Upon receiving a grant from Embassy Bridgetown, grantees must agree to a defined set of responsibilities to ensure communication, accountability and transparency. Grantees who do not comply with all reporting requirements, including required time frames, may become ineligible to qualify for future federal assistance.
Each grant is assigned a designated Grant Period, during which all work related to the grant must be completed and all funds spent. If a grantee requires an extension of the Grant Period, it is the grantee’s responsibility to request an extension from their Grants Officer Representative at least 30 days before the end of the Grant Period. All grant funds must be spent during the Grant Period and in accordance with the approved budget. All expenses must be documented. Unspent funds must be refunded to Embassy Bridgetown.
Any changes to the grant project scope or budget must be approved by the Grants Officer or Grants Officer Representative. Failure to do so could result in unapproved purchases or grant termination.
The 90 days following the Grant Period is the Grant Reporting Period. During this time grantees must:
- Complete and print the SF-425 Financial Form. (PDF, 108 kB) The SF-425 summarizes the grant income and expenses, including a list of funds received from Embassy Bridgetown and how the money was spent. All expenses must be documented with receipts. Original or scanned copies of all receipts related to the project must be submitted with the SF-425. If receipts indicate grant money was spent on prohibited items (i.e. alcohol or entertainment) the funds must be refunded to Embassy Bridgetown. Instructions for completing the SF-425 can be found here. (PDF, 40 kB)
- Write a narrative report to provide an overview of the grant project. The narrative report must explain the results of the project and include information such as what the grant program included, what aspects were successful and what were unsuccessful. The narrative report must also include any lasting outcomes of the program.
Upon receipt of the SF-425, documentation of expenses, and narrative report, the Public Affairs Section will review all grant expenses to ensure accuracy and relevance. Any remaining, unspent funds must be returned to Embassy Bridgetown at this time.
When this has been satisfied the grantee will receive a formal close-out letter from the Grants Officer indicating that the grant reporting requirements were met and the end of the grant relationship. This letter must be retained by the grantee for their records.
The responsibilities described herein are intended as an overview of the grantee’s relationship with Embassy Bridgetown. Further details will be provided by the Grants Officer or Grants Officer Representative.