Understanding Fund Receipts
Learn how to record and track donations to grants, including linking from QuickBooks deposits.
Bring this workflow into GrantLink to keep grant accounting tidy.
Understanding Fund Receipts
Fund receipts in GrantLink track when and how money arrives for each grant. This gives you visibility into what's been received versus the total award amount.
What Are Fund Receipts?
A fund receipt records a single contribution to a grant:
| Field | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Amount | How much was received |
| Received Date | When funds arrived |
| Source Type | Check, wire, ACH, etc. |
| Source Reference | Check number, wire ID |
| Notes | Additional context |
| QBO Link | Connection to QuickBooks deposit |
Recording Fund Receipts
Option 1: Link from QBO Deposit (Recommended)
When donations are deposited in QuickBooks:
- Go to grant Overview tab
- Click Link from Deposit
- GrantLink shows matching deposit lines:
- Class Match — Lines tagged with the grant's QBO Class
- Funder Match — Lines from the grant's funder
- Select the matching lines
- Fund receipts are created automatically
This is the fastest method and maintains a direct link to your accounting records.
Option 2: Manual Entry
For contributions not yet in QuickBooks:
- Go to grant Overview tab
- Click Record Receipt
- Enter:
- Amount
- Received date
- Source type (check, wire, ACH, other)
- Source reference
- Notes (optional)
- Click Save
Tracking Receipt Status
GrantLink automatically calculates your receipt status:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Not Received | No funds received yet |
| Partial | Some funds received, more expected |
| Full | Total received equals or exceeds award |
The grant dashboard shows:
- Award Amount — Total expected
- Total Received — Sum of all fund receipts
- Remaining to Receive — Award minus received
Multiple Donors, One Grant
GrantLink handles multiple donors contributing to the same restricted purpose. Each fund receipt can have different source information:
Grant: Youth Programs 2025
├── Receipt 1: Smith Foundation - $20,000 (Wire)
├── Receipt 2: Johnson Family - $15,000 (Check #1234)
├── Receipt 3: Community Fund - $10,000 (ACH)
└── Receipt 4: Anonymous - $5,000 (Check #5678)
────────────────────────────────────────────────
Total Received: $50,000
See Managing Multi-Donor Grants for the complete workflow.
Fund Receipts vs. Revenue Recognition
Important: Fund receipts track when cash is received. GAAP revenue recognition may differ:
| Contribution Type | When Revenue is Recognized |
|---|---|
| Unconditional contribution | When promised (receivable recorded) |
| Conditional contribution | When conditions are substantially met |
| Cost-reimbursement grant | As qualifying costs are incurred |
Work with your accountant to ensure revenue recognition timing is correct in your general ledger.
Best Practices
- Link promptly — Process QBO deposits weekly to keep records current
- Use consistent references — "Check #1234" or "Wire - Bank Ref 987654"
- Document restrictions — Note the restriction in the grant, not each receipt
- Reconcile monthly — Verify fund receipts match QBO deposits
Troubleshooting
Deposit Not Appearing to Link
- Ensure the deposit is synced from QuickBooks
- Check that the deposit date is within your sync range
- Trigger a manual sync from Settings
Wrong Amount Linked
- Delete the fund receipt
- Re-link with the correct deposit line
Put this knowledge to work in GrantLink
Track grants, automate reporting, and stay audit-ready in one place.