The Finance and Compliance Team has an established comprehensive process for managing new grant awards. Upon receiving a new grant, the team meticulously reviews all relevant documents to ensure that all compliance requirements, including reporting deadlines, are accurately recorded in the HUB. A Finance and Compliance Business Partner (FCBP) is assigned to each grant and is responsible for preparing and submitting grant reports. These reports must be approved by the Head of Finance and Compliance before submission to ensure accuracy and compliance with grantor requirements.
Regarding the quarterly report due on January 31, 2025 submitted three business days past the original deadline, the delay was due to the unprecedented crisis following the announcement of the stop order from President Trump. During this period, we were unable to reach our contacts at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and were in continuous discussions with our Legal team to determine the best course of action during that time. This situation required us to make critical decisions concerning the Women in the Digital Economy Fund (WIDEF) team in London and New Delhi. The Foundation was timely on all other quarterly and annual reporting requirements.
We believe that our current process for managing grants and reporting to grantors is robust and effective. The delay in the submission of the quarterly report was an exceptional circumstance, and we do not anticipate any significant changes to our existing procedures. Further, based termination notice reference in footnote 6, the Foundation no longer has access to this grant.