Follow-up and Documentation

What happens if your organization actually receives a grant and then must use the funds in the manner in which you've stated in the grant proposal? Well, whatever you do, make sure that you keep track of the funds by documenting the rationale, responsibilities, cost projections, etc. So often, individuals receive a grant award only to find out that they don't remember how they determined costs, personnel, expenses, etc., and then are held accountable for the proposal without knowing how the money was spent and whether that money was spent in ways which correspond with the original grant language.

You must accurately report how you used the funds provided to the funder. Compare what you do to what's actually in the proposal on an on-going basis and try to maintain a relationship to the letter and intent of that document. It will make things a lot easier come reporting time and you'll avoid having to try to fit a square peg in a round hole and save you from a lot of stress when it comes time to report to those who have helped you pay the bills.