GEOList Summary: Best Practice - No Goods and Services

Dear Colleagues, I have a question about best practice surrounding the issue of confirming no goods and services were received for grant payments (acknowledgement statements). In speaking with various funder colleagues, there seem to be several ways Foundations receive/document such statements. As we are rethinking our methods of obtaining such statements, I am curious what members consider to be best practice to balance burden on grantees but also have the appropriate documentation for 501(c)3 compliance and audit purposes as well. Below are my questions: • Is a provision for the no goods and services statement within the grant agreement itself—so by signing the agreement the grantee attests to this statement? Or does the agreement simply require the grantee to provide such statements after each grant payment (in a separate process described below)? • Or is the statement separate from the agreement and submitted only after payment has been issued? For example, in an on-line grants management system, is the grantee required to provide a follow-up acknowledgement letter/email stating that no goods and services were received after the grant payment is received by the grantee? o If a multi-year grant, is such a statement required after each grant payment is made? • If there is no agreement but just an award letter, does the letter include language making it clear that by providing banking information to process the electronic payment it also serves as an attestation of no goods/services? Or is the grantee required to separately provide a follow-up acknowledgement letter/email stating that no goods and services were received after the grant payment was made? • Are there other ways that Foundations ensure such acknowledgement of no goods and services statements are documented appropriately for compliance/audit? All thoughts and comments are welcome on this in the weeds question! Thank you in advance for your help. Take care, Sara