NGO Audit Preparation Checklist South Africa – NPO and PBO Guide

Separate donor funds and reporting

Keep donor funds clearly identified in your accounting records. Reconcile each grant to its agreement and prepare budget-versus-actual reports that explain spending and remaining commitments. For multi-currency projects, retain the exchange-rate support used in your records.

Gather supporting documents

Organise invoices, receipts, contracts, grant agreements and approvals by reporting period. Make sure each transaction has an audit trail and that expenditure is assigned to the correct donor or project.

Review NPO and PBO compliance

Check your NPO Act and DSD reporting obligations and keep submitted reports and acknowledgements accessible. Where PBO approval or Section 18A applies, retain the relevant approval documents and certificate records. Confirm requirements for your organisation with an adviser.

Reconcile payroll, assets and bank accounts

Bring payroll and SARS records up to date, maintain an asset register and complete bank reconciliations. Resolve unexplained balances and document any outstanding reconciling items before sending records to the auditor.

Prepare a clear audit file

Combine reconciliations, management accounts, grant reports and statutory records into a structured audit file. Agree a timetable with your auditor and assign someone to manage queries. TaxDoc can help organise your records and prepare your NGO for the review.