Can this report be signed electronically?

Yes. Electronic signatures are generally valid under the ESIGN Act and state UETA laws when intent and attribution are demonstrable; ensure the signature method meets any award-specific authentication requirements.

What constitutes an acceptable signature?

An acceptable signature shows signer intent and attribution; audit trails with timestamp, signer identity, and platform logs support legal validity under ESIGN and UETA.

Who must sign the report?

The authorized grantee official named in the award or an official with delegated authority must sign and date to certify accuracy and compliance with award terms.

How long must records supporting the report be kept?

Keep records for the grant term plus at least three years; certain records (tax or health-related) may require longer retention per federal rules such as IRC §6501(a) and 45 CFR §164.530(j).

How do I correct a submission after filing?

Notify your ACF program officer, prepare an amended report or supporting documentation, and follow any correction procedures specified in your award or by the program office.

Are attachments or source documents required?

Provide supporting documentation when requested; retain source files and make them available for audits or monitoring but submit only the attachments specified by the program guidance.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Project Management
ACF Performance Progress Report

ACF Performance Progress Report

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

What the ACF Performance Progress Report Is

The ACF Performance Progress Report is a standardized federal report used by Administration for Children and Families grantees to document program activity, outcomes, and resource use for a defined reporting period. It combines quantitative performance measures, narrative progress updates, participant counts, and a financial summary to support oversight, program monitoring, and future funding decisions. The report is submitted under the grant award terms and is used by ACF program staff to assess compliance with performance targets, follow up on corrective actions, and compile program-level statistics across funded projects.

Why this report matters for grant compliance

Completing the ACF Performance Progress Report accurately is essential to meet grant terms, maintain funding eligibility, and demonstrate program impact. It provides ACF with the evidence needed for monitoring, technical assistance, and policy decisions while documenting use of federal funds and participant outcomes.

Who completes and relies on the report

Typical users prepare or review the report at the program and grant management level.

Grantee Program Managers and Data Staff — Prepare indicator data, narrative updates, and financial reconciliations.
Finance and Grants Administrators — Verify expenditure summaries, match costs to budget lines, and confirm allowable costs.
ACF Program Officers and Monitors — Review submissions, request clarifications, and document oversight actions.

Multiple internal stakeholders usually collaborate to gather the information required for a complete, defensible submission.

Core sections included in a professional report

A well-prepared ACF Performance Progress Report contains distinct sections for identifying information, performance metrics, narrative context, financial summaries, data quality controls, and signatory approval.

Cover Information

Grant name, award number, grantee organization, reporting period, and contact details so ACF can link the submission to the correct award and staff.

Performance Indicators

Quantitative measures tied to the approved work plan such as outputs and outcomes, with numerator/denominator definitions and any disaggregation used.

Narrative Progress

Short descriptive updates that explain program activities, challenges, notable successes, deviations from plan, and planned corrective steps.

Financial Summary

Expenditure totals by budget category, obligation and burn-rate details, and notes on cost allowability and matches to budget lines.

Data Quality Assurance

Documentation of methods used to validate reported figures, data sources, sampling notes, and any adjustments applied before submission.

Authorized Signature

Name, title, signature and date of the grantee official certifying the report is accurate and complete under the award terms.

Security and compliance considerations

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3; AES-256 at rest

Access Controls: Role-based access; multi-factor options

Audit Trail: Timestamps, IP, signer attribution

Sensitive Data: Protect PII/PHI per award rules

E-signature Law: ESIGN and UETA recognized

Retention: Follow grant recordkeeping rules

Step-by-step: complete and submit the report

Follow this sequence to collect, verify, and deliver a compliant report.

01

Gather Data: Collect source files, attendance logs, and financial records.
02

Populate Fields: Enter measures, narratives, and expenditures into the template.
03

Review and QA: Reconcile numbers and document data validation steps.
04

Submit: Send via the designated ACF channel or to the assigned program officer.

How to adapt the report for online filing

Configure your digital workflow to reduce manual entry and improve traceability before you submit to ACF.

Field	Configuration
Document Upload	Accept PDF or DOCX; enable version control and attachments.
Conditional Sections	Show narrative fields only when selected indicators apply.
Auto-populate	Pull grant metadata from your award management system.
Authentication	Use email or stronger signer verification per policy.

Where to send or file the completed report

Confirm the submission method specified in your award terms before sending the final report.

ACF Online Portal: Use the portal or system specified in the grant award when available.
Program Officer Email: Send to the assigned ACF program officer if award terms permit email submissions.
Grantee Records: Store a signed copy in your internal grant files for audit purposes.
Third-Party Filing: If a central grants management system is used, follow that system's upload rules.

Digital submission and signature requirements

Confirm platform capabilities before relying on an electronic workflow for submission and signature capture.

File Formats: PDF and DOCX supported
Authentication Options: Email, SMS, or stronger
Integrations: Connect to grant systems

Ensure the platform you use preserves an audit trail, secures data with TLS/AES encryption, and supports record export for long-term retention.

Typical reporting timing and deadlines

Reporting frequency and due dates are set in the grant award; confirm the schedule well before each period end.

Reporting Frequency:

Quarterly or annually per award; follow the grant agreement.

Standard Due Date:

Often due within 30 days after the reporting period unless award terms specify otherwise.

Annual Summary:

Some awards require an additional annual performance narrative or synthesis report.

Extensions:

Request formal extensions from the program officer in writing when needed.

Corrections:

Submit timely amendments if errors are discovered post-submission.

Key milestones in the reporting cycle

A sequence of internal milestones helps ensure timely, accurate submissions and readiness for ACF review.

01

Data Collection

Compile source documents and extract required indicators.

02

Internal Reconciliation

Match financial figures to accounting records.

03

Signatory Approval

Authorized official certifies the completed report.

04

Final Submission

Transmit the report through the specified ACF channel.

Common pitfalls to avoid

Reporting inconsistent participant definitions across periods leads to incomprehensible trend data and may trigger reviewer questions.
Missing or incorrect award identifiers (grant number) can delay processing and misroute the submission within ACF systems.
Failing to reconcile expenditures to the financial system increases risk of audit findings and required corrective actions.
Submitting unsigned or uncertified reports can render the submission noncompliant with award certification requirements.

Consequences of inaccurate or late reports

Funding Withhold: May occur

Repayment: Potential requirement

Audit Findings: Documented deficiencies

Corrective Action: Increased oversight

Legal Risk: Noncompliance exposures

Reputational Harm: Program credibility affected

Comparison of eSignature pricing and key features

Use this vendor comparison to evaluate typical pricing and feature availability for eSignature solutions commonly used to sign and submit performance reports.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day free trial	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Envelope Cap	No cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies	Varies	Varies

Frequently asked questions about submission and signatures

Answers to common questions about e-signing, authority to sign, retention, and correcting submitted ACF Performance Progress Reports.

Need help? Contact support

Can this report be signed electronically?
Yes. Electronic signatures are generally valid under the ESIGN Act and state UETA laws when intent and attribution are demonstrable; ensure the signature method meets any award-specific authentication requirements.
What constitutes an acceptable signature?
An acceptable signature shows signer intent and attribution; audit trails with timestamp, signer identity, and platform logs support legal validity under ESIGN and UETA.
Who must sign the report?
The authorized grantee official named in the award or an official with delegated authority must sign and date to certify accuracy and compliance with award terms.
How long must records supporting the report be kept?
Keep records for the grant term plus at least three years; certain records (tax or health-related) may require longer retention per federal rules such as IRC §6501(a) and 45 CFR §164.530(j).
How do I correct a submission after filing?
Notify your ACF program officer, prepare an amended report or supporting documentation, and follow any correction procedures specified in your award or by the program office.
Are attachments or source documents required?
Provide supporting documentation when requested; retain source files and make them available for audits or monitoring but submit only the attachments specified by the program guidance.

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