Information for grant recipients

Stiftung Mercator takes a strategic approach to the awarding of its grants: first and foremost, we select projects to fund on the basis of whether they will help achieve the sociopolitical objectives we have set in our thematic clusters and fields of activity. Naturally, our interest and involvement does not end with the awarding of a grant: we regard our funding as a partnership with those we support, which is also why we refer to them as project partners rather than grant recipients.

In the funded projects, the foundation and its project partners work towards jointly defined objectives. For us it goes without saying that the foundation will always provide close and intensive project support. Stiftung Mercator’s project managers and staff boast extensive expertise in their respective fields. They support and advise our project partners on many questions of project and financial management, on the preparation and staging of events and on issues relating to strategic public relations. In return, we expect our project partners to work professionally and to consistently pursue the jointly agreed objectives.

Further information can be found in our FAQ for grant recipients.

The legal basis for the grants which we provide essentially comprises a specific funding agreement which is concluded between Stiftung Mercator and the respective Project Partner, and our general funding guidelines. You can download these guidelines as well as our guidelines for ecological sustainability from the links below:

Funding Guidelines

Ecological Sustainability Guidelines for Project Partners

Immediately after the conclusion of the funding agreement, the Project Partner submits a payment schedule for the entire duration of the project, defining the amount of funds required on specific dates. Amendments to the payment schedule can only be made in conjunction with Stiftung Mercator once the project has commenced.

A written call for funds is to be sent to Stiftung Mercator no later than four weeks before each payment date agreed in advance of the project. Please note that Stiftung Mercator does not transfer funds at its own initiative on the basis of the payment schedule, but only upon receiving a specific written request to do so.

Please use the following form for the payment schedule and calls for funds:

Payment Schedule and Call for Funds

Once you have received the funding, you are required to send Stiftung Mercator a notification of receipt. If you are normally resident in Germany, please use the form applicable to the legal form of your institution, which can be found on the website of the Federal Ministry of Finance (by entering the search term “Geldzuwendung”). Funding recipients outside Germany should use the following form:

Notification of Receipt of Funds

Stiftung Mercator requires regular documentation of the use of funds provided. The frequency at which such funds allocation statements must be furnished depends on the duration of the funded project:

For projects of less than one year in duration, a completed funds appropriation form has to be submitted within two months of the project’s termination.
For projects of more than one year in duration, we will require an interim funds allocation statement by the end of each February for the period of the previous calendar year as well as an overall documentation of the use of funds that is to be handed in within two months after the project’s termination.

Submission and review of interim and final evidence of the allocation of funds has been digitalised in 2020. Access to the online form will be provided to you by your local project manager. A preview of the form’s structure can be found here

In order to be up-to-date with respect tothe progress of the funded project, Stiftung Mercator requires regular written reports from the project partner. The frequency at which these reports are to be provided depends on the duration of the funded project:

In projects of less than one year in duration, the project report has to be submitted within two months of the project’s termination.
In projects of more than one year in duration, we require written interim project reports by the end of each February for the period of the previous calendar year as well as a final project report covering the entire funding period to be handed in within two months after the project’s termination.

Please use the following form for interim and final reports:

Project Report form

If you receive funding from a Stiftung Mercator partner, kindly use the report forms provided by this organization.

The foundation also reserves the right to request additional information pertaining to the project at any time, to visit the project sites, and to talk to the persons involved in the project.

Please use the following form for requests for honorarium and compensation for travelling:

Request for Honorarium and Compensation for Travelling

Information for grant recipients

OUR FUNDING PHILOSOPHY: WHAT DO WE EXPECT TO ACHIEVE WITH THE GRANTS WE PROVIDE?

1. GRANT GUIDELINES

2. PAYMENT SCHEDULE AND DRAWDOWN

3. NOTIFICATION OF RECEIPT OF FUNDS

4. PROOF OF APPROPRIATION

5. PREPARATION OF PROJECT REPORTS

6. HONORARIUM AND COMPENSATION FOR TRAVELLING