — captures learning while it's fresh.
Review and revise application materials. Based on the round experience, are there changes needed to the application form, eligibility criteria, or guidelines?
Update programme documentation. Ensure guidelines, FAQs, and other applicant-facing materials reflect any changes for the next round.
Set the next round calendar. Confirm open and close dates, assessment schedule, and decision timeline for the next round.
Tahua streamlines post-decision workflows with bulk communication tools, automated agreement generation, payment tracking, and reporting that turns funding decisions into active grant management quickly.