Audit & Accountability FAQ

Do we have to account for our funding?

Yes, Grassroots Trust Limited will review 100% of all approved grants for accountability compliance.

When do we need to account for our funding?

All funds must be spent and accounted for within 6 months, regardless of the timeframe you originally applied for or whether the project has finished. Your Organisation must provide an accountability report as soon as reasonably possible, but no later than the date outlined in your approval letter.

Can I email/send my Accountability Report?

No. Accountability reports will not be accepted unless the report is completed in full through your Applicant Dashboard online. Failure to complete this report will result in Grassroots Trust seeking a full refund of the grant. In the event of payment default, any legal or collection agent costs will be the responsibility of the Applicant.

Will I be contacted when my Accountability Report is due?

The primary contact for your Organisation will receive a reminder email 20 days prior to the accountability report being due. It is your responsibility to ensure your contact details are always up to date.

What if we need more time to account for our funding?

If additional time is required, please call a member of our Grants Team on 0800 957 960 to discuss your options.

What is an Approved Specific Purpose?

The Approved Specific Purpose is the purpose for which the grant was approved i.e. rent from April to November 2019 or purchasing playing equipment. If the funding is spent on anything other than the Approved Specific Purpose, a refund will be required. Your Approval Letter will detail the specific items that Grassroots Trust Limited have agreed to fund.

Can we request a change to our Approved Specific Purpose?

Only in exceptional circumstances will Grassroots Trust Limited consider changing the Approved Specific Purpose. If you wish to request a change, please email your request to info@grassrootstrust.co.nz.

Can we use a different supplier?

Yes, you can use a different supplier; however, the items purchased must be the same specific items listed in your Approval Letter. If the funding is spent on anything other than the approved specific items, a refund will be required. You must ensure these are the only items purchased using your funding from Grassroots Trust Limited.

What happens if our funded staff member leaves our Organisation or changes roles?

If there is a change in staff member during the approved timeframe, prior written approval must be sought before funds are spent. To request a change you must email a copy of the new staff members signed Employment Agreement and Position Description to info@grassrootstrust.co.nz. If funds are spent without prior written approval, a refund will be required.

Can our grant be used to reimburse someone else?

No. All invoices must be paid from the bank account in which Grassroots Trust Limited deposited the funds. No payments can be made as a reimbursement to any member of the Organisation; this includes any credit card payments. No money may be transferred to another party to pay for any expenditure. If any of the above occur, a full refund will be requested.

What documents do we need to provide?

Please refer to our Audit & Accountability page here.

What documents are not acceptable?

Quotes, pro forma invoices, ledger reports, excel spreadsheets and internet banking / mobile banking screenshots are not acceptable.

How should we prepare our documents?

Please refer to our Audit & Accountability page here.

Who can sign our Salary/Wage Declaration Form?

Your Salary/Wage Declaration Form must be signed by two authorised signatories.

An authorised signatory is a person elected or appointed by your Organisation in accordance with your Constitution, to act and sign documentation on behalf of the entity. One of the signatories may be a Chief Executive Officer provided that person has no interest in the grant, e.g. by way of salary or contract services paid.

What if we received the Government Wage Subsidy for the same timeframe?

If you have received the Government Wage Subsidy for the same timeframe you received funding from Grassroots Trust Limited, you cannot claim the subsidy portion. You can however claim for the difference between the subsidy and what your staff member was paid.

Can we claim the GST portion of an invoice?

You can only claim the GST portion of an invoice if you are NOT GST registered.

Can we claim for expenses paid before the Approval Date?

No. Payments made prior to the Approval Date are deemed Retrospective. Any funds granted for items that have been paid prior to approval will need to be refunded.

What do we do if the Approved Specific Purpose is cancelled?

If your Approved Specific Purpose has been cancelled, the funding must be returned to Grassroots Trust Limited by direct credit within 5 working days of the cancellation being known. You can do this by depositing the funds into our bank account, using your grant number as a reference. If you need our bank account details, please contact our Grants Team on 0800 957 960.

What do we do if the purchase price is less than the amount funded?

If a funding surplus exists, the surplus must be returned to Grassroots Trust Limited by direct credit within 5 working days of becoming aware of the surplus. You can do this by depositing the funds into our bank account, using your grant number as a reference. If you need our bank account details, please contact a member of our Grants Team on 0800 957 960.

Can we spend any remaining funds on other items?

No. Any unspent funds must be returned to Grassroots Trust Limited.  Your grant has been approved on the basis that the funds will only be spent on the specific items listed in your Approval Letter. If you want to purchase other items, you will need to reapply for funding toward these.

What if my report is re-opened for additional information?

Once your report has been assessed by Grassroots Trust, additional information may be requested in relation to how the funds have been spent. An email will be sent to the primary contact person requesting this information is provided within 5 working days.

The requested information must be scanned into ONE FILE called RESUBMITTED ACCOUNTABILITY to the Additional Information section in Step 6 of your Accountability Report.

How do we access our Accountability Report online?

Please refer to our Audit & Accountability page here.

Will our Organisation be audited?

Grassroots Trust Limited will audit 5% of approved project, activity, and operational cost grants annually. They will further audit 5% of approved salary / wage contribution grants annually to confirm that the funds were only spent on the purpose for which they were granted, and that all legal obligations including IRD deductions have been met.

If your Organisation is selected to be audited, a member of our Grants Team will contact you.

Grassroots Trust Limited grant records will also be inspected and audited by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA). Grassroots Trust Limited is required to provide details of all grants to the DIA. All applications must be made on the understanding that, if a DIA officer requests, the Grant Recipient must agree to and participate in an inspection/audit.

Need help?

Please feel free to contact a member of our Grants Team on 0800 957 960.