The Grant Close-Out stage is a crucial part of the grant life cycle and begins before the official end date of the project. The Grants Administration and Management Support Unit (GAMSU) is responsible for ensuring that all funded projects are properly closed out in accordance with both funder and university requirements.
Funder’s Requirements
As the project nears its end, the Principal Investigator (PI) receives a notification from the funder about the expected close-out date. The PI collaborates with GAMSU and key offices such as Finance and Procurement to ensure all obligations are met. If additional time is needed to complete the project objectives, the project may request a no-cost extension, subject to University Council approval. If no extension is required, final technical and financial reports will be prepared, followed by a final audit. The audit report is submitted to the funder with a copy sent to GAMSU.
University Requirements
GAMSU ensures that all university-specific close-out requirements are met. This includes submitting a Makerere close-out template which lists project assets, final reports, audit reports, and the project’s location. GAMSU also ensures proper archiving of all project documents for the duration specified by both the funder and university guidelines.
The close-out process is structured and systematic, ensuring that all documentation, financial reporting, and compliance requirements are fully addressed before the project is officially signed off.