Earlier policy library. This page belongs to an earlier library of ASF policies. The current, approved governance set is the ASF Standards Package 2026 (GOV, OPS, QMS and EV documents). Where this page and the 2026 package differ, the 2026 package applies.
ASF Institutional Policy Manual · Aligned with PHIG, September 2026
Part of the ASF policy framework, aligned with the equivalent PHIG policy. To raise a concern: see the ASF Complaints and Reporting Channel.
ASF keeps complete records of every grant and gives funders, their auditors and investigators access to them on request. Owner: Operations Liaison.
- Default retention: 7 years after the end of the project, unless a grant agreement or law requires longer.
- Donor minimums: US awards — at least 3 years from submission of the final financial report, extended while any audit, claim or litigation is open; EU, World Bank and EBRD grants — the period stated in the agreement. ASF always applies the longest period.
- What is kept: agreements and amendments, budgets, accounting records, invoices, payment proofs, procurement files, timesheets, asset registers, sub-award files, reports and correspondence.
- Format: original or certified electronic copies, filed by project code, backed up (Policy 32).
- Access: donors and their authorised representatives have the right to inspect and copy records and to interview staff.
- Destruction: only after the retention period, approved by the the Board Chair and logged; personal data under Policy 16.