As many of our grantmakers know, the end of the calendar year is NGOsource's busiest season. In 2020, we saw a 150% increase in ED requests from September to December compared to 2019. This unprecedented increase in volume resulted in longer turnaround times, which were exacerbated by the COVID pandemic and the standard delays that the end of the year can bring.
As we approach this year’s busy season, we want to assure our valued grantmaker members that we are strategizing to prevent the turnaround times from being as extended as we saw in 2020. This strategy includes preemptively extending New ED turnaround times to mitigate the need to further extend these turnaround times later in the year.
Current and Estimated ED Turnaround Times
NGOsource’s current estimated ED turnaround times are as follows:
New, EDs: 8 weeks (change from 7 weeks)
New, expedited EDs: 4 weeks, additional $500 fee
Renewal EDs: 4 weeks
Renewal, expedited: 3 weeks, additional $500 fee
These estimated turnaround times consider our internal review timelines, as well as the estimated time it takes for NGOs to return necessary information for our review.
As we move into the end of summer, we want to share some best practices for grantmakers when placing ED requests to prevent unnecessary delays in ED turnaround times. Please be aware that our estimated turnaround times are dependent upon how quickly NGOs respond to our requests. As always, we encourage grantmakers to reach out to their NGOs before initiating the ED process to avoid any additional delays. To better support your NGOs, we created a one-page "Introduction to EDs with NGOsource" document (in nine languages) for you to provide to your grantees when you notify them that they will be undergoing ED:
Additionally, we encourage grantmakers to submit any ED requests that they would like completed before December 31 by September 30. Because the anticipated increase in ED request volume will put limits on our capacities, we cannot guarantee that NGOsource will be able to review ED requests placed after September 30 before the end of the year.
Special Considerations
Expedited ED Requests: Though we are currently able to continue offering expedited EDs, during our peak period, such as the end of the year, we may need to limit this offer. We will communicate with our grantmakers preemptively if we need to limit this service.
ED Validity Periods: Many EDs have expiration dates of December 31, which is why we see such an increase in volume at the end of the year. When renewing an ED with an expiration date during the busy season, it is important to consider whether you are willing to let the ED expire before the renewal is certified, or if your organization would prefer to have the grantees’ ED validity continue into an additional year. When considering this, we encourage you to speak with your organization’s own legal counsel. Whether and when to request an ED renewal is entirely up to your discretion and risk tolerance.
In short, if an organization’s ED is expiring at the end of the year and you do not want the organization’s validity to lapse, we recommend that you place the ED request sooner rather than later to ensure that a valid ED renewal is on file before the current ED expires. However, if you choose this method, the ED validity period will be for one year instead of two. If you have any questions about this, please refer to the article linked above, or email us at accountsupport@ngosource.org.
NGOsource Improvements in 2021
NGOsource has taken many steps to prevent delays in turnaround times during our 2021 busy season. In addition to implementing significant software automations and internal process changes, we have also added eight new team members. To learn more about the NGOsource team and the unique and valuable skills each member brings to the organization, please visit our Meet the Team page.
Open Communication
Going into the busy season we will send additional communications about turnaround times and updates, and we encourage you to check emails from NGOsource often to ensure you do not miss any vital communication. We also encourage you to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have at accountsupport@ngosource.org.
This site provides information to U.S. grantmakers regarding international grantmaking procedures and should not be construed as a legal service or providing legal advice. As the law differs in each legal jurisdiction and may be applied differently depending on the specific circumstances of each case, the information or use of services on the site should not be used as a substitute for the advice of competent legal counsel.
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