Abstract
Chapter 13 follows the proposal beyond drafting and submission into the decision, award, implementation, compliance, reporting, and closeout stages of the grant lifecycle. It begins by treating submission as a distinct project phase, emphasizing final solicitation review, submission methods, portal risks, deadlines, and the importance of retaining proof of transmission. The chapter then examines what happens after submission, including administrative and programmatic review, down-selection, requests for clarification, Best and Final Offers, continued project planning, rejection, reviewer feedback, and resubmission. For funded proposals, attention shifts to reviewing award documents, understanding the differences among grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements, and establishing effective systems for project management, records management, fiscal controls, performance measurement, and reporting. Compliance and risk management are framed as forms of stewardship rather than merely administrative burdens. The chapter concludes with grant closeout, lessons learned, preservation of organizational knowledge, and the cultivation of long-term funder relationships. Throughout, the chapter emphasizes that proposal promises become operational obligations after award and that effective grant writing extends into responsible stewardship.

Submitting the Proposal
Understanding Submission Methods
Documenting Your Submission
What to Expect When You’ve Submitted
When the Proposal Is Not Funded
Learning from Unsuccessful Proposals
Should You Resubmit?
You Got the Award! Now What?
Reviewing the Notice of Award
Re-Analyzing Grants, Contracts, and Cooperative Agreements
Grants Management
Ongoing Project Management
Records Management
Fiscal Controls and Budget Compliance
Managing Program Performance
Reporting
Compliance, Risk, and Audit Readiness
Common Compliance Risks and What to Do
Monitoring and Audit Readiness
Compliance as Stewardship
Grant Closeout
Completing Closeout Requirements
Capturing Lessons Learned
Preserving Organizational Knowledge
Sustaining Funder Relationships
Summary