Board meeting presentation for small annual grants, fundraisers and memberships

Our board allows for staff approval of grants recommended by donors that are under $5k with the staff ensuring the board-approved due diligence process is completed for each non-profit. We provide an update to the board on the activity for all funds we manage.

For competitive and discretionary grants such as those made with our Emergency Response Fund for COVID relief, we provide a presentation (without specific grant awards) on our methodology/process or framework for grant determinations at least a week prior to the board meeting. The presentation is reviewed at the meeting, the board asks questions about it (if they have any), and a detailed list of proposed grants is presented. At that time, the board members can ask questions about the individual grant recommendations and abstain if a potential conflict exists. A vote is taken on the "slate" of proposed grants and those board members who have recused themselves from voting on individual grants are noted for the minutes. We do occasionally have some individual grants pulled out of the list presented for further discussion or due diligence. In that case, the board still approves the slate with those not voted on (and why they were not voted on) clearly stated in the minutes.

If they are standing grants throughout the year, couldn't you develop a process where the board approves the standing grant and then it is simply processed by staff each year under prior approval by your board until the donor recommendation changes or the nonprofit does not make it through the due diligence process at the time of payment (ie: their 501c3 was revoked)?