Introduction

Grants Management Training is a practical, professional short course designed to strengthen participants’ capacity to effectively manage donor-funded grants throughout the entire grant lifecycle. The course covers pre-award planning, compliance requirements, financial and programmatic management, monitoring and evaluation, reporting, risk management, and close-out procedures.

Participants will gain hands-on knowledge of donor rules, budgeting, internal controls, performance tracking, and accountability mechanisms required by international and local funding agencies. The training emphasizes real-world scenarios, case studies, and practical tools to ensure participants can immediately apply skills in their organizations.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the 5-day training, participants will be able to:

1. Understand the full grants lifecycle from pre-award to close-out.
2. Interpret donor rules, regulations, and compliance requirements.
3. Develop and manage grant budgets aligned with donor guidelines.
4. Implement effective financial management and internal control systems.
5. Monitor grant performance and ensure results-based management.
6. Prepare accurate narrative and financial reports for donors.
7. Identify and mitigate grant-related risks.
8. Ensure accountability, transparency, and ethical grant management.
9. Conduct effective grant close-out and post-award evaluations.

Important Dates
Classroom Training Calendar

Online Training Calendar

Course Outline:

Day 1: Introduction to Grants Management & Donor Landscape

Key Topics:

• Overview of grants and donor-funded programs
• Types of donors (bilateral, multilateral, foundations, NGOs)
• The grants management lifecycle
• Roles and responsibilities in grants management
• Principles of accountability, transparency, and stewardship
• Ethics and compliance in grant management

Practical Activities:

• Group discussion on common grant management challenges
• Case study: Understanding donor expectations

Day 2: Pre-Award Phase & Grant Planning

Key Topics:

• Understanding Requests for Proposals (RFPs)
• Eligibility and compliance checks
• Proposal development overview
• Logical frameworks and results-based planning
• Grant budgeting fundamentals
• Cost principles: allowable, allocable, and reasonable costs
• Risk assessment during the pre-award stage

Practical Activities:

• Budget development exercise
• Proposal compliance checklist review

Day 3: Financial Management & Compliance

Key Topics:

• Financial management systems for grants
• Budget controls and cost tracking
• Financial policies and procedures
• Internal controls and fraud prevention
• Procurement and asset management under grants
• Donor compliance requirements
• Audit preparation and audit responses

Practical Activities:

• Sample financial report review
• Internal control risk assessment exercise

Day 4: Grant Implementation, Monitoring & Reporting

Key Topics:

• Program implementation and work planning
• Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) frameworks
• Performance indicators and data collection
• Managing grant modifications and amendments
• Narrative and financial reporting
• Communication with donors
• Managing underperformance and corrective actions

Practical Activities:

• Development of a monitoring plan
• Drafting a donor narrative report

Day 5: Risk Management, Close-Out & Sustainability

Key Topics:

• Grant risk identification and mitigation strategies
• Compliance reviews and site visits
• Grant close-out procedures
• Financial and programmatic close-out requirements
• Documentation and record retention
• Lessons learned and best practices
• Sustainability and post-grant transition planning

Practical Activities:

• Grant close-out checklist exercise
• Group discussion: Lessons learned and best practices

Target Participants

This course is designed for:

• Grant Managers and Officers
• Project and Program Managers
• Finance and Accounting Officers working on grants
• Monitoring and Evaluation Officers
• Compliance and Audit Staff
• NGO, CSO, and CBO staff managing donor-funded projects
• Government officials involved in grant-funded programs
• Development practitioners and consultants