Decision Guides

Side-by-side comparisons for the choices that come up most in grant, finance, partnership and humanitarian work, by topic.

Proposals and Fundraising

Deciding Whether to Bid

A practical guide for nonprofit leads on scoring an opportunity and deciding whether to bid alone, bid with partners, or decline.

Grants Management and Compliance

Subaward vs contract vs procurement

Learn how to decide whether to treat a partner organization as an implementing subrecipient or a vendor under a procurement contract.

Finance and Budgeting

Restricted and unrestricted funds

Learn how to classify grant income, distinguish legal restrictions from donor preferences, and manage board-designated funds in your accounts.

Safeguarding and Accountability

Safeguarding, PSEA and Protection

Learn how to distinguish between safeguarding, PSEA and protection to ensure concerns are reported to the right person and handled under the correct policy.

Partnerships and Locally Led Work

MoU vs Partnership Agreement vs Subgrant

Learn how to choose the right written instrument for your partner and understand the legal and financial commitments of each.

Organization: Governance, People and Operations

Consultant or Employee

How to decide whether someone is a consultant or an employee by looking at how the work is really done, not at the contract label.

Humanitarian Response

Choosing Between Cash, Vouchers, and In-Kind Assistance

A decision guide for humanitarian leads to choose and justify the best assistance modality based on market, security, and recipient preference analysis.