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Grant Agreement Template

Award a grant to a nonprofit, charity or community project with the amount, permitted use, reports and repayment terms agreed and signed online.

Use This Template — Free See the Agreement Signers don’t need an account
Grant agreement
The blanks in brackets are what you fill in. VergeHR adds each signer’s signature and date boxes.
Grant agreement — page 1 of 3
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Grant agreement — page 2 of 3
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Use This Template Fill in the blanks, name who signs, and send — from VergeHR eSignature.

What is a grant agreement?

A grant agreement turns an award decision into clear, signed conditions. The funder — a foundation, a company giving back, a charity re-granting funds or a community fund — sets out how much it is giving, what the money may be used for, what it expects to hear back, and what happens if the grant is not used as agreed. The grantee gets certainty about payment and knows exactly what it has promised.

This template covers the grant amount and period, the purpose the grant is restricted to, payment in one sum or instalments tied to progress, uses the grant may not fund, an optional approved budget with an allowed variance and overheads, milestones, progress and final reports, record keeping and inspection, credit or anonymity for the funder, ownership of results with a licence for the funder, what happens to unspent money, suspension and repayment if the grant is misused, and the grantee's responsibility for the project.

Best for
Foundation, corporate, community and charity-to-charity grants
Signed by
Funder and grantee — an authorised person for each
Payment
A single payment, or instalments linked to reports and progress
Length
About 3 pages, initialled on every page

When to Use a grant agreement

  • A family foundation funding a local charity's programme
  • A company awarding community grants as part of its giving programme
  • A charity re-granting funds to a smaller partner organisation
  • A restricted project grant paid in instalments against reports
  • A small grants round where every grantee signs the same terms

What You Fill In

24 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: funder, grantee.

1 The parties

  • Date of the agreement*
  • Funder*
  • Funder address
  • Grantee organisation*
  • Grantee address
  • Grantee's legal status

2 The project

  • Project title*
  • What the grant is for*
  • Grant period starts*
  • Grant period ends*
  • Milestones or outcomes

3 The money

  • Currency*
  • Total grant*
  • How it is paid* in a single payment · in instalments, as set out below
  • Instalment schedule
  • Approved budget
  • Grantee may move up to (%) between budget lines
  • Overheads allowed (%)

4 Reports

  • Progress reports before the final report* every three months · every six months · once a year · none — final report only
  • Final report due (days after the grant period)*
  • Keep records for (years)*

5 Other terms

  • Credit the funder publicly?* Yes, as the funder approves · No — the funder prefers not to be named
  • Unspent money at the end* is returned to the Funder · may be kept for the Grantee's charitable purposes with the Funder's written approval
  • Governing law*

6 Who signs

  • Funder signature and date, job title, initials on every page · The foundation, company, charity or person awarding the grant.
  • Grantee signature and date, job title, initials on every page · Someone authorised to sign for the organisation receiving the grant.

What the grant agreement Covers

  1. The grant
  2. Payment
  3. Using the Grant
  4. Reports and records
  5. Credit and publicity
  6. Ownership of results
  7. Unspent money, repayment and ending the grant
  8. Responsibility
  9. General

Using the grant agreement, step by step

1 Describe the grantee and the project

Enter the grantee's name and, if your rules require it, its legal status, such as a registered charity or tax-exempt nonprofit with its number. Describe the purpose precisely — the grant may only be used for it.

2 Set the amount and payment

Enter the total and choose one payment or instalments. For instalments, describe the schedule — for example, a share on signing and the rest on receipt of reports. Later instalments depend on the grantee keeping to the agreement.

3 Add the budget, milestones and reports

Optionally include the approved budget, how much can move between budget lines and an overheads allowance. Add milestones or outcomes, choose how often progress reports are due, and set the final report deadline and how long records are kept.

4 Decide credit and unspent funds, then sign

Choose whether the grantee credits you publicly or keeps you anonymous, and whether unspent money is returned or may be kept with your approval. Both sides sign online, and the agreement is filed in Files.

Tips Before You Send It

  • Some funders may only give to organisations with a particular legal or tax status. Check your own rules and confirm the grantee's status before you pay.
  • Keep reporting proportionate to the grant — a small grant rarely needs quarterly reports.
  • If your grant may not fund political campaigning or lobbying under the law that applies to you, the template already excludes these. Take advice if you are unsure what counts.
  • Diary the report due dates when you sign, so late reports are noticed and followed up.

Sign It Online In Minutes

  1. Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
  2. Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. VergeHR builds the PDF with every signature, date and initials box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
  3. Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in Files and emailed to everyone.
Use the grant agreement Template — It’s Free

Grant agreement: frequently asked questions

Can the funder ask for the grant back?

Yes, in defined cases: if the grant is used for anything other than the purpose, the application or reports were materially false, reports are not sent after a reminder, the project stops or the grantee loses its status or becomes insolvent, or there is fraud or serious misconduct. Except for fraud or serious misconduct, the grantee first gets a chance to put the problem right.

What happens to money that is not spent?

You choose: it is returned to the funder, or the grantee may keep it for its charitable purposes with the funder's written approval. The grantee reports the unspent amount in its final report.

Who owns what the grantee produces?

The grantee does. It grants the funder a free, permanent, non-exclusive licence to use its reports and publications for the funder's own charitable, reporting and non-commercial purposes.

Can a grant agreement be signed electronically?

Electronic signatures are generally valid for agreements like this in the US (ESIGN Act and UETA), the UK, the EU (eIDAS) and Canada. Check whether your own governance rules require particular signatories.

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