Gift vs. Grant

Please find below the difference between a gift versus a grant, and the parties responsible for their management.


  1. The funding agency expects you to provide deliverable(s)
    (i.e., product, service, scientific report, fiscal reports, or audits).
  2. The funding agency expects you to enter into a written agreement that is legally enforceable (i.e. administrative terms and conditions for use of funds, provisions for intellectual property, provisions for reporting or publication rights, or any other legal provisions).
  3. Failing to provide a deliverable will result in the sponsor taking actions against the University.

Gift characteristics include:

  1. Irrevocable transfer of funds or other valuable articles
  2. Unrestricted use of funds
  3. No donor-imposed time limits
  4. No deliverables or benefits expected by the donor

For more information, visit: UNC Guideline Document 1.0 - Defining Sponsored Programs (DOCX)