Trustee Grant Oversight Pack Template 2025
Trustees need concise, actionable intelligence to govern funded programmes. This oversight pack template pulls finances, delivery, risk, and funder relations into one monthly briefing that keeps boards confident and compliant with Charity Commission guidance.
TL;DR
- Structure trustee packs around five sections: finances, delivery, risk, funder relations, and decisions.
- Use data from your impact dashboard and audit pack.
- Log trustee actions in Crafty so decisions inform future drafts and change requests.
Why trustees need a dedicated grant oversight pack
Charity Commission guidance CC3 The Essential Trustee emphasises trustees’ duty to monitor funded activity, manage risk, and evidence impact. A structured pack streamlines board meetings, supports rapid decisions, and keeps funders assured that governance is robust.
Pack structure and timings
Publish the pack three business days before each board or grants committee meeting. Keep to 12 pages or fewer with appendices for detail. The table below provides recommended sections and time allocation.
| Section | Purpose | Owner | Meeting time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial snapshot | Spend vs budget, cashflow, match funding | Finance lead | 10 minutes |
| Delivery dashboard | Outputs, outcomes, beneficiary insight | Programme lead | 10 minutes |
| Risk & compliance | Top risks, mitigations, audit actions | Governance officer | 8 minutes |
| Funder relationships | Comms, feedback, upcoming submissions | Fundraising lead | 6 minutes |
| Decisions & approvals | Items requiring trustee sign-off | Chair | 10 minutes |
Template breakdown
Populate each section with data from Crafty and companion workflows:
- Finances: Pull figures from your scenario planner and include commentary on variances.
- Delivery: Use screenshots from the leading indicator dashboard, with notes on outcomes and stories.
- Risk: Summarise red/amber issues and link to mitigating actions in your change control register.
- Funder relations: Reference updates from the feedback debrief toolkit, plus upcoming deadlines.
- Decisions: List approvals needed (e.g., budget virements, variation submissions) with clear recommendations.
Monthly workflow and Crafty integration
Follow this rhythm each month:
- T-7 days: Export data from finance, delivery, and risk systems; draft pack in Notion or PowerPoint.
- T-4 days: Review with the CEO; upload supporting documents to Crafty’s knowledge base.
- T-3 days: Circulate pack to trustees with an action summary.
- T+1 day: Log decisions, update Crafty prompts, and refresh the change register.
The National Lottery Community Fund financial guidance (2024) plus NCVO board reporting tips provide additional framing.
Next steps and downloads
Download the board pack template, slide deck, and decision log. Add them to Crafty so every committee cycle starts from the same baseline.
Action plan
- Adopt the template for your next grants committee meeting.
- Assign section owners and automate data pulls where possible.
- Upload supporting evidence to Crafty so trustees can drill down when needed.
Key takeaways
- Trustees need a concise pack that blends finances, delivery, and risk.
- Integrate Crafty assets to keep decisions aligned with future bids.
- Publish the pack consistently to build funder and regulator confidence.
Summary and next steps
A disciplined board pack is the backbone of grant governance. Start small, keep it regular, and let Crafty carry the insight forward into every application.
- Adopt the template and clarify ownership for each section.
- Schedule pre-board reviews to address red flags early.
- Capture trustee actions in Crafty to inform future bids and change control.