Overview
Most funders require reports during and after a grant. US federal agencies use research performance progress reports (RPPR) with sections on accomplishments, products, participants, impact and changes; NSF also requires a project outcomes report written for the public after the award ends. Horizon Europe projects submit periodic technical and financial reports and deliverables through the portal. Foundations usually ask for narrative and financial reports against the proposal's objectives, sometimes with outcome indicators from a logframe.
Reports are often written in a hurry at the end of a busy period, from scattered notes and emails. We help you gather evidence, structure it by the original aims or work packages, and write clearly about what was done, what was learned, what changed and why. Honest reporting of delays or changes of direction, with explanations and mitigation, is usually received better than silence.
Financial reports and certifications stay with your finance office. We make sure the narrative agrees with them and with the outputs you list.
Who it’s for and the problems it solves
This is for you if you are…
- Principal investigators preparing annual progress reports or final reports
- Horizon Europe coordinators compiling periodic technical reports from partners
- Nonprofit program managers writing foundation reports
- Research offices supporting investigators with reporting deadlines
- Teams preparing a report that will feed into a renewal or follow-on application
Common problems we help with
- The report is due and project information is scattered across partners and files
- Work did not go to plan and you are unsure how to explain it
- You list activities but cannot show outcomes against the original objectives
- The funder's reporting template has unclear sections
- The public outcomes summary must be written for non-specialists
- The report must support a renewal or next application
What’s included — and what isn’t
Included
- Review of the funder's reporting requirements and template
- Structuring the report by original aims, objectives or work packages
- Drafting or editing accomplishments, results and outcomes
- Explaining deviations, delays, and changes in scope or personnel, with mitigation
- Lists of products and outputs: publications, datasets, software, training and events
- Outcome indicators against logframe or results framework targets, where required
- Plain-language public summaries such as project outcomes reports
- Integrating partner contributions into a single coherent report
- Consistency check with financial reports and previous reports
Not included
- Preparing or certifying financial statements or cost claims
- Presenting results or outcomes that did not occur, or hiding material problems from the funder
- Submitting reports through funder systems on your behalf
- Legal advice on compliance or audit questions
What you receive
- Reporting outline
- An outline mapped to the funder's template and your original aims, listing the evidence needed for each section.
- Report draft
- Drafted or edited narrative sections in tracked changes, ready for your review and submission.
- Outputs and indicators table
- Structured lists of products and progress against indicators, where the funder asks for them.
- Public summary
- A plain-language summary for public-facing outcomes reports or funder websites.
How it works
Requirements check
We review the template, due date and any previous reports or funder correspondence.
Evidence gathering
We list what information is needed from you and partners, and help organize it.
Drafting
We draft or edit narrative sections structured by aims, objectives or work packages.
Review and finalize
You and partners review; we reconcile with financial reports and finalize the text.
Reporting formats we work with
- Research performance progress report (RPPR)
- Used by US federal agencies such as NIH and NSF for annual and final progress, with sections on accomplishments, products, participants, impact and changes.
- NSF project outcomes report
- A public summary of outcomes written for a general audience, required after an NSF award ends.
- Horizon Europe periodic reports
- Technical reports on progress by work package, deliverables and milestones, alongside financial statements prepared by partners.
- Foundation narrative reports
- Progress against objectives and outcomes, stories of change, lessons learned and financial summaries.
- Results framework reporting
- Progress against logframe indicators, with explanations of variance from targets.
Explaining what did not go to plan
Delays in recruitment, equipment or approvals are common, and funders know it. What they want is a clear account: what changed, why, what you did about it and how it affects remaining work. We help you write this candidly and constructively, and flag where a formal change request or program officer conversation may be needed.
- State the deviation and its cause plainly
- Describe mitigation already taken
- Explain the impact on remaining aims, timeline and budget
- Note any approvals you have requested or received
Reports as the foundation of your next proposal
A good final report doubles as preliminary results for your next application. We structure outcomes so they can be reused in a renewal or new proposal, and highlight outputs worth featuring. If a new application is coming, our research council proposal service can take that forward.
What the work can look like
Illustrative example — fictional data
Illustrative progress report excerpt
A fictional three-year foundation-funded youth mentoring program is submitting its Year 2 report.
Progress against objective 2
Target: 120 young people matched with mentors by the end of Year 2. Achieved: 94 matches. Recruitment of volunteer mentors was slower than planned after a partner organization closed its volunteering program in Month 14.
Mitigation
A new partnership with a local university's volunteering office began in Month 18, producing 21 mentor applications in its first three months. We expect to reach the three-year target of 180 matches, with the Year 3 plan adjusted accordingly.
Outcome evidence
Of the 61 young people matched for at least six months, most reported improved confidence on the program's short survey; school attendance data will be analyzed for the final report as planned.
Illustrative example with an invented program and figures.
What you’ll need to provide
- The funder's reporting template and instructions
- The original proposal or grant agreement, including aims and deliverables
- Previous reports and any funder feedback
- Project records: outputs, data, publications, events and partner updates
- Information on changes, delays and how they were handled
You don’t need everything ready to ask for a quote — tell us what you have and we’ll say what’s missing.
What affects price and turnaround
Price depends on
- Report type and length
- Number of partners or sites contributing
- Condition of project records
- Whether indicator tables or public summaries are required
Turnaround depends on
- The funder's due date
- Speed with which partners supply information
- Need for reconciliation with financial reports
Every project is quoted individually. How we price our work.
Questions people ask before starting
Can you prepare the financial report too?
No. Financial statements and cost claims must be prepared and certified by your finance office. We make sure the narrative is consistent with them.
Our project changed significantly. Will the funder be concerned?
Changes are common. Funders usually respond best to early, honest explanation with evidence of good management. Some changes require prior approval, so check your award terms and speak to your program officer.
Can you write the public outcomes summary?
We can draft it from your results for your review. It must accurately reflect the project's findings, and you remain responsible for its content.
Do you help coordinators collect partner input?
Yes. We can prepare templates and requests for partners and integrate their contributions into one consistent report.