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Keep a connected record trail for every grant expense: the award and approved budget, evidence the cost was authorized, invoices or payroll support, accounting entries showing how it was charged, proof of payment, and the related grant report. The file should let a reviewer trace each reported amount from the grant terms through the transaction and into the nonprofit’s books.
What records should nonprofits keep to document grant spending?
For U.S. nonprofits, retain both the accounting record and the documents behind it. Federal award rules require financial records to identify the amount, source, and use of federal funds, supported by source documentation. A ledger entry alone does not establish what was bought, why it was charged to the grant, or whether it was paid.
Organize records so each expense can be connected to the award, its authorized budget, the transaction, and the financial or program report in which it appears. What counts as allowable or sufficient evidence depends on the specific award and applicable rules; the records below document the transaction but do not determine allowability.
Award and budget
- Keep the signed grant agreement or notice of award, approved application and budget, amendments, and relevant funder instructions.
- These establish the project, award amount, grant period, conditions, approved cost categories, and any changes. Federal award records must identify awards, authorizations, obligations, and balances.
Accounting and reconciliation
- Retain the award-coded general ledger or project ledger, the chart of accounts or fund codes, and relevant cash receipts, disbursement, and payroll journals.
- Keep accounting reports and reconciliations that tie grant expenditures to the financial reports submitted to the funder. Preserve the source documents that support the entries.
Purchases and other direct costs
- Keep invoices, receipts, paid bills, purchase orders, contracts or service agreements, vouchers, and approval records.
- Retain proof of payment, such as bank records or canceled checks, and documentation showing how the cost was coded and allocated to the grant.
The IRS review checklist describes tracing vouchers or invoices through coding and allocation, the financial system, and grant reports. In practice, a complete transaction file makes those links visible without requiring a reviewer to infer them.
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Payroll and personnel
- Keep payroll registers, time and attendance records, signed timesheets or other time-and-effort support where applicable, and approval evidence.
- For staff who work across activities or cost centers, retain records showing how their time and related payroll costs were allocated to the grant.
Travel
Retain travel authorization and approvals, receipts, and documentation of the amount and purpose of the trip charged to the award.
Matching and in-kind contributions
- For cash match, preserve records showing the cash received and spent.
- For donated goods or services, record the donor’s identity and signature, description and date of the contribution, its value and valuation method, and who determined that value.
- Keep evidence that allows the nonprofit to verify the contribution from its own records.
Financial position and reports
Preserve records of obligations, unobligated balances, assets, expenditures, income, interest, bank activity, payment requests and withdrawals, cash on hand, and financial reports. Keep evidence of who prepared, reviewed, and certified reports, and records comparing expenditures with the approved budget.
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Program results, procurement, and subawards
- Keep required narrative and performance reports, supporting statistics, and other program records relevant to the award.
- For procurement, contractors, and subawards, retain applicable procurement policies, bids or other selection records, contracts or subaward agreements, payment evidence, and monitoring records.
Federal and agency guidance can cover both financial and program records, but agency-specific examples do not establish identical requirements for every grant. Follow the terms and instructions for the particular award.
General nonprofit tax records
Separately retain documents substantiating organizational receipts and expenses reported for federal tax purposes, including grant applications and awards, invoices, receipts, deposit slips, paid bills, and canceled checks. Organizing supporting documents by year and by receipt or expense type can make tax substantiation easier. IRS recordkeeping applies even when an organization files Form 990-N or does not file a return.
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What receipts do I need for a grant audit?
There is no single receipt that documents every kind of grant cost. For a purchase, the file will commonly include an invoice or receipt, evidence of approval or authorization, the accounting code and allocation, and proof of payment. A contract, purchase order, or voucher may also be relevant to the transaction. For payroll, the supporting record is personnel and time documentation, not a store receipt. For match or in-kind support, preserve the separate evidence appropriate to the contribution.
A practical check is whether someone unfamiliar with the transaction can identify which grant paid for it, what the cost was for, how it was approved and allocated, how it was paid, and where it appears in the books and reports. The award terms and funder instructions determine what documentation is required in a particular case.
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How long does a nonprofit have to keep grant records?
For federal awards, the general rule in 2 CFR § 200.334 is three years from the date the final financial report is submitted. For awards renewed quarterly or annually, the period generally starts from submission of the applicable quarterly or annual financial report. This is a federal-award rule, not a universal schedule for every private, state, or local grant.
The three-year period is not always the date on which records may safely be destroyed. If litigation, a claim, or an audit begins before the period ends, retain the records until the matter is resolved and final action is taken. Written extensions and other specified exceptions can also apply. Check the award terms and agency rules before disposing of records.
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Agency guidance can specify its own award context: HRSA’s grant-management guidance describes three years from final FFR submission, with retention extended for applicable open actions. The NIH Grants Policy Statement, revised March 2026, describes three years from annual FFR submission and references exceptions under 2 CFR § 200.334. These examples do not replace the applicable award language.
IRS tax substantiation is related but distinct: IRS guidance says to retain records as long as needed to document compliance with federal tax rules. Other laws or grant terms may require a longer period. The reviewed federal and IRS sources do not establish one schedule covering every grant and record type.
How to organize a grant record file
A grant-level electronic or paper file can make the audit trail easier to follow. The folder structure below is a practical method, not a federally mandated format.
- Create a folder or record set for each grant using a consistent award identifier.
- Separate award documents, approved budgets and amendments, accounting reports, transaction source documents, payroll and time records, procurement and contracts, match, program reports, and correspondence.
- Use the award identifier consistently on accounting entries and source records so the transaction can be traced across systems.
- Keep approval evidence with the related transaction, and retain readable electronic records with appropriate access controls and backups.
- Before destruction, check the award’s reporting schedule, retention terms, any open audit, claim or litigation, and applicable tax and state or local requirements.
For a U.S. grant, use the grant agreement and funder instructions alongside the applicable federal, state, or local requirements. HRSA, NIH, and OJP guidance illustrates agency contexts; it should not be treated as a rule that every grant uses identical records or retention terms.
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