Sample Grants Agreements: A Topical Resource List

Sample grant agreements, detailing the terms and conditions of a grant award, can be useful to foundation staff in developing their own agreements. The following resources recently have been published on aspects of this topic.

The Dyson Foundation. "Sample Grant Agreement." (2004). Available online.

Provides a sample grant agreement (available in PDF and Microsoft Word formats) designed to give a better understanding of the types of requirements that may be associated with the receipt of a grant from the Dyson Foundation.

Edie, John A. and Jane C. Nober. Beyond Our Borders: A Guide to Making Grants Outside the U.S. 3rd ed. Washington, DC: Council on Foundations. 2002. iv, 119 p.

Details the technical and legal requirements for private and community foundations, corporate grantmakers, and public charities for making grants outside the U.S. An appendix includes sample materials, foreign equivalency determination forms, discussion of treaties with Canada, Mexico and Israel, Internal Revenue Service rulings governing friends organizations, suggested grant agreements for public charity grantors, guidance on expenditure responsibility, and more detailed discussions of technical points.

Gast, Elaine C. Communicating With Grantees: Building Effective Relationships Throughout the Grantmaking Process. Washington, DC: Association of Small Foundations, 2006. 32 p. (Primer Series).

The brief guide explains how grantmakers can make expectations and communications clear with grantseekers and grantees. Appendices include sample documents: grant guidelines and application, acknowledgement and declination postcards, site visit report, grant agreement, and report form.

Nagler, Larry and Jane Nober. "Terms of Agreement." Foundation News & Commentary vol. 40 (November-December 1999) p. 22-3.

Discusses the California Court of Appeals June 24, 1999 decision regarding "Health Reform Action Project v. Archstone Foundation, which holds that the terms and conditions contained within a grant agreement govern the legal rights and responsibilities of the grantor and grantee, and examines the implications of this decision for grantmakers.

Rhoads, Paul K. Managing a Private Foundation: Maintaining the Donor's Intent. Washington, DC: Philanthropy Roundtable. 1999. 99 p.

Covers planning, governance, staffing, grants management, investing, and legal issues. Appendices include an example of grant guidelines, a grant agreement, and an expenditure responsibility form.

Sample Documents for Family Foundations. Grand Haven, MI: Council of Michigan Foundations. 1998. 74 p.

Includes a Grant Approval Notification Letter/Agreement Form.