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TrackingFree Excel template

Grant Tracking Spreadsheet Template

What it's for
A grant tracker in Excel with three working tabs: a proposal pipeline, active awards with spending compared to time elapsed, and a deadline list that counts down to every report and renewal. Formulas flag awards that are spending ahead of schedule or falling behind, and deadlines due in the next 30 days.
Download the template (.xlsx)Works in Excel, Google Sheets, and Numbers. No sign-up.

When to use it

  • A PI or lab manager keeping one view of every proposal, award, and report.
  • A department administrator tracking awards across several labs.
  • Preparing for a portfolio review, a renewal, or a closeout season.

What's inside

Proposals tab

  • Sponsor, mechanism, title, PI, internal deadline, sponsor deadline, requested amount, and status (Drafting, Internal review, Submitted, Under review, Awarded, Not funded).
  • Days until the sponsor deadline, calculated automatically.

    • Awards tab

  • Award number, sponsor, PI, start and end dates, total budget, spent, and encumbered.
  • Remaining balance, percent committed (spent plus encumbered), and percent of time elapsed, calculated automatically.
  • A burn status flag: Spending ahead, On pace, or Underspending, based on the gap between spending and time.

    • Deadlines tab

  • Progress reports, financial reports, effort certifications, protocol renewals, and closeout items, each with a due date and owner.
  • Days until due, with items due in the next 30 days and overdue items flagged.

    • Tips

    • Update spent and encumbered amounts monthly from your financial system so the burn status stays meaningful.
    • Enter internal deadlines as well as sponsor deadlines. Most late submissions start as missed internal routing dates.
    • Add every report the Notice of Award requires, not just the annual progress report.
    • When the spreadsheet starts to sprawl across labs, GrantsManager tracks the same information automatically with role-based views.

    Frequently asked questions

    What should a grant tracking spreadsheet include?

    Proposals with deadlines and status, active awards with budgets, spending, and end dates, and every report or compliance deadline with an owner.

    How does the burn status work?

    It compares the percent of the budget committed (spent plus encumbered) with the percent of the project period elapsed. More than 10 points ahead of time is flagged as Spending ahead; more than 15 points behind is flagged as Underspending.

    Does the tracker work in Google Sheets?

    Yes. Upload the file to Google Drive and open it with Google Sheets; the formulas and status lists carry over.

    Can I track multiple labs?

    Yes. Add a Lab column filter or keep one copy per lab. For institution-wide tracking, a grants management system avoids reconciling many spreadsheets.

    Related terms
    Research Performance Progress ReportNo-Cost ExtensionAward CloseoutEffort Certification
    Related tools and guides
    Grant budget templateNo-cost extension request letterGrantsManager platformAll templates

    Track proposals and awards in GrantsManager

    Keep every proposal, deadline, award, and report in one place, shared between PIs and research administrators.

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