Home Accountancy Donor-grant financial management and internal audit in Sierra Leone
Donor-grant financial management and internal audit in Sierra Leone
SLONEC Accountancy keeps NGO and project finances donor-ready in Sierra Leone. We set up grant budgets and coding, track spending against each grant, prepare donor financial reports, and carry out internal audits of controls and grant compliance before the donor’s auditors arrive. Our Freetown team works alongside your finance staff, or runs the function for you.
Grant financial management
- Grant budgets and cost coding in your accounting system, so every transaction is charged to the right donor and budget line.
- Fund accounting by grant, with bank and mobile money reconciliations.
- Budget-versus-actual monitoring that flags overspends and slow spending early.
- Donor financial reports in each donor’s format, reconciled to your books and bank.
- Payroll, PAYE and NASSIT for project-funded staff, with time-sheet-based charging across grants.
- Withholding tax and GST points on project spending, including GST relief certificates where your organisation is listed in the Third Schedule to the GST Act.
Internal audit
Internal audit gives management, boards and donors assurance on whether controls are working. We don’t carry out internal audit on a finance function that we run for you. Our internal audit work includes:
- reviewing procurement, payments, payroll, cash and asset controls;
- testing grant compliance against agreements and donor rules;
- partner and sub-grantee capacity and compliance assessments;
- reports to management and the board, with agreed actions and follow-up.
Internal audit is assurance for management and the board. It does not replace any audit your donor or the law requires. When your donor’s auditors arrive, we help you prepare schedules, supporting documents and answers to their questions. We also provide audit support to lead audit firms.
Why it matters in Sierra Leone
- Sierra Leone received about US$498 million of official development assistance in 2023, 7.8% of gross national income (World Bank), and much of it is spent through NGOs and donor-funded projects that report to their funders.
- Donor and NGO tenders in Sierra Leone regularly ask for internal audit, grant management capacity building and finance support.
- NGOs register with the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development and renew every two years, and must meet tax and NASSIT requirements alongside donor rules.
Who we work with
International NGOs, local NGOs and community organisations, foundations, donor-funded government projects, credit unions and microfinance institutions.
Frequently asked questions
Can you prepare our donor financial reports?
Yes, in each donor’s format, reconciled to your books and bank.
What does your internal audit cover?
Controls over procurement, payments, payroll, cash and assets; grant compliance; and partner assessments, reported to management and the board.
What is internal audit for?
Internal audit is assurance for management and the board. It does not replace any audit your donor or the law requires.
Can you help us get ready for the donor’s audit?
Yes. We prepare schedules and documents and answer auditors’ questions.
Do you assess our implementing partners?
Yes. We carry out partner and sub-grantee capacity and compliance assessments.
Can international NGOs contract from the UK?
Yes, through SLONEC Advisory Group, with delivery by our Freetown team.
Request a proposal
Tell us about your grants and reporting deadlines and we will send a written proposal.