Stiftung Mercator invests its funds in assets so as to achieve a return even in times of low interest rates. Four weeks’ notice must be given to ensure that the requested funds will be available at the time of drawdown.
A realistic payment schedule reflects the project partner’s expected funding requirements. It should be based on the dates upon which expenditure will be necessary, and on the liquidity requirements of the project partner. (When will the project partner require how much money?)
If the project partner’s requirements change, resulting in a change to the payment schedule, the latter should be revised as quickly as possible and submitted to Stiftung Mercator. This can also be done independently of the next call for funds.
No. The dates of drawdown should be chosen by the project partner such as to ensure continued liquidity as needed during the course of the project. (Stiftung Mercator requests however that funding not be drawn down monthly as this significantly increases the administrative workload.)
Yes. Any remaining funds that are not needed do not have to be repaid until the end of the project term. However, the payment schedule should be revised in such cases.
No. Stiftung Mercator requests however that the project partner submit a needs-based liquidity plan in the form of a payment schedule with a view to avoiding an excessive bank balance on the part of the project partner.
To ensure that the funds paid out by Stiftung Mercator are properly documented, the exchange rate that was used to convert the funds (usually drawn down in €) to the respective national currency (i.e. the exchange rate on the day of transfer) should be used. This exchange rate must be stated by the project partner’s bank (please take into account any bank charges that may have been incurred).
An application for a reallocation of funds must be submitted as soon as the project partner can foresee that such a reallocation is necessary. In any case it is imperative that it be submitted before payment of those expenses of the project partner that would exceed the amount allocated to a particular cost item. In other words, the application for a reallocation of funds must be submitted before additional expenditure is incurred for a particular cost item. Reasons must be provided to explain why this is necessary.
Applications for a reallocation of funds must be submitted in all cases where the percentage deviation contractually laid down in the funding agreement is exceeded. No consultation is necessary for as long as the percentage deviation remains below the contractually agreed percentage deviation.
No. The finance plan remains the finance plan laid down in the funding agreement. Deviations are merely defined that are agreed by both parties. The finance plan can only be modified by agreeing to amend the funding agreement, in which case it will be completely redefined.
Where a project partner obtains different funds from different funding sources, it may be helpful to set up dedicated cost units for the respective funds and funding sources in order to be able to provide the necessary evidence of the allocation of funds.
An application for a cost-neutral extension can be submitted as soon as it becomes clear that the project cannot be duly brought to a close by the originally agreed date. However, the application for extension must in all cases be submitted before the end of the actual project term.
An application for a cost-neutral extension can be submitted in writing to the project managers responsible at Stiftung Mercator. Reasons for the extension must be provided in all cases.
A Funds Allocation Statement must always be submitted if a funding agreement has been concluded with Stiftung Mercator. Details of the frequency and scope of the Funds Allocation Statement are laid down in the funding agreement.
In this case it is possible that no further funds will be paid out to the project partner. This can also affect more than one project if a project partner has several projects at Stiftung Mercator.
The pre-completed form is provided to the project partner by the project managers via a digital plattform. The project partner must complete all fields on the cover sheet that are highlighted in yellow and upload a list of receipts.
The username is automatically set to the email address of the project lead registered with us. However, no automated communication is sent to this address. The credentials can therefore also be used by another person, such as staff from your organisation’s administration.
In the upper right corner of the online portal, you can choose between German and English for the interface language.
In the left yellow-marked column (“current report”), enter the sums of funds used for each budget position in the financial plan. In the right yellow-marked column (“forecast for remaining term”), enter the planned funds allocation for the remaining term of the project. In the final funds allocation statement submitted after project completion, the forecast should be 0.00 EUR for all budget positions.
For budget positions with a planned value of 0.00 EUR, no entry is required unless funds have been reallocated to these positions.
If expenses in a budget position exceed the planned amount by more than the contractually agreed percentage (typically 10-15%), please add a comment explaining the reasons for the deviation by clicking the speech bubble icon at the beginning of the budget position. Please also note any previously approved deviations or reallocations.
You can save your work at any time by clicking “Save progress” in the header. Finally, you can submit your funds allocation statement by clicking “Submit report” to start the review process by the project management team. Please use this function only once all budget positions have been checked by your side.
Please upload the list of receipts in the “Receipt List” section as a single Excel file (.xls, .xlsx). For any necessary corrections, delete the already uploaded file via the trash icon and then upload the updated version.
You can download the Mercator template in Mercator Portal. However, using it is optional; you may also use a custom Excel format for your list.
The list of receipts should clearly indicate which receipts correspond to the respective sums or financial plan budget positions in the funds allocation statement. List all receipts for a budget position consecutively and then enter the subtotal for each position at the end of the list.
The following elements and information must be included in the List of Receipts if the corresponding items are part of the project’s budget plan:
No. Evidence can only be provided for expenses incurred during the project term. If necessary expenses are incurred outside the project term, an application for a cost-neutral project extension must be submitted in advance.
Once the funds allocation statement has been positively reviewed, you will receive a notification by email. Print the funds allocation statement as a PDF using the “Print” function in the Portal, and send us a signed paper copy by post or signing it electronically (at least Advanced Electronic Signature; AES), as it is a tax-relevant document. Postal or digital submission of the list of receipts is not required.
Yes. Proof must be used for both project grants based on funding agreements and for donations. If Donation Receipts are not submitted, further payments to the project partner may be withheld.
[Proof can be provided either through a Notification of Receipt of Funds or a Donation Receipt. For the Notification of Receipt of Funds, Stiftung Mercator provides its own form. Donation Receipts are accepted in your own format. Please use the form appropriate to the legal form of your institution from the website of the Federal Ministry of Finance (by entering the search term “Geldzuwendung”).]
Notifications of receipt of funds (so-called “Geldeingangsbestätigungen”) are mandatory for grantees based outside Germany. Stiftung Mercator provides a specific form for this purpose.
[Please note that Notifications of Receipt of Funds are only accepted in digitally signed form if at least an Advanced Electronic Signature (AES) is used.]
In principle, it is possible to submit proof for multiple funds instalments with a single notification of receipt. However, they can only be issued for a single calendar year. If there are several months between individual requests for funds, it is advisable to refrain from using collective receipts of funds.
Electronic signatures are permitted for: grant applications, funding agreements, calls for funds, notifications of receipt of funds, and funds allocation statements. Please note that a minimum verification level of an Advanced Electronic Signature (AES) is required for the document to be accepted. For further details, please contact Stiftung Mercator’s project management team.
To formally conclude a project, Stiftung Mercator must have received Notifications of Receipt of Funds or Donation Receipts for each fund instalment. If the grant is based on a Funding Agreement, a signed final funds allocation statement and a final narrative report must also be submitted. Any remaining funds indicated in the final funds allocation statement must be returned to Stiftung Mercator.
Remaining funds are to be repaid once the final Funds Allocation Statement has been audited and submitted (physically or electronically signed). When returning the remaining funds, please ensure that the grant’s project number is referenced. This number can be found in the funding agreement.
