The National Research Foundation (NRF) bases the future allocation of their funding on the results of audited financial reports. It is vitally important that the University submits these reports on or before the deadlines set by the NRF, in order to avoid forfeiture of future grants.

Please take note of the following reporting guidelines:

 

Financial reporting

Financial reports in to the NRF only include actual expenses that have been paid. Commitments and Encumbrances (outstanding orders) cannot be included in the financial reports.

Purchase Orders

It is recommended that all purchase orders are placed by no later than 13 November 2015, in order to ensure that these purchase orders are settled on or before the relevant due dates (please see below).

Invoice Payments

All 2015 invoices must be linked to purchase orders for the same year (invoices must be dated for 2015). Please submit all documents (invoices etc.) which relate to official orders and purchases to the Accounts Payable Division by Friday, 4 December 2015. The documents for expenses incurred during the period between 7 December and 31 December 2015, must be submitted on or before Friday, 15 January 2016.

Advances

Researchers who received advances must submit a final financial advance report on or before
Friday, 4 December 2015. Please ensure that all supporting expenditure vouchers are attached to the report. Final financial advance reports for the period between 5 December and 31 December 2015, must be submitted on or before Friday, 15 January 2016 to Yvonne Schlebusch (Admin building, office 5/42). These reports must be finalised in accordance with the relevant policy (AO6/13). Financial advance reports received after 15 January 2016 will unfortunately not be funded from 2015 NRF funding.

No transfer of unspent funds

According to the NRF financial reporting guidelines, the NRF does not allow the transfer of unspent grant balances. Unspent balances will only be transferred to the 2016 year on the written approval received from NRF.  It is the responsibility of the relevant researcher to submit a motivation to the NRF in order to obtain this written approval. This excludes Incentive Funding.

Please be advised that any outstanding orders for which payment has not been processed by
15 January 2016 will be recorded against the 2016 financial year. Alternative sources of funding will be required for these payments.

Annual Progress Report (APR)

The APR for the 2015 financial year must be submitted to the NRF by no later than 31 March 2016. Should the NRF not receive these reports in time, the University’s NRF funding may be negatively impacted in the 2016 financial year.

Thanking you in advance for your cooperation in making the 2015 NRF submissions a success.

Prof Quintus Vorster
Director: Finance