Grant Expenditure Verification: How Funders Confirm Actual Programme Delivery
Grant Expenditure Verification plays an important role in helping funders establish whether the money reported as spent has translated into actual programme delivery. An implementing partner may submit a complete expenditure report, supported by invoices, payment vouchers and reconciled financial statements. The programme may also report that its planned activities have been completed. However, does […]
Implementing Partner Risk Assessment: 7 Best Practices
Implementing Partner Risk Assessment is essential for funders, development partners and international organisations seeking to protect programme resources, strengthen accountability and improve implementation outcomes. Organisations working through multiple implementing partners face varying levels of financial, operational, compliance and programme delivery risk. Understanding these differences helps funders determine where to focus oversight and how to respond […]
How Should Funders Design Risk-Based Monitoring for Implementing Partners?
Effective oversight is not about monitoring every implementing partner in the same way. It is about identifying where the greatest risks lie, gathering the right evidence and directing monitoring resources where they can make the greatest difference. Funders working with multiple implementing partners face a persistent challenge: how can they maintain strong financial accountability, compliance […]
When Should a Programme Commission an Independent Implementation Review?
Programme monitoring helps funders and management teams track implementation progress, expenditure, results and emerging risks. However, monitoring can show that a programme is underperforming without explaining why. An independent implementation review is appropriate when persistent delivery problems, conflicting performance evidence, weaknesses in implementation arrangements or significant funding decisions require an objective assessment of programme performance […]
Grant Portfolio Oversight: How Can Fund Managers Maintain Visibility Across Multiple Grantees?
Fund managers are responsible for ensuring that funding is used appropriately, implementation remains on track and programmes deliver their intended results. However, when several grantees operate across different locations, sectors and institutional environments, maintaining a clear view of performance, expenditure and delivery risks becomes increasingly complex. Effective grant portfolio oversight requires more than collecting periodic […]
Due Diligence Findings: How to Respond to Risks
Due diligence findings play an important role in determining whether a prospective implementing partner is ready to receive funding. A pre-award assessment may identify weaknesses in governance, financial management, internal controls, safeguarding or organisational capacity. These issues can raise important questions about an organisation’s ability to manage resources responsibly and deliver the intended programme outcomes. […]
Grant Due Diligence: When Should Findings Stop an Award?
The preferred implementing partner has completed grant due diligence, and the assessment has identified weaknesses in governance, internal controls and management capacity. None appears serious enough on its own to disqualify the organisation. But taken together, are they manageable conditions or reasons not to proceed? This is one of the more difficult judgements in grant […]
Implementation Risk Assessment: Risks Before Launch
An Implementation Risk Assessment helps development partners identify governance, staffing, operational, financial and coordination risks that could affect programme delivery before mobilisation begins. Programme mobilisation may be only weeks away, and implementation planning may appear complete. Yet important questions can remain unanswered. Who approves implementation decisions? Are key positions filled? Have implementing partners aligned on […]
Pre-Award Third-Party Due Diligence Before Funding
Pre-award third-party due diligence provides stronger assurance by combining documentary review with local verification before funding decisions are made. The preferred implementing partner has been identified. The technical evaluation is complete, the proposal is strong, the budget has been agreed and the award recommendation is ready. Yet one important question remains before the award is […]
When Should International Organisations Use Third-Party Due Diligence in Africa?
Third-party due diligence in Africa provides international organisations with an independent way to verify implementing partners, assess potential risks and strengthen funding decisions before an award is made. The preferred implementing partner has been identified. The technical evaluation is complete. The proposal is strong, the budget has been agreed and the award recommendation is ready. […]