What is Payment Request?
A payment request is an official document that a grant recipient submits to the relevant managing authority or intermediary body to receive reimbursement for realized eligible expenses. In the case of combined payments, it covers work, deliveries, or services that have already been executed but not yet paid for. The actual transfer of funds to the beneficiary's bank account takes place only on the basis of this request.
What must a Payment Request contain?
The request must always be accompanied by relevant supporting documentation proving that the costs were actually incurred and spent in accordance with the terms of the project. The most common attachments include:
- Copies of accounting documents: invoices, contracts, purchase orders.
- Bank account statements: proof of actual payment of expenses.
- Documentation of achieved results: especially for projects using unit costs, proving the attainment of specific units (e.g. number of supported individuals, training hours, etc.).
- Schedule of expenditure: a structured list of all claimed items.
Relationship between the Payment Request and the Implementation Report
The payment request and the project implementation report are closely linked. In practice, they are submitted together as a single package. They cannot be separated from each other: a payment request cannot be successfully submitted without a project implementation report.
Both documents serve distinct purposes, yet complement one another:
- The Payment Request is the financial component. It documents the eligible expenses actually incurred and serves as the basis for disbursing funds to the recipient.
- The Project Implementation Report is the substantive component. It describes the status and progress of project implementation, the outputs and results achieved, and demonstrates that the project is progressing as planned.
Types of Payment Requests
In grant administration, you may encounter several types of requests, which differ primarily in timing and disbursement method:
- Interim payment request: submitted during project implementation after reaching a specific phase or spending a defined portion of the budget. It is accompanied by an interim project implementation report.
- Final payment request: submitted after project completion, covering all remaining unpaid eligible expenses. It is submitted together with the final project implementation report.
- Advance payment request: allows the recipient to receive funds in advance before the actual expenditure is incurred; the advance is settled later. This request is submitted independently without a link to an implementation report.
What to watch out for with Payment Requests
Proper drafting of a payment request is essential. Errors or missing documents can lead to a reduction or rejection of the payment. Common mistakes include:
- Including ineligible expenses in the request.
- Insufficient or missing documentation.
- Failure to meet submission deadlines specified in the agreement.
- Discrepancies between invoiced items and actual deliveries.
Timely and correctly documented payment requests are the foundation for smooth project progress and prevent unnecessary complications during final evaluations.
