General Rules and Obligations of the Grantee
The Grantee is obliged to perform the research as detailed in the GIF research proposal and to ensure that the Grant budget shall be used solely for the purpose of the GIF Grant project and in accordance with the provisions of the Grant agreement.
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Any funds used for tasks not included in the appropriate plan will be reimbursed to GIF upon demand. The Grantee is obliged to return to GIF any funds which were not used during the Grant period or were not used in accordance with GIF Guidelines.
The Grantee must keep complete records of expenditures relating to the GIF Grant in a separate bookkeeping account. These records must be preserved for 5 years after completion of the GIF Grant. GIF reserves the right to examine all books, original documents, records and accounts relating to the GIF Grant while it is in progress and for 5 years after its completion; make inspections at all locations where the research is conducted, and receive full information regarding these activities.
If a Grantee/s fail/s to disclose funds they have received or are receiving from other sources for a similar/overlapping/identical project, GIF support will be stopped automatically and request that any funds already paid will be returned to GIF. This applies to both Collaborative and Solo tracks, referring to some or all of the GIF Grant partners’.
The Grantee is obliged to acknowledge GIF funding in any publication based on the GIF Grant (please see chapter “Publications and Acknowledgements”).
The Grantee is obliged to comply with GIF intellectual property right (IPR) regulations as stated in the GIF Grant Agreement and in this document of Grantees’ Guidelines.
Grantee in the GIF Nexus Solo Track must visit the partner country for a minimum of 7 days during the Grant period; in order to present their research and establish initial contacts with prospective partners. If no such visit takes place, it shall be considered a breach of contract, and the last payment will be forfeited. The foundation may require reimbursement of all previous Grant payments as well.
The current GIF Guidelines may be updated by the GIF Board of Governors from time to time. GIF will notify the Grantees should such an update occur and from that point onward, the updated guidelines should be considered as the “Current GIF Guidelines”.
Payments
All payments are transferred directly to the Grantee’s institutions.
Payments are made only if all conditions are met.
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| % of Grant Budget: | Payment conditions: |
1st payment | 80% | - Grant Agreement duly signed by all parties as stated in GIF Guidelines.
- All required Grant documents received.
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Final payment | 20% | - After approval of the final scientific report and final financial report.
- Conditional upon travel of the Grantee for a minimum 7 days to the partner country.
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GIF transfers payments four times a year (January, April, July, October).
GIF requires 30 days processing time for financial and scientific reports before the next payment.
Payments to German Grantees are to be confirmed to GIF on the GIF payment receipt form (here).
Changes during the Grant Period
No-cost extension of grant period
If needed, the Grantee may request a no-cost extension of their GIF grant. In this case, GIF may approve a one-time extension without an additional budget for a maximum of 6 months. The following conditions must be met:
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- Submission of a request form digitally signed by the Grantee, to be sent to finance@gif.org.il no later than 2 months before the end of the original grant period.
- The parental leave period is separate from a no-cost extension period at no cost. Please inform GIF in advance about the start and end dates of your leave period and include written documentation on the leave duration at the end of the leave period.
Grantee affiliation changes during the GIF Grant
In the case that a Grantee changes their institutional affiliation during the Grant period, they should follow this procedure:
- Notify GIF as soon as possible about the affiliation change. Please note that continuing the GIF Grant is possible only if the new institution is a GIF eligible one and it is in the same country.
- Submit a financial report within 30 days after leaving the institution, the report must be signed by the financial department. Any surplus must be transmitted to the new institution within 60 days, and be confirmed to GIF by the new institution on the payment receipt form.
- The new institution is requested to digitally countersign a copy of the Grant agreement within 90 days from the date of changing affiliation.
- The Grantee must inform GIF of the bank details of the new institution (form available for download here).
- If part of the GIF Grant continues at the Grantee’s previous institution, it will be up to that institution to make the necessary arrangements, e.g. for payments due to employees remaining behind. After a Grantee has changed institutions, GIF will only transfer payments to the new institution.
- The Grantee ensures that any non-expendable equipment and/or instruments acquired with the support of GIF funds accompany them to the new (receiving) institution.
Sabbatical leave
A sabbatical leave during the Grant period of Nexus Solo Track is not possible. However, GIF may consider postponing the starting date of the grant by up to one year.
Publications and Acknowledgements
In each publication (including books, book’s chapter/s, magazines and online publications) based on a GIF Grant (even partially), the investigator must acknowledge the support of GIF with the following statement:
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“This research was supported by a Grant from the German-Israeli Foundation for Scientific Research and Development (GIF, Grant number #####).”
All publications arising from a GIF Grant must be authored either in English (preferably, in order to equally serve the scientific communities of both countries), in Hebrew or in German.
A PDF file and/or a link to an online file of each (joint or personal) publication should be sent to GIF (at science@gif.org.il) as soon as it becomes available.
If the research results are published in a book, the investigator is requested to provide the Foundation with one copy free of charge. GIF shall be entitled to purchase additional copies and distribute them at its discretion.
In electronic presentations, posters etc. in which research supported by GIF is presented, the support should be acknowledged by displaying the GIF logo, available for download here.
Patents and Copyrights
According to the GIF Grant agreement, Grantees shall be required to provide the level of IPR protection and enforcement which meets the IPR protection regulations and guidelines of their respective academic institutions.
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Grantees will have to guarantee an equitable and fair treatment regarding the ownership of and access to intellectual property generated to the mutual benefit of all parties involved.
Grant Close-Out
After receipt and approval of the final financial and scientific reports and fulfillment of the travel condition, GIF will inform the Grantee of the final budget balance or refund owing to GIF.
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Unspent funds must be returned to GIF no later than 60 days after the date of the letter informing the Grantee of the final balance.
A formal letter notifying the Grantee that both sides (GIF and the Grantee) have fulfilled their obligations from the Grant will be sent by GIF to the Grantee and their institution, after receipt and approval of all final reports (financial and scientific) and balancing of the Grant account by final payment / refund to GIF.
Starting your Grant
Shortly after the funding notification, following the GIF Board meeting, the Grantee will receive a detailed letter with the conditions, terms and required budget adjustments.
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Documents required before grant start |
Research Grant Agreement | The Grantee and their affiliated institution must sign the Research Grant Agreement by which they and/or their institution assume primary responsibility for the general supervision of the GIF Grant in accordance with the GIF research proposal and its budget, any changes stipulated in GIF’s letter of approval, and these regulations. The following are deemed incorporated into the Research Grant Agreement and constitute an integral and inseparable part thereof: a) The agreement between the two ministers establishing the GIF. b) The document of Nexus Grantee guidelines which can also be accessed via our GIF website. c) The GIF research proposal and its budget as approved by the GIF Board of Governors. d) The parallel funding declaration as indicated on the GIF research proposal. The Research Grant Agreement becomes valid upon being signed by one of the Chairpersons of GIF’s Board of Governors, the GIF Director, the Grantee and their institution. |
Budget distribution | A final budget distribution form (link) signed by the Grantee and their institution should be submitted (even if there are no changes compared to the GIF Research proposal). Please take into account any budget adjustments requested by GIF in the letter following the funding notification. |
Bank details | Required only for German Grantees. |
Ethical approvals | All ethical approvals must be submitted to GIF prior the starting date of the task for which the approval is required (as stated in the updated GIF Grant time schedule). Should there be any change in the date of the task for which the approval is required, it is the responsibility of the Grantee to inform GIF accordingly. In case no ethical approval is submitted by the stipulated date, the Grant will be suspended (i.e. no expenditures can be charged to the Grant budget) until the ethical approval has been submitted. |
All required documents can be provided with digital signatures and returned to GIF by email to finance@gif.org.il. Hardcopies with original signatures are not required.
GIF requires 30 days for processing the documents before the Grant can start. Grants will always commence on the 1st day of a month.
Budget Codes
The use of GIF grant budget is limited to the budget codes listed in the table below:
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1 Personnel
1.1 Salaries
1.2 Scholarships / fellowships | - Grantee may not receive any salary from the Grant budget.
- Research assistants may receive a salary based on the local regulations of each country, or a scholarship according to national tax law.
- The total work time of researchers employed part-time on a GIF Grant as well as by their institution may not exceed 100%.
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2 Travel
2.1 Foreign
2.2 Domestic | - Foreign travel is restricted to travel to the partner country.
- A minimum duration of 7 days is required. An extended visit of 2 weeks is recommended.
- The travel budget is intended for use by the Grantee only.
- The maximum travel budget is EUR 5,000.
- GIF approves travel in economy class only.
- Hotel rates and per diem are calculated according to the Grantees’ national and institutional regulations.
- Financial reports need to include receipts for all travel expenses (air fare, hotel, etc.).
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3 Equipment | - Permanent equipment may be purchased within the first 6 months.
- The total budget for equipment is limited to EUR 5,000.
- Personal Computers and laptops (and associative equipment) are eligible items.
- The maximum number of computers shall not exceed the number of research staff positions (not necessarily personal names) specifically mentioned in the GIF research proposal.
- Financial reports need to include receipts for equipment.
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4 Supplies, Materials | - Disposable materials and equipment.
- Optical and electronic supplies.
- Purchase of animals and plants.
- In financial reports, an explanation is to be included for disposable equipment purchased above EUR 1,000 (per single article).
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5 Internal Services | - Animals and maintenance.
- Machine shops and Repair facilities.
- Internal IT, lab services, translations.
- Internal maintenance for non-expendable equipment.
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6 External Services | - Services provided by external sub-contractors.
- Financial reports need to include receipts for all external services.
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7 Conferences/Workshops
7.1 Conferences/Workshops organized by the Grantee
7.2 Participation in conferences by organizers other than the Grantee | - The topic of conferences/workshops organized or attended by Grantee must be directly related to the GIF Grant.
- Conferences/workshops organized or attended by the Grantee must take place in Israel or Germany.
- Recreation expenses (sightseeing tours etc.) will not be covered by GIF.
7.1 Conferences/workshops organized by the Grantees: - The event must take place in Israel or Germany.
- Expenditures are reimbursed only for participants from Israel/ Germany.
- GIF approves travel in economy class only.
- Hotel rates and per diem are calculated according to the Grantee’s national and institutional regulations.
- GIF will reimburse only expenses in line with GIF guidelines.
7.2 Conferences/workshops not organized by the Grantees: - The conference/workshop must take place in Europe or Israel.
- A presentation must be given by the Grantee.
- For calculation and reporting requirements of travel expenses, see budget code 2 Travel.
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8 Literature and Publications | - Purchase of professional literature.
- Fees for publications resulting from the GIF Grant.
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9 Miscellaneous | - Expenditures which are Grant related direct expenses but outside the other GIF budget categories.
- Max. 5% total of the Grant budget.
- Budget for Miscellaneous expenses exceeding 5% requires approval by GIF in advance.
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10 Overhead | - The GIF system will automatically add 10% of the total research costs as overhead.
- The Grant total budget of direct research costs plus overhead may not exceed EUR 25,000.
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GIF does NOT reimburse | - Membership fees for any kind of professional association.
- Registration fees for conferences/workshops.
- Fees for invited speakers outside of Israel and Europe.
- Research group social activities.
- Recreation expenses (sightseeing tours etc.).
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Budget Changes
Grantees have the flexibility to shift up to 50% of a budget code to another approved budget code without prior approval by GIF, with exceptions in the following budget codes:
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- Salaries: the limit for transfers to other budget codes is 20%.
- Equipment: transfer from other budget codes may increase the budget for equipment by a maximum of 20%.
A GIF approval should be requested (sent to finance@gif.org.il) in advance by submitting the form (available here) for Budget Transfer for the following:
- Transfer budget above these limits.
- Transfer budget to a new budget code which was not included in the originally approved budget.
Financial & Scientific Reports – Reporting
The Grantee is obliged to submit a financial and scientific report in accordance with the GIF guidelines. All financial and scientific reports must be submitted on GIF forms. No other forms will be accepted.
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Due date final financial and scientific reports | No later than 2 months after conclusion of the grant. |
Financial Reports
Financial reports, including copies and receipts where needed, should be emailed to finance@gif.org.il. Hardcopies are not required.
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Please submit receipts with your financial report for the following expenses:
- Code 2, Travel – copies of boarding passes, itineraries, receipts for airfares, accommodation and other expenses.
- Code 3, Equipment.
- Code 6, External Services.
Reports are due 2 months after the end of the Grant.
For reporting due dates, please see tab “Reporting”.
The budget is for use of the Grantee and their research team only.
Expenditures are to be reported according to GIF budget codes. Please observe the regulations specified for each budget code.
The budget codes relevant and chargeable to your GIF Grant are specified in the approved Grant budget. Budget changes are possible within the limits explained in the Grantees guidelines.
Grant payments are conditional on the receipt and approval of all due financial and scientific reports.
Unspent balances at the end of the Grant must be returned to GIF.
Documents required for the financial report |
Financial Report Part 1 (page 1 of the report)
Sent to the Grantee by GIF office.
Overview of approved budget codes for the Grant period.
Please fill in the sum for each budget code in the column for the reporting period. Financial Report Part 2 (pages 2 and 3 of the report)
Page 2: Detailed breakdown of expenses for budget codes Salaries, Heavy Equipment, Travel, and External Services.
Page 3: Justification for travels and for supplies of >EUR 1,000 charged to the GIF Grant. Receipts for foreign travel, equipment, external services, workshops/conferences
Financial reports are not complete without receipts.
Please number the receipts and submit an excel table listing the receipts by reference number with a short description of the expense and amount (EURO only). Please ensure that the Grantee’s digital signature and digital stamp and signature of the financial department of the Grantee’s institution are introduced on page 2 (in Part 2) of the report
Unsigned reports cannot be processed. |
Scientific Reports
The scientific report should be emailed to science@gif.org.il. Hard copies are not required.
Reports are due 2 months after the end of the Grant (see also “Reporting” tab).
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The final Grant payment is conditional upon the receiving and approving of all due financial and scientific reports.
Documents required for scientific report |
Final Scientific Report using GIF form (Nexus Solo Track), with cover page digitally signed by the Grantee Form available for download here. - The evaluation summary and the project overview in layman’s English for the GIF website requested in the report form are considered an integral part of the final scientific report.
- The project overview may appear on the GIF website for the benefit of the scientific community for further scientific ties. Interested parties may be directed to the Grantee for further details and/or a copy of the full report.
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