Grants:Processing

This page documents a process common to all or most of WMF's grants programs. Please don't edit this page, but please do create a discussion page instead.

• Eligibility / Requirements
• Process a new grant
• Changes to your grant
• Grant reporting
• Unused grant funds
• Countries funded

If you have never received a grant before (or even if you have!), you probably will have many questions about what happens if your grant is approved. We know that completing these steps is not easy for every grantee, so we are here to help with anything that is difficult. We encourage feedback about this process from grantees so that we may continue to improve.

Stages in the grant process

1. Application: You submit a funding request to one of WMF's grant programs, following the application process for that grant program.
   Request for information: At the time of application and during the review period, applicants are asked to submit needed information and documents in order to determine eligibility for funding from a regulatory compliance perspective. These information/documents would also be necessary to issue an agreement and pay the grant, if your request is approved for funding. Required information and documents are slightly different depending on the type of grantee receiving a grant.
2. Decision: Your program officer notifies you. If your grant request is approved for funding, you may also receive a Grantee Portal system-generated award notification email (for some grant programs).
3. Agreement: Once all of the requested information and documents are received, reviewed, and there are no pending items, the Grants Administrator issues a grant agreement and requests for your signature through DocuSign, an electronic signature service. Once the grant agreement is signed by both you and a WMF representative, your grant is finalized and ready for payment.
4. Payment: Once the grant agreement is signed both by you and a WMF representative, and the Grants Administrator provides you with the details of your funds transfer/grant payment. Some grant programs require more than one installment to pay the grant. This information will be provided by your program officer anytime during the proposal review period or when you receive notification that your grant request has been approved for funding.
5. Reporting: After your grant end date has passed, your grant report and expense documentation (i.e. list of paid expenses and scanned receipts) are due. Each grant program has its own set of instructions for its reporting requirements.
6. Underspend: If there are unused grant funds at the end of your grant term, return the unused funds to WMF following the instructions at Grants:Return unused funds to WMF. You may also contact your grant's Program Officer to suggest another way to make use of the remaining funds.
7. Completion: Once all open items have been settled (e.g. reporting requirements met, underspend settled, etc.), your grant can be marked "completed" in our records, and your grant is officially closed.