Contact the Musikfonds by e-mail as soon as possible. If you do not reply within 4 weeks after approval, we will assume that you do not accept the funding.

IMPORTANT: The prerequisite for funding is that the project has not yet begun, i.e. no contracts have been concluded, no expenses have been incurred (not even with own funds), no income (ticket sales) has been generated.

If you are not yet in a position to update your financial plan in a binding and contract-ready manner, but feel it is imperative that you begin activities that require payment (e.g. travel reservations), you may submit a request to begin activities early.

With an early start approval, you are allowed to make initial expenditures at your own risk (and from your own funds).

Before you make any expenditures, sign any contracts, advertise the project, or make any travel reservations, please make sure you have a signed project contract with Musikfonds. 
In addition, grant funds cannot be called for until the project contract is in place.

The following information/documents are required for the preparation of the contract

• Updated budget using the Online application center (xls-file for orientation - see Downloads)
• Updated information on planned event dates and locations 
• Desired project duration (including preparation and follow-up time) 
• An updated list of participating artists 
• Written funding commitments from all secured funds

After submitting the required documents, you will receive timely feedback from the Musikfonds office. 

After all outstanding issues have been resolved, the Project Contract will be prepared and issued and sent to you by e-mail. Print two copies of the contract, sign both copies, and mail them to the Musikfonds. Do not forget to sign and return the other required documents (budget, confirmation).

Once the contract has been countersigned by the management of Musikfonds, a signed copy will be returned to you. Make sure to double-check that all the information in the contract is correct and up to date. If it is, you are ready to start!

The logos of Musikfonds e.V. and the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) are to be used in all materials relevant to the promotion of the funded project. You will receive the logos and funding information together with the project contract or with the approval for the early start of the project. 

All media exposed to the public (e.g. flyers, posters, invitations, online publications, etc.) must be submitted to Musikfonds e.V. by e-mail for approval prior to publication or printing. Only after approval by Musikfonds e.V. may the media be printed or published.

Should significant changes occur during the course of the project, Musikfonds e.V. must be notified. 

This includes, but is not limited to:

• Significant changes in content/concept
• Changes in the participating artists (line-up, ensemble/band)
• Changes of venue
• Postponement of performance dates, changes in project duration
• Changes in the contractual partner(s) (legal status, address, contact person, etc.)
• Changes regarding the budget: If changes to the budget exceed +/- 20% of the preliminary budget, approval by Musikfonds is required.

The call for funds is made with a form for the disbursement of funds approved by Musikfonds (federal funds), which you will receive with the project contract. 

After both parties have signed the project contract, you are eligible to call funds for expenses incurred as part of your project (payment has to be concluded within the 6 weeks of receiving the funds).

Please note that your own funds and means from other funding agencies must be used first. Federal funds must always be called for last, after all other funds have been exhausted.

Federal funds that are not expended within 6 weeks of being requested must be returned to Musikfonds and may be called for again at a later date (within the project period).

If the purpose of the funding has not been fulfilled by the end of the fiscal year, an interim statement of use (ZVN) must be maintained for the amounts received during that year.

The ZVN consists of three main parts - the factual report, the numerical proof of income and expenses, and the list of receipts (expenses).

The deadline for submitting the ZVN is specified in your project contract. By this date, you must provide proof to Musikfonds that the project has been carried out in accordance with the contract and that all funds spent since the beginning of the project have been used for the intended purpose and in accordance with the contract. 

The ZVN will be checked by Musikfonds, if necessary you will be requested to make adjustements to the project planning. After that the project will continue until the end of the funding period.

After the successful completion of all project-related events and at the end of the project period, a final statement of use must be provided to Musikfonds. The deadline for submitting this statement of use is a contractually agreed date (usually one month after the end of the project period). You will need to prove that the project has been carried out and successfully completed in accordance with the contract and that the funds have been used for the contractually agreed purpose and in accordance with the contract during the project period. 

The stetement of use consists of three main parts - the factual report, the numerical proof of income and expenses, and the list of receipts (expenses and income/funding).

Original supporting documents related to the project must be kept on file and provided upon request.

Upon successful review of the VN, you will receive a closing letter. Your project is officially complete.