NGO Financial Management and Compliance Training Course

Duration 10 days 20 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Finance Managers, NGO Accountants and others
Fee from USD 2,200 KSh 190,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 9 Nov 2026 Course code SD-NM-044

Before you join: Participants should understand basic double-entry accounting, including debits, credits, income, expenditure, assets and liabilities.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

NGO finance teams must account for restricted grants, donor conditions, programme costs, partner advances, payroll, procurement and statutory obligations while producing timely reports for management, boards, donors and auditors. Weak coding structures, incomplete supporting documents and spreadsheet-based reconciliations can result in questioned costs, delayed donor reporting, cash shortfalls and audit findings. Finance staff need systems that connect daily transactions to approved budgets, grant agreements and reliable financial statements.

This course develops practical financial management and compliance capability for NGO personnel using QuickBooks as the core accounting platform. Participants learn to configure a chart of accounts, classes, customers, projects and funds; process transactions; manage receivables, payables, advances and fixed assets; reconcile bank and cash accounts; monitor grant budgets; and produce donor-ready financial reports. The course also addresses internal controls, procurement documentation, fraud risk, cost allocation, indirect cost recovery, audit preparation and financial oversight.

Teaching combines concise instructor briefings with guided QuickBooks demonstrations, humanitarian and development-sector cases, group analysis, simulations and structured application planning. Participants progressively build a working NGO finance file from source documents, grant budgets and control requirements. They leave with reusable templates and a completed finance-and-compliance pack containing an accounting structure, budget monitoring model, reconciliation process, control matrix and donor reporting outputs.

The course suits finance personnel supporting projects funded by bilateral donors, foundations, UN agencies, governments and corporate donors. It is also relevant to programme managers and operational staff who approve expenditure, manage budgets or oversee implementing partners.

What you will be able to do

  • Configure a QuickBooks chart of accounts, classes and projects for restricted funding
  • Process NGO income, expenditure, advances, payroll and asset transactions in QuickBooks
  • Prepare grant budget-versus-actual reports using fund, project and cost-centre coding
  • Build a 13-week rolling cash forecast from approved budgets and payment schedules
  • Apply COSO-based internal controls to procurement, payments, cash and partner advances
  • Allocate shared costs using documented allocation bases and indirect cost calculations
  • Produce donor financial reports, bank reconciliations and audit-ready supporting schedules
  • Present a complete NGO finance and compliance pack for management and donor review

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Build confidence configuring QuickBooks for restricted grants and project reporting
  • Produce donor reports with clearer audit trails and supporting schedules
  • Identify control weaknesses before they become audit findings
  • Explain budget variances and cash requirements to non-finance managers
  • Apply reusable templates to grants, advances, reconciliations and cost allocations

For your organisation

  • More reliable grant coding and budget-versus-actual reporting
  • Fewer questioned costs through documented approvals and supporting evidence
  • Earlier visibility of cash gaps, restricted balances and funding commitments
  • Stronger audit readiness through reconciled ledgers and organised schedules
  • Consistent finance procedures across projects, field offices and funding sources

Course modules

20 modules over 10 days

Participants can map an NGO finance system to funding, programme and governance requirements.

  • Restricted, unrestricted and designated funds distinguished within NGO financial statements
  • Grant lifecycle mapped from proposal budget through close-out reporting
  • Programme, support and governance costs classified using consistent definitions
  • Financial management roles assigned through segregation-of-duties principles
  • Board finance oversight linked to management reporting and reserves
  • Donor agreements translated into finance deadlines, conditions and evidence

Participants can configure a QuickBooks file for multi-project NGO accounting.

  • QuickBooks company settings aligned with fiscal year and reporting currency
  • Chart of accounts designed for funds, natural accounts and programmes
  • Classes configured for departments, projects or funding streams
  • Customers and projects structured for donor-funded grant tracking
  • Vendor records established with tax, payment and documentation fields
  • Opening balances entered with documented reconciliation to prior records

Participants can apply consistent coding and approval workflows to NGO transactions.

  • Coding matrix links account, fund, project, donor and cost centre
  • Payment voucher workflow captures approvals, receipts and budget codes
  • Source documents tested against completeness, validity and authorisation criteria
  • Purchase orders matched using three-way matching controls
  • Journal entries supported by explanations, calculations and reviewer evidence
  • Month-end close checklist assigns deadlines, owners and review steps

Participants can record grant income and manage donor receivables accurately.

  • Grant agreements reviewed for payment schedules and eligible cost rules
  • Deferred income recognised when funds precede eligible expenditure recognition
  • Receivable invoices raised against donor instalments and reporting milestones
  • Restricted income tracked separately from unrestricted contributions and earned income
  • Foreign currency grant receipts recorded using documented exchange-rate policies
  • Donor receivables aged and followed through collection action schedules

Participants can process supplier expenditure with clear procurement and payment evidence.

  • Procurement thresholds connected to quotations, tenders and approval requirements
  • Supplier bills coded to grants, activities and approved budget lines
  • Eligible costs tested against donor rules and approved workplans
  • Accounts payable ageing reviewed for due dates and duplicate payments
  • Payment runs controlled through maker-checker approval and bank evidence
  • Withholding taxes calculated, recorded and scheduled for statutory remittance

Participants can control cash holdings and reconcile bank and mobile money accounts.

  • Petty cash imprest maintained through vouchers, counts and replenishment
  • Bank reconciliations prepared from statements, ledger balances and reconciling items
  • Outstanding cheques and deposits investigated using ageing analysis
  • Mobile money transactions reconciled to provider statements and approvals
  • Cash transfer limits set through risk-based authorisation matrices
  • Cash count certificates reviewed by independent staff at scheduled intervals

Participants can construct grant budgets that support sound financial monitoring.

  • Work breakdown structures converted into activity-based grant budget lines
  • Unit-cost calculations document quantities, rates and cost assumptions
  • Personnel budgets include salaries, benefits, taxes and inflation assumptions
  • Contingency treatment follows donor rules and approved budget guidance
  • Budget narrative explains cost drivers, procurement plans and calculation methods
  • Approved budgets loaded into QuickBooks reporting structures for comparison

Participants can analyse grant budget performance and recommend corrective action.

  • Budget-versus-actual reports filtered by donor, project and budget category
  • Variance analysis separates timing differences from scope and rate changes
  • Burn-rate calculations identify underspend, overspend and close-out risks
  • Forecast-to-complete estimates combine actuals, commitments and remaining activities
  • Budget realignment requests prepared with narrative and donor approval evidence
  • Management dashboards highlight material variances, decisions and accountable owners

Participants can allocate shared costs using defensible bases and donor rules.

  • Direct costs distinguished from shared, indirect and unallowable costs
  • Allocation bases selected using causal, beneficial and documented relationships
  • Shared rent allocated using floor area, staffing or occupancy data
  • Personnel time allocated through timesheets and approved effort records
  • Indirect cost rates calculated from eligible support cost pools
  • Allocation schedules reconciled to ledger balances and grant reports

Participants can account for payroll and employee advances with documented controls.

  • Payroll journals separate salary, tax, pension and benefit liabilities
  • Staff advances approved against travel authorisations and activity plans
  • Advance liquidation reconciles receipts, returns and outstanding balance records
  • Per diem claims tested against policy rates and travel evidence
  • Payroll access restricted through confidential records and independent review
  • Outstanding advances aged, escalated and resolved before grant close-out

Participants can maintain accurate asset and inventory records for donor-funded resources.

  • Capitalisation thresholds applied under documented accounting policy requirements
  • Asset registers record serial numbers, custodians, locations and funding sources
  • Depreciation schedules calculated using approved useful lives and methods
  • Physical verification compares asset registers with observed equipment
  • Inventory stock cards track receipts, issues, balances and batch details
  • Disposals documented through approval, valuation and donor consent procedures

Participants can complete a controlled month-end close and prepare NGO financial statements.

  • Close calendar sequences cut-off, reconciliations, reviews and management reporting
  • Accruals recorded for received goods, services and payroll obligations
  • Prepayments amortised using schedules tied to contracts and invoices
  • Statement of financial position reviewed for unusual balances and classifications
  • Statement of activities separates restricted and unrestricted fund movements
  • Supporting schedules reconcile trial balance accounts to financial statement captions

Participants can prepare accurate donor reports that reconcile to accounting records.

  • Donor report templates mapped to ledger accounts and approved budgets
  • Financial reports reconcile expenditure totals to QuickBooks project reports
  • Currency conversion follows donor-prescribed rates and documented calculation methods
  • Reporting periods checked against grant start, end and extension dates
  • Expenditure narratives explain variances, reclassifications and material adjustments
  • Submission packs include certifications, approvals and retained supporting evidence

Participants can prepare cash forecasts and manage funding timing risks.

  • Thirteen-week cash forecast built from receipts, payroll and supplier data
  • Grant instalment timing matched against donor conditions and report submissions
  • Committed expenditure incorporated from purchase orders, contracts and payroll
  • Restricted cash separated from funds available for general operating costs
  • Scenario analysis tests delayed receipts, exchange losses and emergency spending
  • Liquidity actions prioritise donor follow-up, payment scheduling and funding requests

Participants can assess financial controls and address common NGO fraud risks.

  • COSO control components applied to NGO financial process reviews
  • Fraud risk register identifies opportunity, pressure and rationalisation indicators
  • Segregation-of-duties conflicts assessed across procurement, payment and reconciliation
  • Exception reports identify duplicate vendors, split purchases and unusual journals
  • Whistleblowing procedures protect confidentiality, escalation and investigation records
  • Control testing documents samples, exceptions, causes and corrective actions

Participants can monitor implementing partner finances and account for subgrant advances.

  • Partner capacity assessments review systems, staffing, controls and prior audits
  • Subgrant agreements define budgets, reporting, advances and audit access
  • Advance registers track disbursements, liquidations and overdue balances
  • Partner financial reports tested against supporting documents and approved budgets
  • Risk-based monitoring plans set review frequency, scope and escalation triggers
  • Findings logs assign remediation actions, owners and closure evidence

Participants can assemble audit-ready records and respond effectively to audit requests.

  • Prepared-by-client schedules organised by trial balance and audit assertions
  • Audit evidence links transactions to approvals, contracts and donor requirements
  • Sample selections traced from financial reports to original supporting documents
  • Management representation inputs verified against known liabilities and contingencies
  • Audit queries logged with owners, due dates and evidence status
  • Corrective action plans address findings, root causes and follow-up controls

Participants can apply accounting policies consistently and identify reporting compliance issues.

  • Accounting policy manual defines recognition, measurement and disclosure decisions
  • GAAP and IPSAS concepts compared for NGO reporting applications
  • Revenue recognition policy addresses conditional grants and performance obligations
  • Materiality thresholds guide adjustments, disclosures and management attention
  • Related-party transactions identified through governance declarations and ledger review
  • Policy exceptions documented with approvals, rationale and financial impact

Participants can present financial information that supports timely management decisions.

  • Monthly finance packs combine cash, budget, receivables and compliance indicators
  • Key performance indicators track burn rate, liquidity and advance ageing
  • Traffic-light reporting distinguishes urgent actions from routine monitoring items
  • Variance commentary connects financial movements to programme delivery decisions
  • Finance review meetings record decisions, deadlines and accountable owners
  • Board reports present material risks, reserves and funding concentration

Participants can build, review and present a complete NGO finance and compliance pack for a donor-funded project.

  • Grant coding structure configured for funds, projects and expenditure categories
  • Budget monitoring report reconciled to QuickBooks transactions and commitments
  • Bank reconciliation, advance schedule and cash forecast completed accurately
  • Control matrix addresses procurement, payments, assets and partner advances
  • Donor financial report supported by variance analysis and evidence index
  • Management presentation explains risks, corrective actions and reporting decisions

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. NGO QuickBooks configuration blueprint
  2. Grant coding matrix template
  3. 13-week cash forecast model
  4. Budget-versus-actual variance report
  5. Finance internal control matrix
  6. Audit-ready donor reporting checklist

Who should attend

  • Finance Managers — responsible for grant controls, reporting quality and financial oversight
  • NGO Accountants — need reliable QuickBooks processes for daily accounting and reconciliations
  • Grants Managers — monitor donor budgets, restrictions and reporting deadlines
  • Programme Managers — approve costs and manage project budget performance
  • Operations Managers — oversee procurement, assets, cash and supplier documentation
  • Country Directors — require clear financial information for governance and donor assurance

Skills and tools covered

Grant accountingQuickBooks configurationDonor reportingInternal controlsCash forecastingAudit preparation

Tools and standards

QuickBooks Online, COSO Internal Control—Integrated Framework, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, International Public Sector Accounting Standards

How the course runs

Training methodology

The course uses short instructor briefings, live QuickBooks demonstrations and realistic NGO finance cases. Participants analyse grant agreements, code transactions, investigate discrepancies, prepare reconciliations and interpret donor reporting requirements. Group work examines approval controls, procurement files, partner advances and fraud indicators. Simulations place participants in finance review meetings where they explain variances, cash risks and corrective actions. Each participant develops a finance-and-compliance pack for adaptation to their own organisation after the course.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should understand basic double-entry accounting, including debits, credits, income, expenditure, assets and liabilities. They should have experience preparing invoices, payment vouchers, bank reconciliations, budgets or financial reports in an NGO, charity, development project or similar organisation. Familiarity with donor-funded projects is helpful but not essential. Participants do not need prior QuickBooks experience, advanced spreadsheet modelling skills, professional accountancy certification or audit experience. Those without accounting responsibilities should attend with responsibility for budgets, grants, procurement or financial approvals.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

Participants should understand basic accounting concepts and have some exposure to budgets, payments, reconciliations or financial reports. Prior QuickBooks experience is not required because the course starts with NGO-specific system setup.

Bring a laptop if attending in person, along with an anonymised chart of accounts, grant budget, donor report or finance policy if available. Trainers use sample NGO data, so participants do not need to share confidential records.

It is designed primarily for NGO finance managers, accountants, grants staff and finance officers. Programme, operations and senior managers with budget approval or compliance responsibilities also benefit.

General QuickBooks courses focus mainly on software functions and commercial bookkeeping. This course applies QuickBooks to restricted funds, grants, donor reporting, cost allocation, partner advances, audit files and NGO control requirements.

Participants can adapt the coding matrix, close checklist, cash forecast, control matrix and donor reporting checklist to their own finance processes. The final pack is structured around a donor-funded project and can form the basis for workplace improvements.

Each training day runs from 08:30 to 16:30 and provides about 6.5 contact hours. The first half builds accounting structures and transaction controls, while the second half focuses on reporting, compliance, audit readiness and the final capstone.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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