Risk Management in Grantmaking

Risk management means spotting issues early and responding proportionately so good projects proceed with assurance.

• Focus on likelihood and impact, not fear of headlines.
• Use staged payments and conditions to manage higher risks.
• Keep decisions and actions documented.

Building a simple risk framework

Keep it short and practical so everyone can use it.

• Define common risk types: financial, governance, delivery, reputational.
• Set red/amber/green thresholds and example mitigations.
• Agree escalation routes and decision authority.

Key takeaway: a one‑page framework beats a thick manual.

Applying proportionately across the cycle

Tune controls to grant size and context.

• Light checks for micro‑grants; deeper for larger or novel projects.
• Payment schedules aligned to milestones and evidence.
• Change‑request processes for scope or leadership shifts.

Key takeaway: proportionate controls keep programmes fair and fast.

Learning from issues

Treat problems as opportunities to improve guidance and support.

• Track themes across programmes and years.
• Share lessons with applicants to prevent repeats.
• Update criteria and templates accordingly.

Key takeaway: Plinth helps turn incidents into actionable learning.

FAQs

Should we avoid higher‑risk projects?

Not automatically—manage risk through conditions and support.

How detailed should scoring be?

Simple, consistent scales are easier to calibrate and defend.

Who signs off escalations?

Define thresholds; reserve high‑impact decisions for senior staff/boards.