Department: Finance & Accounting Process Owner: Controller Last Updated: January 2026
1. Overview and Purpose
Objective: To define month-end procedures for recording revenue-related adjustments, including reversing prior accruals, accruing unbilled grant revenue, updating deferred revenue, and reclassing pledge receivables and payments. This SOP ensures revenue is recognized in the correct period and aligns with grant agreements and donor restrictions.
2. Scope
This SOP applies to all revenue adjustments performed during month-end close, including:
- Revenue accrual reversals
- Unbilled grant revenue accruals
- Deferred revenue adjustments
- Pledge receivable and pledge payment reclasses
- Annual NPV (net present value) adjustments for pledges (if applicable)
Weekly revenue recording is covered under a separate SOP.
3. Step-by-Step Process
3.1 Reverse Prior Month Revenue Accruals
- Identify prior month revenue accrual journal entries posted in your accounting system
- Reverse the full accrual at the start of the current month:
- Debit / Credit same accounts as original accrual (opposite sign)
- Reference original JE number in memo line
Reviewer / Back-up: Senior Accountant
3.2 Review Grant Activity for Unbilled Revenue
- Pull grant budget-to-actual or P&L by grant from your accounting system
- Identify grants where:
- Expenses have been incurred, but
- Reimbursement has not yet been billed / received
- Confirm allowability and period coverage per grant agreement
Reviewer / Back-up: Senior Accountant / Accounting Coordinator
3.3 Accrue Unbilled Grant Revenue
- Calculate unbilled amount for each grant (typically eligible expenses incurred to date minus amounts billed)
- Best Practice: Maintain a standardized worksheet format to ensure consistency across grants and months
- Post JE in your accounting system:
- Debit: Unbilled Grant Receivable
- Credit: Grant Revenue (restricted / unrestricted as applicable)
- Attach calculation and grant backup (budget-to-actual, expense detail) to JE
- Save support in your designated month-end close folder for revenue accruals and grants
Reviewer / Back-up: Controller
3.4 Update Deferred Revenue Balances
- Pull deferred revenue GL detail from your accounting system
- For advances or restricted funds received but not yet earned:
- Confirm remaining obligation and period timing
- Adjust deferred revenue as needed:
- Debit: Deferred Revenue
- Credit: Applicable Revenue Account
- Ensure deferred revenue GL balance reconciles to your funder tracking schedule
Reviewer / Back-up: Senior Accountant
3.5 Reclass Pledge Receivables & Payments
- Pull pledge / payment activity from your donor management system and accounting system
- Confirm pledge payments are applied to correct donor / customer receivable
- Reclass as needed:
- Debit: Cash / AR clearing
- Credit: Pledge Receivable or Revenue (per policy)
- Ensure pledge receivable balance ties to pledge rollforward
Reviewer / Back-up: Development Systems Manager / Controller
3.6 Record Annual NPV Adjustments (If Required)
- For multi-year pledges requiring discounting:
- Update pledge schedule with remaining term and discount rate
- Calculate NPV adjustment
- Post JE annually:
- Debit / Credit: Pledge Receivable
- Offset to: NPV / Discount Revenue Adjustment account
- Save full calculation support
Reviewer / Back-up: Controller
4. Key Roles and Responsibilities
| Role | Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Accounting Coordinator | Pulls grant actuals, supports schedules, drafts JE support |
| Senior Accountant | Prepares accrual / deferred entries and pledge reclass drafts |
| Controller | Reviews / approves all revenue-related JEs, confirms policy alignment |
| Development Systems Manager | Provides pledge rollforwards, donor designation support |
5. Key Files and Systems
- Accounting System – Revenue, receivable, deferred revenue GL and JEs
- Grant Budget-to-Actuals (Excel) – Basis for unbilled revenue accruals
- Deferred Revenue Schedule (Excel) – Tracks advances and earning timing
- Pledge Rollforward Schedule (Excel) – Multi-year pledge tracking
- Donor Management System – Donor / pledge system of record
- Document Management System – Storage for JE support and schedules
6. Exceptions and Special Cases
- Expense Disallowances: If a grant expense is questioned, exclude from unbilled accrual until resolved.
- Multi-Year Grants: Accruals must follow grant-specific billing cadence and budget periods.
- Capital Campaign Pledges: Ensure correct restriction / class treatment for major projects.
- Non-Reimbursable Grants: Do not accrue unbilled revenue unless agreement allows retro billing.
7. Risks and Controls Summary
| Process Step | Key Risk | Control Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 3.1 Reverse Prior Month Revenue Accruals | Failure to reverse accruals may double-count revenue | Accrual reversal is a required first-step close task and tied to original JE reference |
| 3.2 Review Grant Activity for Unbilled Revenue | Missing unbilled revenue understates grant income and receivables | Grant spend is reviewed monthly against billing cadence to identify timing gaps |
| 3.3 Accrue Unbilled Grant Revenue | Incorrect accruals may lead to overstated revenue or compliance issues | Accruals are derived from documented spend and reviewed by Controller |
| 3.4 Update Deferred Revenue Balances | Misstated deferred revenue can misalign revenue with performance obligations | Deferred revenue entries are supported by grant / donor schedules and reconciled monthly |
| 3.5 Reclass Pledge Receivables & Payments | Misapplied pledge payments may overstate revenue or AR | Pledge activity is reconciled monthly between donor management system and accounting system |
| 3.6 Record Annual NPV Adjustments | Missing NPV adjustments can misstate long-term receivables and revenue | Annual NPV review is scheduled and supported by controlled pledge schedule |
