Welcome to Your Grant Journey
You've been awarded a grant from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust! This guide will walk you through every step from now until your grant closes, including important forms, timelines, and reporting requirements. Please bookmark this page for easy reference throughout your grant period.
Accessing the Grants Portal
Open Grants Portal ›All reports and payment requests are managed through your grants portal.
To locate your record, log in to your Submittable portal. Under “My Submissions”, you can locate your grant by the grant number. Once you click on the number, you will find a series of tabs: Forms, Messages, etc.
You can find the following under the “Forms” tab then scroll to “Additional Forms.”
- Reports: See all scheduled reports with due dates
- Award & Payment Details form: View your grant agreement, terms, and tentative payment schedule
If you're having trouble finding additional forms in your portal, visit the Submittable Help Center guide on accessing additional forms.
Collaborating on Reports
To invite colleagues to collaborate on reports:
1. Open the report form
2. Click "Manage Collaborators"
3. Enter email addresses of team members
4. Ensure collaborators have accepted the invitation before you submit
Transferring Record Ownership
If your organization's grant administrator changes, the Submittable record should be transferred to a new owner. Follow the Submittable Help Center guide on transferring submission ownership.
Phase 1: The First 30 Days
1 Award Notification Email
Timeline: Day 1 · You’ll receive a confirmation email from your Program Officer
Actions Required: You'll receive two emails requesting completion of two forms: Request for Contact Information and Award and Payment Details.
What You Need to Do Within 3 Days of Request
1. Complete the Contact Information form:
- Provide grant signatory contact information
- Provide financial contact information
- Ensure these contacts check their email regularly
- Alert them to watch for emails from DocuSign and Tipalti (these may go to spam/junk folders)
2. Complete the Award and Payment Details form:
All that is needed is to check the box that says "Enable visibility to grant award details" (no need to fill in anything else) and submit this form within three days. We will fill in the tables for you, and you will receive a notification when that happens.
Important: The grant signatory and financial contact may be the same person, but both roles must be clearly identified.
2 Grant Agreement Arrives
Approximately 1 month after you submit your Request for Contact Information form, your grant signatory will receive a DocuSign email containing your official Grant Agreement. Below is what you can expect the email to look like, and the action it is requesting.
From: DocuSign (on behalf of M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust)
Subject: Please sign your Grant Agreement
Action: Review and digitally sign the agreement through DocuSign
Check Your Spam Folder: DocuSign emails are frequently caught by spam filters. Make sure your IT department whitelists DocuSign emails.
What's in the Grant Agreement:
- Total amount awarded and general expectations of the grant (see Comment on Award)
- General expenditure rules and requirements
- Conditions of the Grant: Unique requirements or “terms” that must be met before certain payments are released (e.g: matching requirements or top-off project completion)
- Tentative payment schedule: Payments that are initially scheduled with tentative dates that may be adjusted based on your reporting and project progress
Pro Tip: Save a copy of your signed Grant Agreement for reference. You'll need to refer to it when completing reports and payment requests. You can also find a copy in the Award and Payment Details form with a copy of your approved project budget.
3 Payment Registration (Tipalti)
After your Grant Agreement is signed and when a payment is due, your financial contact will receive an invitation to register for electronic payments through Tipalti (if not already registered). Below is what you can expect the email to look like, and the action it is requesting.
From: finance@murdocktrust
Subject: M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust's invitation to register for payments!
Action: Complete the Tipalti registration to set up electronic payment delivery
Payment Timing: If an outright payment is expected soon after signing the Grant Agreement and your Grant Agreement is signed and returned by the 1st of the month, payment will be scheduled for the end of that same month.
Phase 2: Grant Management
Understanding Your Grant Type & Reporting Requirements
Your reporting and payment request process depends on your grant type. Review your Grant Agreement to identify which category applies to you.
Grant Types
Staff & Program Grants
Payment Structure:
Outright payments: Typically structured in three, one-year intervals based on the program or hire start date.
Contingency payments: (if noted in grant agreement) fixed due dates; contingencies are comprised of raising matching funds as stated in the Grant Agreement.
Reporting Requirements:
Grant Reports (may be titled Progress Report, Conditions Met Report, or Grant Report/Payment Request): Submit the report by the scheduled date to request payment. Provide any applicable program updates, implementation progress (e.g.: hire/employment status, staff member name and start date), related outcomes, or quantitative/qualitative metrics
Contingency/Conditions Met Report: Submit when Grant Agreement conditions are complete for that year. Must be submitted before or by the due date.
Important for Staff Grants: Submit the first payment request when the position has been filled and the new hire has started. This may be before or after the tentative due date for that report. Include the new hire's name and start date in your first Progress Report.
Capital/Construction Grants
Payment Structure:
Outright payments: Can be requested when needed (if applicable)
Top-off payments: Final payment when project is substantially complete and all costs are known
Matching payments: Payment when matching funds are pledged or in hand
Reporting Requirements:
Grant Reports (may be titled Progress Report, Conditions Met Report, or Grant Report / Payment Request): Submit the report around the scheduled date to request payment. Provide any key milestones, progress on timeline, and/or percent of project completion.
Contingency/Conditions Met Report: Submit when project is complete AND remaining funding is secured or matching funds have been raised (as required in the Grant Agreement). Must be submitted by the due date, even if conditions are not yet met.
Equipment & Technology Grants
Payment Structure:
Outright payments: For purchases or implementation expenses
"Up To" grants: Partial payment available; remainder after final costs are known
Reporting Requirements:
Grant Reports (may be titled Progress Report, Conditions Met Report, or Grant Report / Payment Request): Submit the report around the scheduled date to request payment. Provide any updates on implementation/installation details, order status, and delivery timeline.
Contingency/Conditions Met Report: Submit when project is complete AND remaining funding is secured or matching funds have been raised (as required in the grant agreement). Must be submitted by the due date, even if conditions are not yet met.
Submitting Progress Reports
Purpose: Progress Reports (may be titled Grant Report / Payment Request) are flexible reports used to request outright payments with no contingencies.
When to Submit:
- To request outright payments (after meeting basic requirements)
- When you're ready to request funds for your project (or when you are ready for the next payment on your multi-year grant)
- Before or after estimated placeholder due dates (these are flexible and can be submitted early or late)
Multi-Year Payment Sequencing: For grants with multiple years of outright payments, subsequent payments are only released after prior payments have been mostly expended. This is particularly important if staff positions experience turnover, hiring delays, or when projects pause or transition. Submit your next Progress Report only when you're ready for the next payment.
What to Include:
| Section | What to Provide |
| Payment Amount | Check your Grant Agreement for the scheduled payment amount. |
| Summary Narrative | Any progress, project outcomes, or impact achieved since last report or communication with Trust. |
| Comparative Budget | Line-by-line comparison showing approved project budget at the time of award, actual costs, Trust funds applied, and remaining balance of Trust funds. Download Example Template - Staff. Download Example Template - Equipment & Technology. |
Budget Tips:
- Use the same budget format from your original proposal, including complete years for multi-year grants
- Be clear about how Murdock Trust funds were specifically applied
- Explain any variances or changes in the optional budget context field
- Include explanatory notes in your spreadsheet for unusual periods, overages or circumstances
Report Processing & Payment Timing
Reports and Payments are processed monthly. Reports submitted by the first of the month will be reviewed for payment on the last business day of that month
Submitting Contingency/Conditions Met Reports
Purpose: Conditions Met Reports (may be titled Grant Report / Payment Request) verify that specific grant contingencies have been fulfilled before releasing conditional payments.
Critical Difference: Unlike Progress Reports, Contingency/Conditions Met Reports have firm deadlines that cannot be changed without special permission. If you cannot meet a deadline, contact us immediately through Submittable Messages.
Common Condition Types
Top-Off Conditions (construction grants)
To meet a top-off condition, you must:
Complete the project as proposed.
Secure ALL matching funds required to fully fund the project.
Know all final expenses.
Match Requirements (various grant types)
Your report must include:
Detailed breakdown of match sources and amounts
Categories: Individuals (no names needed), Corporations, Foundations, Events
Foundation grants of $25,000+ listed by name and amount
Verification that match was raised during the contingency time period (defined grant year or since award date)
What to Include:
| Section | What to Provide |
| How the Contingency Was Met | Detailed explanation of how each condition was met, with specific evidence |
| Summary Narrative | Any progress, project outcomes, or impact achieved since last report or communication with the Trust |
| Comparative Budget | Complete financial accounting of the project to date |
You Can Submit Early: If you've met your contingency before the due date, you can submit your report early and a Progress Report may be scheduled to request payment when needed.
Updating a Report: After submitting, if additional information is needed, you'll receive an email notification, and the report form may be open for editing.
Phase 3: Completion
Final Report
Timeline: Final Report will be added to your grant record after the final payment is made. Due within one year after grant funds have been fully expended.
Your Final Report is your opportunity to share the complete impact and outcomes of your Trust-funded project. Your grant file remains open until the Final Report is approved.
What to Include:
- Comprehensive project outcomes and impact
- Goals achieved and challenges overcome
- Numbers served or affected
- Long-term sustainability plans
- Lessons learned
- Final comparative budget showing all expenditure actuals and Trust funds applied
This Is Your Story: Share short and concise successes, challenges, or the real-world difference this grant made.
Further Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the expectations for project updates that don’t require a report?
A: We do not require informal status reports. The expectation is that you will reach out outside the formal reporting schedule if any critical events occur that could affect the project’s ability to meet its objectives or alter the grant as intended (e.g.: material change in scope, significant project delay, loss of critical partner, change in awarded employment status, major organizational shift, change in IRS determination status or section).
When submitting a project budget, how should we handle cost overages or underused line items? Is there flexibility or do we need to stay within the original budget?
A: We allow reallocation of costs within approved categories (see Comment on Award within your Grant Agreement). We trust you to manage costs effectively.
What is the start date for my staffing grant comparative budget?
A: Staffing grants are paid over three years and the start date for Year 1 budget begins with the hire date of the new staff. The grant pauses when the position is vacant and restarts when the new person begins.
Need Help?
- For tips and help on using the Submittable grants portal, view this "Help for Applicants" page.
- For questions about your specific grant, use the Messages feature in your Submittable portal to contact the grants team.
- For general questions, email: grants@murdocktrust.org