How do you plan and manage your time and resources for grant reporting?

Talk with the funder and previous awardees to get a clear picture of the reporting activities. This ranges in levels of commitment based on the funding institution and the specific solicitation. While the RFA will normally have some section on the reporting process, it's best to speak to these two individuals to get an accurate picture of what's required.

The first step is to thoroughly understand the funder’s specific reporting guidelines. This varies widely between academic and commercial grants. For instance, academic grants might require in-depth data on research progress, while commercial grants tend to focus on deliverables, market impact, or scalability. I always emphasize early communication with the funder—don't just rely on the written guidelines. Asking questions early and checking in regularly with the grant officer ensures there are no surprises later on.

For most federal grants, this is a little bit of overkill. There are normal accounting activities required and a short report to summarize the nature of your project. However, if you keep in regular communication with your program manager and stay consistent with uploading documents, there's no need to over-complicate the reporting process.

A well-structured timeline is your greatest asset. I recommend using project management tools, especially for deep tech projects, where technical milestones might take longer than initially planned. In my work with startups, I often advise teams to integrate reporting into their day-to-day project management workflows, ensuring no task is left until the last minute. This is especially crucial for academic grants, where delays can pile up due to unexpected research obstacles. Breaking reporting down into small, manageable tasks helps avoid overwhelm

Data collection isn’t just an end-of-project task—it’s something to manage throughout the entire process. For deep tech and innovation-heavy projects, keeping data organized in real-time is essential. Commercial grants may require data on customer validation, product performance, or sustainability metrics, whereas academic grants may focus more on research findings and methodology. I encourage startups I work with to use simple tools like spreadsheets or advanced project management software to track both quantitative (KPIs, customer feedback) and qualitative data (case studies, testimonials) regularly.

Writing grant reports can be challenging, especially when juggling multiple stakeholders. What I’ve seen work well is setting aside dedicated time blocks for drafting, reviewing, and refining reports. I suggest having a technical expert, as well as someone less involved in the day-to-day details, review drafts to ensure both accuracy and clarity. For deep tech companies, it’s crucial to strike a balance between providing technical depth and communicating the broader impact, especially if your audience includes non-experts.

Every grant reporting cycle is a learning opportunity. Post-report, I advise taking time to reflect on what worked and what didn’t. This isn’t just about compliance; it’s about optimizing your future processes. Whether it’s improving your data collection methods or refining how you communicate results, learning from each project ensures that your next grant report is even better. For deep tech startups, this step can also highlight which data points resonate most with funders and help fine-tune future applications or pitches.

For federal grants, people are often concerned about reporting and being audited. However, as long as you operate within the approved budget that you asked for initially in the application, and you make your program manager aware of any changes to the project, there's nothing to worry about. Audits are very rare for SBIRs.

In deep tech, balancing time between research and reporting is particularly difficult. I always encourage teams to treat reporting as an ongoing activity, not a final hurdle. Think of it as part of the innovation cycle, where continuous reflection on progress and outcomes feeds back into the project. Additionally, understanding the difference in reporting expectations between academic and commercial grants helps tailor your approach—academic grants often allow more flexibility in timelines, while commercial grants prioritize hitting market milestones efficiently.