Grant and Donor Fund Financial Management (AF-070) Training Course

Grant and Donor Fund Financial Management

Non-profit organisations, research institutions and public bodies that receive grants must manage funds according to detailed donor rules. Ineligible costs, weak…

5 daysClassroom or online

49Upcoming dates

12Cities

£2,250Fees from

Course overview

Introduction

Non-profit organisations, research institutions and public bodies that receive grants must manage funds according to detailed donor rules. Ineligible costs, weak documentation, poor budget tracking or late reports can lead to disallowed expenditure, repayment demands and lost future funding.

This Grant and Donor Fund Financial Management training course gives participants the knowledge and tools to manage restricted funds with confidence across the full grant lifecycle. Participants learn how to prepare realistic grant budgets, set up fund accounting, apply cost eligibility and allocation rules, monitor spending against budgets and prepare accurate financial reports for donors.

The course also covers sub-grantee management, audit preparation, fraud prevention and the internal controls that build donor confidence and protect the organisation's reputation.

Course Objectives

By the end of this training course, participants will be able to:

Explain the financial obligations attached to grants and restricted funds
Prepare grant budgets with clear cost categories, assumptions and cost recovery
Set up fund accounting and coding structures to track multiple grants
Apply eligibility, allowability and allocation rules to project costs
Monitor budget versus actual spending and manage budget revisions
Prepare accurate and timely donor financial reports
Manage financial risks with sub-grantees and implementing partners
Prepare for donor audits and maintain strong anti-fraud controls

Target Audience

This training course is suitable for a wide range of professionals, including:

Finance managers and accountants in non-profit organisations
Grant and programme managers
Research finance and grants office staff
Public sector officers managing donor-funded projects
Compliance and internal audit professionals
Executive directors of non-governmental organisations
Partner organisation finance staff

Training Methodology

The course combines practical explanation with budgeting exercises, cost eligibility tests, reporting simulations and case studies of audit findings in donor-funded projects. Participants work with sample grant agreements and financial data to build skills that transfer directly to their own funding portfolios.

Target Competencies

Grant budgeting
Fund accounting
Cost eligibility assessment
Donor financial reporting
Partner financial oversight
Audit readiness

Course outline

1Day One: The Grant Lifecycle and Donor Requirements

Types of Funding: Grants, cooperative agreements, contracts and restricted donations
The Grant Lifecycle: Proposal, award, implementation, reporting and closure
Reading the Grant Agreement: Financial clauses that matter most
Donor Expectations: Accountability, transparency and value for money
Roles and Responsibilities: Finance, programme and leadership teams
Common Compliance Failures and Their Consequences
Case Study: Reviewing the financial terms of a multi-year grant

2Day Two: Grant Budgeting and Cost Recovery

Budget Structures: Personnel, activities, equipment, travel and indirect costs
Building Budget Assumptions: Unit costs, quantities and inflation
Indirect Cost Recovery: Rates, allocations and full cost recovery
Cost Sharing and Match Funding: Documentation requirements
Budget Narratives: Justifying costs clearly
Multi-Currency Budgets: Exchange rate risk and contingencies
Practical Exercise: Preparing a grant budget and narrative

3Day Three: Fund Accounting and Cost Management

Fund Accounting Principles: Tracking restricted and unrestricted funds
Chart of Accounts and Coding: Grant, activity and location dimensions
Cost Eligibility: Allowable, reasonable and allocable costs
Staff Time Allocation: Timesheets and payroll charging
Shared Cost Allocation: Fair and documented methods
Procurement Under Donor Rules: Thresholds and documentation
Workshop: Testing a sample of expenses for eligibility

4Day Four: Monitoring and Reporting

Budget Monitoring: Burn rates, variance analysis and forecasts
Budget Revisions and Donor Approvals: When they are required
Preparing Financial Reports: Accuracy, reconciliation and narrative explanations
Linking Financial and Programme Reporting: Consistency of results
Cash Advances, Liquidations and Exchange Gains
Grant Closeout: Final reports, asset disposal and record retention
Practical Exercise: Preparing a quarterly donor financial report

5Day Five: Partners, Audit and Controls

Sub-Grant Management: Pre-award assessment, agreements and monitoring
Partner Capacity Building: Supporting weaker financial systems
Internal Controls for Grants: Authorisation, segregation and documentation
Fraud and Corruption Risks: Prevention, detection and reporting
Donor Audits and Verifications: Preparation and response to findings
Building a Grant Management Manual: Policies and procedures
Action Plan: Strengthening grant financial management

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Grant and Donor Fund Financial Management course?

The course runs over 5 days of classroom training, usually Monday to Friday.

When is the next Grant and Donor Fund Financial Management course?

The next public date is 7 - 11 Dec 2026 in Barcelona. There are 49 upcoming dates in total.

Where is this course held?

Upcoming sessions run in Barcelona, Frankfurt, London, Dubai, Geneva, Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur, Madrid, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Cape Town.

Can I take Grant and Donor Fund Financial Management online?

Yes. Every date can also be joined live online in a virtual classroom with the trainer, for £1,280 per participant. Choose "Live online" in the dates table when you register.

How much does the course cost?

Fees start from £2,250 per delegate, depending on the city. Fees include tuition and course materials.

Do participants receive a certificate?

Yes. Delegates who complete the course receive a London Leadership Management Innovation certificate of completion.

Can this course be delivered in-house for our team?

Yes. LLMI can tailor and deliver this course privately for your organisation at your premises or in one of our training cities.

Course information last updated 14 November 2026.

Grant and Donor Fund Financial Management

Course overview

Introduction

Course Objectives

Target Audience

Training Methodology

Target Competencies

Course outline

Dates and fees

Frequently asked questions

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