Funder Site Visit Preparation Checklist

Assign a single DRI from the development team to own the checklist and track completion, but individual items should be delegated to the appropriate department. Finance staff verify audit documents and grant financials; program staff gather outcome data and client stories; operations or facilities staff handle tour logistics. The development lead reviews all items as closed before the visit date.

Begin no later than two weeks before the scheduled visit for a standard site review. If the funder has requested audited financials, board minutes, or multi-year program data, start three to four weeks out to allow time for document retrieval, redaction of client PII, and internal sign-off. Rushing document preparation in the final 48 hours is the most common pitfall teams report.

Most funders expect the most recent audited financial statements, the current-year operating budget versus actuals, a grant-specific budget-to-actual report for their award, and IRS Form 990. Some program officers also request a cash-flow projection if the organization is in a growth phase. Confirm the specific documents with the program officer's pre-visit communication before finalizing this checklist.

Obtain written consent from any client whose story, photo, or quote will be shared with the funder before the visit. Use consent forms that specify the funder context explicitly. If a client is unavailable or declines, prepare an anonymized composite narrative instead. Never share identifying information — name, address, case number — without a signed release on file.

The core items — financial documents, program data, staff briefings, facility readiness — apply to nearly every visit. However, each funder has specific interests: a workforce funder will want employment outcome data; a capital funder will want facility condition reports. Clone the template for each visit and add or remove items to match the funder's stated priorities and the grant's reporting requirements.

The checklist itself is an internal preparation tool, not a compliance filing. However, completing it systematically helps organizations meet the documentation expectations embedded in federal Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200) for federally funded grants, as well as foundation grant agreement terms that require site-visit cooperation. Keeping a completed copy of the checklist on file demonstrates due diligence if a compliance question arises later.

Staff briefing is the most frequently skipped step. Program officers often speak directly with frontline staff during tours, and unprepared staff can inadvertently contradict grant reports or share unvetted information. Schedule a 30-minute briefing with all staff who will be present so they understand the funder's focus areas, what outcomes to highlight, and what questions to escalate to leadership.

Confirm in advance whether the funder intends to speak with clients and, if so, which program participants have consented to participate. Prepare those individuals with a brief, voluntary orientation — never scripted — so they feel comfortable. Assign a staff member to be present during any client interaction to provide support. Do not arrange client interviews without prior consent and staff presence.

The checklist is designed to be cloned and run as a standalone task list, but individual items can link out to documents stored in your grants management system, shared drive, or donor CRM. Add document URLs or folder paths directly into item notes at setup so team members can navigate to source files without searching. This also creates a lightweight audit trail of what was prepared and when.