Managing Humanitarian Grants and Contracts Training Course
Introduction
This intensive 5-day training course provides a comprehensive and practical exploration of Managing Humanitarian Grants and Contracts, a crucial skill set for ensuring the effective and accountable delivery of aid in crisis-affected regions. From securing initial funding to project close-out and audit, the lifecycle of a humanitarian grant is fraught with complex regulatory requirements, diverse donor expectations, and inherent operational risks. This program will equip participants with the essential knowledge and strategic skills to expertly navigate the intricacies of grant agreements, implement robust financial management systems, ensure meticulous compliance, and foster strong, transparent relationships with funding partners.
The course goes beyond a theoretical understanding, focusing on the real-world challenges of managing multi-donor grants in high-pressure environments. Through interactive case studies, hands-on exercises in interpreting complex grant clauses, developing financial tracking systems, and preparing donor reports, attendees will learn to mitigate risks, resolve compliance issues, and demonstrate the tangible impact of humanitarian interventions. Whether you are a project manager, finance officer, grants specialist, or a senior leader in an organization delivering humanitarian assistance, this program offers an unparalleled opportunity to master the critical aspects of managing humanitarian grants and contracts.
Duration: 5 days
Target Audience:
- Grants and Contracts Managers
- Finance Officers and Accountants in Humanitarian Organizations
- Project Managers and Coordinators
- Compliance Officers and Internal Auditors
- Program Directors and Senior Leadership
- Business Development and Resource Mobilization Professionals
- Legal Counsel working with Grant Agreements
- Professionals aspiring to work in humanitarian grant management
Objectives:
- To provide a comprehensive understanding of the humanitarian grant lifecycle from award to close-out.
- To equip participants with the skills to effectively interpret, negotiate, and manage humanitarian grant and contract agreements.
- To understand the financial management, procurement, and reporting requirements of major humanitarian donors.
- To develop proficiency in establishing robust internal controls, mitigating financial risks, and ensuring audit readiness.
- To explore strategies for fostering positive donor relationships and demonstrating accountability and value for money.
Course Modules:
Introduction
- The evolving landscape of humanitarian funding and the importance of grants and contracts.
- Overview of the grant lifecycle: pre-award, award, implementation, and close-out.
- Key challenges in managing humanitarian grants: diverse donor rules, high-risk environments, limited capacity.
- The role of effective grant management in achieving programmatic impact and maintaining donor trust.
- Course objectives and an outline of the modules.
Understanding Grant and Contract Agreements
- Types of Funding Instruments: Grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, sub-awards.
- Key Clauses and Provisions: Scope of work, budget, reporting, intellectual property, termination.
- Roles and Responsibilities: Defining roles for finance, programs, compliance, and legal.
- Terms and Conditions: Interpreting donor-specific requirements and navigating legal language.
- Negotiation strategies for favorable and clear agreement terms.
Financial Management and Control Systems
- Budget Management: Tracking expenditures against approved budgets, managing variances.
- Cash Flow Management: Ensuring liquidity for project operations and managing currency fluctuations.
- Accounting Systems: Setting up appropriate chart of accounts and financial tracking for grant funds.
- Internal Controls: Implementing segregation of duties, authorization matrices, and asset management.
- Developing and enforcing financial policies and procedures.
Donor Compliance and Reporting Requirements
- Major Donor Requirements: In-depth review of specific compliance frameworks (e.g., EU, US government, FCDO, UN agencies).
- Financial Reporting Formats: Preparing accurate and timely financial reports (e.g., SF-425, Single Form, specific templates).
- Narrative Reporting: Linking financial performance to programmatic achievements and outcomes.
- Data Quality and Consistency: Ensuring alignment between financial and programmatic data.
- Navigating online donor platforms for reporting and submission.
Procurement and Sub-Award Management
- Donor Procurement Rules: Adhering to competitive bidding, sole source justifications, and ethical procurement.
- Supplier Due Diligence: Assessing vendor capacity and integrity.
- Contracting with Vendors: Drafting clear contracts for goods, services, and works.
- Sub-Award Management: Due diligence, capacity assessments, and monitoring of sub-grantees.
- Risk mitigation in procurement and sub-awarding in high-risk environments.
Risk Management in Grant Management
- Identifying Key Risks: Financial (fraud, disallowances), operational (delays, security), reputational, compliance.
- Risk Assessment and Mitigation Strategies: Developing context-specific risk registers and action plans.
- Fraud Prevention and Detection: Implementing anti-corruption policies, whistleblower mechanisms, and investigative procedures.
- Safeguarding and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA): Integrating financial controls to prevent abuse.
- Crisis management and business continuity planning for financial operations.
Audits, Monitoring, and Evaluation
- Types of Audits: External financial audits, donor compliance audits, performance audits.
- Preparing for an Audit: Documentation readiness, staff preparation, responding to audit queries.
- Common Audit Findings: Learning from past experiences and implementing corrective actions.
- Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) for Financial Oversight: Using M&E data to inform financial decisions and track progress.
- The role of monitoring visits and field presence in ensuring financial integrity.
Grant Close-out and Sustaining Donor Relationships
- Project Close-out Procedures: Final financial reporting, asset disposition, document retention.
- Unspent Funds and Carry-Over: Managing residual balances according to donor rules.
- Lessons Learned: Capturing insights from financial management for future grants.
- Building Strong Donor Relationships: Transparency, proactive communication, and demonstrating impact.
- Strategic engagement with donors beyond individual grants for long-term partnerships.
CERTIFICATION
- Upon successful completion of this training, participants will be issued with Macskills Training and Development Institute Certificate
TRAINING VENUE
- Training will be held at Macskills Training Centre. We also tailor make the training upon request at different locations across the world.
AIRPORT PICK UP AND ACCOMMODATION
- Airport pick up and accommodation is arranged upon request
TERMS OF PAYMENT
Payment should be made to Macskills Development Institute bank account before the start of the training and receipts sent to info@macskillsdevelopment.com
Managing Humanitarian Grants And Contracts Training Course in Uganda
| Dates | Fees | Location | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25/08/2025 - 29/08/2025 | $1,250 | Nairobi |
|
| 01/09/2025 - 05/09/2025 | $4,000 | Johannesburg |
|
| 15/09/2025 - 19/09/2025 | $2,900 | Kigali |
|
| 22/09/2025 - 26/09/2025 | $1,250 | Nairobi |
|
| 06/10/2025 - 10/10/2025 | $4,950 | Instanbul |
|
| 20/10/2025 - 24/10/2025 | $1,750 | Mombasa |
|
| 27/10/2025 - 31/10/2025 | $1,250 | Nairobi |
|
| 03/11/2025 - 07/11/2025 | $4,000 | Pretoria |
|
| 17/11/2025 - 21/11/2025 | $2,900 | Kigali |
|
| 24/11/2025 - 28/11/2025 | $1,250 | Nairobi |
|
| 01/12/2025 - 05/12/2025 | $1,750 | Mombasa |
|
| 08/12/2025 - 12/12/2025 | $1,250 | Nairobi |
|
| 05/01/2026 - 09/01/2026 | $4,950 | Dubai |
|
| 19/01/2026 - 23/01/2026 | $2,900 | Kigali |
|
| 26/01/2026 - 30/01/2026 | $1,250 | Nairobi |
|
| 02/02/2026 - 06/02/2026 | $4,000 | Johannesburg |
|
| 16/02/2026 - 20/02/2026 | $1,750 | Mombasa |
|
| 23/02/2026 - 27/02/2026 | $1,250 | Nairobi |
|
| 02/03/2026 - 06/03/2026 | $4,950 | Instanbul |
|
| 16/03/2026 - 20/03/2026 | $2,900 | Kigali |
|
| 23/03/2026 - 27/03/2026 | $1,250 | Nairobi |
|
| 06/04/2026 - 10/04/2026 | $4,000 | Pretoria |
|
| 13/04/2026 - 17/04/2026 | $1,750 | Mombasa |
|
| 20/04/2026 - 24/04/2026 | $1,250 | Nairobi |
|
| 04/05/2026 - 08/05/2026 | $4,950 | Dubai |
|
| 18/05/2026 - 22/05/2026 | $2,900 | Kigali |
|
| 25/05/2026 - 29/05/2026 | $1,250 | Nairobi |
|
| 01/06/2026 - 05/06/2026 | $4,000 | Johannesburg |
|
| 15/06/2026 - 19/06/2026 | $1,750 | Mombasa |
|
| 22/06/2026 - 26/06/2026 | $1,250 | Nairobi |
|
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