A nonprofit expense report template is a reusable form for recording purchases made on an organization’s behalf and, when applicable, requesting reimbursement. A useful report captures who spent the money, what it was for, when and where it was spent, how much it cost, which budget or project it belongs to, and what documentation supports it.
The template below is printable and adaptable for staff, volunteers, and other authorized purchasers. Pair it with a written expense policy: a form organizes information, but it does not by itself establish that a purchase was approved, eligible, or properly documented.
What a Nonprofit Expense Report Does
Nonprofits use expense reports to create a consistent record of spending and to route expenses through review. The report may document an employee or volunteer who paid personally and is asking the organization to repay them. It may also be used to record a purchase made with an organization payment card, even though no personal reimbursement is due. These situations should be identified clearly so the organization does not reimburse a card purchase a second time.
A completed report helps the organization connect an individual transaction to its purpose and accounting records. For example, a receipt for $46.20 from a grocery store says what was purchased in broad terms, but not whether the items were refreshments for a volunteer event, food for a program, or personal groceries. A brief business-purpose description and the relevant project or event make the record more useful to a reviewer.
There is no single form that is right for every nonprofit. A small organization may need only a one-page report and a simple approval process. A nonprofit with multiple programs, restricted funding, purchasing cards, or several approval levels may need extra fields and more detailed tracking.
Fields to Include in the Report
Keep the form clear enough to complete quickly while collecting the information the organization actually needs. Common fields include:
- Organization and report details: nonprofit name, report number if used, submission date, and the period covered.
- Person submitting the report: name, role or department, and contact information. A volunteer can be identified as a volunteer rather than as an employee.
- Transaction details: purchase date, merchant or payee, description, business purpose, amount, and expense category.
- Funding and coding: program, project, event, department, or grant code where relevant. Use the organization’s own coding terms rather than asking submitters to guess.
- Payment and reimbursement: whether the purchase was paid personally, with an organization card, or by another approved method; amount requested for reimbursement; and payment status.
- Supporting records: a receipt or other documentation, plus an explanation if a required receipt is missing.
- Review: submitter certification, reviewer name, approval or return status, date, and any comments or accounting adjustments.
For travel or mileage, a report may need additional details such as trip date, origin, destination, purpose, and distance, according to the nonprofit’s policy. Avoid collecting personal information that is not needed to review or process the expense.
Printable Nonprofit Expense Report Template
Blank report
| Report field | Enter information |
|---|---|
| Nonprofit name | |
| Report number | |
| Submitter name and role | |
| Report period | |
| Date submitted | |
| Program, project, or event | |
| Payment method | Personal funds / organization card / other: |
| Date | Merchant or payee | Business purpose and description | Category or code | Amount | Receipt attached |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes / No | |||||
| Yes / No | |||||
| Yes / No | |||||
| Yes / No | |||||
| Total expenses | |||||
| Amount requested for reimbursement | |||||
Submitter certification: I confirm that the expenses listed were incurred for the organization’s work, are accurately described, and have not been submitted for reimbursement elsewhere.
Submitter signature: ____________________ Date: ____________________
Review and approval
| Reviewer | Decision or comments | Approved amount | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
Sample — fictional details only
| Date | Merchant | Purpose | Category | Amount | Receipt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 14 | Maple Street Market | Snacks for the fictional Harbor Welcome Workshop | Program supplies | $38.40 | Yes |
In this sample, the submitter would also identify the program, state whether personal funds or an organization card paid for the purchase, attach the receipt, and complete the signature and review fields. The names and transaction are invented.
How to Complete and Submit a Report
A consistent sequence helps submitters provide enough detail and helps reviewers find missing information before processing. Organizations can adapt these steps to their own approval arrangements:
- Check authorization first. Confirm the purchase is allowed under the organization’s policy and has the necessary advance approval. A report is generally a record of spending, not permission to spend.
- Record each transaction separately. Enter the date, payee, amount, purpose, and category for each expense. Separate lines make it easier to compare the form with receipts and accounting entries.
- Attach readable documentation. Match each receipt to a line, using a label or reference number if several documents are included. Add a short explanation for any missing documentation rather than leaving the reviewer to infer what happened.
- Identify the funding purpose. Select the correct program or project based on the organization’s instructions. If the proper code is unclear, ask the designated finance contact instead of choosing one at random.
- Calculate totals and sign. Check arithmetic, distinguish a personal reimbursement request from a card transaction, and complete the submitter certification.
- Submit through the approved process. The reviewer checks the information, records a decision, and returns incomplete reports for clarification. The organization then records the transaction and, if approved, handles reimbursement under its normal process.
Submitting reports on a regular schedule can make review more manageable and reduce the chance that receipts or details are forgotten. The nonprofit should set a deadline that fits its accounting workflow and communicate it in the expense policy.
Review, Approval, and Internal Controls
A sound process gives someone other than the submitter a chance to review the expense. The reviewer can check whether the purchase has a clear organizational purpose, fits the approved budget or project, is supported by documentation, and follows internal limits and approval rules. The reviewer should also check that the same transaction has not already been paid or reimbursed.
Where staffing allows, separate the roles of requesting or making a purchase, approving it, and recording or paying it. Smaller nonprofits may not have enough people for complete separation, so they can use practical compensating checks, such as review by a board treasurer or another authorized person. The exact arrangement depends on the organization’s size and procedures; the important point is to define who may approve expenses and how the review is recorded.
Approval should leave a traceable record. A signature, dated electronic approval, or documented decision can show who reviewed a report and what amount was authorized. If a reviewer changes a category or amount, record the reason so later readers can understand the adjustment. A blank approval field should not be treated as proof of approval.
Receipts, Records, and Restricted Funding
Receipts support a report, but they do not always explain the full purpose of a transaction. A receipt may show a date, merchant, and total while omitting the program served or the attendees at an event. A short, specific description on the report can fill that gap—for example, “printing participant handouts for the May tutoring session” is more informative than “office supplies.”
Receipt requirements and acceptable alternatives should be stated in the organization’s policy and checked against any applicable award or funding terms. Do not assume that one dollar threshold or documentation rule applies to every nonprofit or every funder. If a receipt is unavailable, the organization may have a procedure for a missing-receipt explanation; the submitter should give the details requested and the reviewer should follow that procedure.
Expenses associated with restricted contributions or grants may require careful assignment to the right purpose and records. A transaction that seems reasonable generally is not automatically chargeable to a particular project. Follow the organization’s accounting instructions and the relevant funding terms, and ask the responsible finance contact when eligibility or coding is uncertain. Preserve reports and attachments under the organization’s record-retention process, with appropriate limits on access to sensitive information.
Common Expense Report Problems
Most avoidable delays come from vague descriptions, missing documentation, incorrect coding, or confusion about who paid. Look for these issues before submission:
- “Supplies” without context: Name the activity or program and describe what the items supported.
- One total for several purchases: List separate transactions individually so receipts and categories can be checked.
- Card purchase claimed as reimbursement: Mark the organization-card payment clearly and do not include it in personal repayment requested.
- Unclear or mismatched receipt: Check that the receipt amount and date correspond to the line item; explain any difference, such as a partial refund.
- Missing approval: Follow up with the authorized reviewer rather than assuming that submitting the form completes the approval step.
- Uncertain grant or program code: Ask the appropriate staff member. Guessing can make later reporting and corrections harder.
A useful policy answers recurring questions before they become individual disputes: which purchases need advance approval, what documentation is expected, who approves each type of expense, how card purchases are reported, and how exceptions are handled. Communicate changes to the policy and make the current version easy for staff and volunteers to find.
Choosing a Paper or Digital Format
A printable form works well when the organization has a small number of reports, needs a simple paper trail, or wants a form that volunteers can complete without special access. It should be legible, provide enough rows for ordinary use, and explain where to send it and what attachments to include. A paper form can be scanned for storage if that fits the organization’s records process.
A spreadsheet or digital form may be easier when reports arrive frequently or need consistent categories and totals. A digital process can make required fields visible and keep submissions together, but it still needs a clear method for attaching receipts, documenting approval, limiting access, and preserving records. A spreadsheet that anyone can overwrite may create confusion about which version is final. Choose a process the organization can maintain, not simply the one with the most features.
Before adopting any format, test whether a typical submitter can complete it without coaching and whether a reviewer can answer basic questions from the report alone. Remove fields no one uses, but keep the details needed for approval, coding, and documentation. If legal requirements, tax treatment, or a specific funding agreement raises questions, ask a qualified professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a nonprofit expense report include?
Include the submitter, transaction date, payee, amount, purpose, expense category, payment method, relevant program or project, supporting documentation, and approval record. Add travel-specific fields when needed and follow the nonprofit’s own policy.
Can volunteers use the same expense report form?
Usually, an organization can use the same basic form for staff and volunteers, with a role field to identify the submitter. The organization should explain which expenses volunteers may incur, who approves them, and how reimbursement requests are submitted.
Does submitting an expense report mean the purchase is approved?
No. A report records a transaction and may request repayment, but it does not automatically establish advance authorization or final approval. The organization’s policy should explain who can authorize purchases and who reviews reports.
What if I lost a receipt?
Follow the nonprofit’s missing-documentation procedure. Provide the information it requests, such as the date, merchant, amount, purpose, and reason the receipt is unavailable; do not create or alter a receipt.
How often should expense reports be submitted?
There is no universal schedule. The nonprofit should set a reasonable deadline based on its review and bookkeeping process, then state that schedule in its policy so submitters know when to turn in reports.