Dear Reader,
Through different communication channels like this newsletter, our website emails, social media, workshops, and progress review sessions, THRiVE has repeatedly notified her stakeholders regarding the imminent end of our DELTAS – 1 grant funding in July 2022. At all levels, we must avoid late and
incomplete submissions of required documents from both the prime grantee and subcontracted partner institution. These may include property reports, patent reports, and others. To achieve all this, THRiVE management requests all fellows/trainees and staff to anticipate the coming workload between now and July. In addition, all of us should adopt a “do it right the first time” philosophy so that we do not have to go through the same work that is essential to closeout many times to get it right. Close-out requires a final reconciliation of the budget and expenses. Each institution should liquidate all outstanding financial obligations within 90 days after the end of the project After submission, the final reports and supporting documents should be safely stored for not less than the minimum period stipulated by the funder. Audits will be carried out starting with an entrance and completing with an exit interview at the prime institution and the partner institutions. When notified of an audit it is necessary to carefully prepare specifically for the information that is requested at each of these institutions. More is not better as that may unnecessarily prolong the audit. Audits can be relatively easy to complete if the institutions have good systems in place and everyone follows the project, institutional, and funders guidelines. Please be truthful and check that everyone followed close finance monitoring throughout the project including during the final stages of the project and the post-COVID-19 pandemic.