You got the grant. Now you have to show where it went.

The short answer: a grant acquittal is the report you give the funder at the end of a grant to show how the money was spent and what the project achieved. It usually includes a statement of income and expenditure against your approved budget, evidence such as receipts and bank records, and a description of your outcomes. When it's due and exactly what goes in it are set by your funding agreement, so that's the document to follow.

Getting the grant feels like the finish line. Then the agreement arrives with reporting dates, evidence rules and a declaration to sign. The good news: an acquittal is mostly about records you can start keeping today, and if you set things up early, the report almost writes itself.

1. What an acquittal is

An acquittal is your formal account of the grant. It tells the funder two things: where the money went, and whether you did what you said you would. Knox City Council's guide, for example, describes it as a report that confirms the funding was used for its intended purpose.

Funders use different names for it. The Victorian Government's grant terminology guide calls it an accountability report, which it describes as a form detailing the products and services the grant was spent on, and notes it's also known as an expenditure statement or acquittal report. Wyndham City Council says it may be called a final report or completion report. Commonwealth programs often say "end of project report". They all describe the same job.

2. When it's due

Your funding agreement sets the dates, and they vary a lot. Some examples:

• Penrith City Council's community grant acquittal form says acquittals must be submitted 4 weeks after the activity or event finishes.
• Knox City Council asks for its acquittal within 3 months of the spending, and no later than 12 months after you receive the grant.
• The Commonwealth Standard Grant Agreement template published by the Department of Finance sets a default of a signed statement within one month after the activity is completed, though each agency can change this.

Larger or longer grants often have milestones with progress reports along the way, not only a final report. Under the Industry Growth Program, for instance, grant payments are only made once the department receives satisfactory progress reports. Find every reporting date in your agreement now and put it in your calendar with a reminder a few weeks before.

3. What usually goes in it

Every funder has its own form, but most acquittals ask for some version of these:

• A financial statement showing grant income and what you spent, line by line, against the budget the funder approved.
• Evidence of spending, such as paid invoices, receipts or bank statements.
• Outcomes against what you promised: what activities happened, what changed, and how that compares with your application.
• Numbers and feedback, such as attendance, people reached, testimonials or survey results.
• Photos, media and promotional material, including proof you acknowledged the funder where that was required.
• Any unspent funds and the reason for them.
• A signed declaration that the money was spent in line with the agreement.

Commonwealth programs follow a similar pattern. The Industry Growth Program's guidelines say its end of project report must include the agreed evidence, the total eligible expenditure, a declaration that the grant was spent in line with the agreement, and a report on any underspends.

4. Evidence funders accept

This is where acquittals most often stall. A few rules come up again and again in council guides:

• Proof of payment, not a request for payment. An invoice asks you to pay. A receipt shows you paid. Knox only accepts invoices that show a zero balance owing.
• Bank records can fill gaps. Knox accepts a bank statement or transfer slip as proof of payment if there's no receipt, as long as it shows the payee, date and amount.
• Readable receipts. Wyndham rejects faded or unreadable receipts, and suggests scanning or photographing each one straight after purchase.
• The right dates. Wyndham requires proof of payment dated between when the funding agreement was signed and the project end date.

Commonwealth programs are equally firm: the Industry Growth Program says an expense without payment records may not qualify as eligible expenditure. And a cost that wasn't eligible won't become eligible at acquittal. See our guide to eligible costs covers how to check.

5. Keep records from day one

The easiest acquittal is the one you build as you go. Rebuilding a year of spending from a shoebox of receipts is where most of the stress comes from. A short routine helps:

• Track the grant separately. A separate bank account or a dedicated code in your accounts makes it easy to show what the grant paid for. Some Commonwealth agreements require grant money to be identifiable separately in your records.
• Use your approved budget lines. Record each cost against its budget line, so your final statement matches what the funder approved.
• File evidence the day you pay. Save a photo or PDF of each receipt with the date, supplier and budget line in the file name.
• Capture outcomes while they happen. Take photos, count attendees and write down good feedback at the time.
• Keep everything after you submit. Funders can ask for records later. The Commonwealth Standard Grant Agreement template includes an option to keep records for 5 years after the activity ends, and Knox notes that random audits may occur. Check your agreement for your period.

GrantAlly's award workspace keeps your confirmed agreement terms, milestones and reporting dates in one place, sends email reminders before they're due, tracks spending against your approved budget and prepares report drafts for you to check and submit. See how reporting works.

6. If your project changed along the way

Projects rarely go exactly to plan. Funders generally expect this, but they want to hear about it before you make the change, not when they read your acquittal.

The formal way to change the plan is a variation to your agreement. Wyndham, for example, asks recipients to contact its grants team and complete a project variation form for changes to dates, budget or activities. The Industry Growth Program asks for variation requests in writing before the project end date, and says not to assume a request will be approved.

If you got approval, refer to it in your acquittal and report against the varied budget and dates. If something changed without approval, say so plainly and explain why.

7. Audited and certified statements for larger grants

For bigger grants, a signed statement from you may not be enough. Funders can ask for:

• A signed financial statement, often including an income and expenditure statement for the grant for each financial year.
• An independently audited acquittal report, where a qualified auditor who isn't part of your organisation checks that the grant was spent in line with the agreement. The Commonwealth Standard Grant Agreement template includes this as an option, and the Industry Growth Program says it may ask for one.

If your agreement needs an audit, book your auditor early and check whether the audit cost is eligible expenditure. Some programs, including the Industry Growth Program, allow required project audit costs. Take the declaration seriously too: Commonwealth agreements note that giving false or misleading information is a serious offence.

8. If you're running late

Late or missing acquittals have real consequences, and they're mostly about your future funding:

• Knox, Wyndham and Penrith all say an outstanding acquittal can stop you getting further grants from that council.
• Knox also says funds will need to be returned if an acquittal remains outstanding.

If you can see you'll miss a date, contact your grant manager before it passes, explain why and propose a new date. The Industry Growth Program, for example, asks recipients to discuss reporting delays as soon as they become aware of them. Most funders would rather agree an extension than chase an overdue report.

Before you submit your acquittal

• You've used the funder's form or template, and answered every question.
• Your expenditure statement lines up with the approved budget, including any approved variations.
• Every grant-funded cost has proof of payment dated inside the project period.
• Outcomes are reported against what you said in your application, with numbers where you have them.
• Photos, media and funder acknowledgements are attached if required.
• Any unspent funds are shown, with a reason, and you know what the agreement says happens next.
• The right person has signed the declaration, and any audit or certification is attached.

Frequently asked questions

Is an acquittal the same as a final report?

Usually, yes. Funders use different names, including acquittal, accountability report, final report, completion report and end of project report. Some programs also ask for a separate financial acquittal or audit report alongside the final report, so check your agreement for exactly what's required.

What if I've lost a receipt?

Many funders accept other proof of payment, such as a bank statement or transfer record showing the payee, date and amount. Check what your funder accepts, and ask your grant manager before you submit if you're unsure.

Do I need an auditor for my acquittal?

Only if your agreement asks for one. Many small grants need a signed statement from you, while larger grants may require an independently audited financial report. Your funding agreement will say which applies.

What happens if I submit my acquittal late?

It depends on the funder, but common consequences include delayed payments and not being eligible for future grants from the same funder until it's done. Contact your grant manager before the due date if you need more time.