SMBs & agencies · Grant repayment demand

Repayment of public funding — challenging the revocation of the grant decision

After reviewing the proof of use, the authority often demands repayment of funding — protection of legitimate expectations and deadlines limit this.

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Quick check: what should you do?

3 short questions — no sign-up required.

Letter received on

Is this EU or federal funding?

Was the original grant decision issued more than a year ago?

Deadline at a glance

1 month from notification (as stated in the notice of remedies) — otherwise up to 1 year (§ 58 Abs. 2 VwGO)

§§ 70, 74 VwGO (revocation/withdrawal under §§ 48, 49 VwVfG)

An objection (Widerspruch) against the revocation or withdrawal decision must be lodged within one month of notification (§ 70 VwGO); where no preliminary proceedings apply, an action for annulment must be brought within one month (§ 74 VwGO) — which route applies is stated in the notice of available remedies. If the notice is missing or incorrect, a one-year period applies (§ 58 Abs. 2 VwGO). Where the repayment demand is justified, it is also worth offering payment by installments or a deferral.

It is an AI, not a person: nobody looks at your individual case, and we do not know who signs up or for what reason. That is why we give pointers, but no legal advice on the individual case. Guidelines and playbooks in the platform are only guardrails: the AI relies on the available sources and your information. AI can make mistakes — check important results, and if in doubt, ask a lawyer.

Typical risks in this scenario

What we pay special attention to

Curated from real cases. The AI review flags exactly these points in your document.

The authority's one-year deadline for revocation is rarely checked, although it often makes the decision open to challenge.
Interest claims (§ 49a Abs. 3 VwVfG) are frequently not recalculated.
With EU/federal funding, additional procurement-law conditions apply that are easily overlooked.

What you can do here in 5 minutes

If a grant decision (Zuwendungsbescheid) is revoked or withdrawn (§§ 48, 49 VwVfG) and repayment is demanded (§ 49a VwVfG), it is worth checking the conditions, the proof of use (Verwendungsnachweis), the earmarking and — if the original decision was unlawful — protection of legitimate expectations (Vertrauensschutz) as well as the authority's one-year deadline.

Upload the grant decision and the repayment demand — our AI tools check whether the purpose was achieved, protection of legitimate expectations and the interest calculation, and prepare the remedy.

How it works

Results in three steps

Cross-check the proof of use

Compare receipts and achievement of purpose against the conditions (ANBest).

Check legitimate expectations

Check the authority's one-year deadline (§ 48 Abs. 4 / § 49 Abs. 2 S. 2 VwVfG) and protection of legitimate expectations (§ 48 Abs. 2 VwVfG).

Lodge the remedy

Objection or action for annulment within the deadline; where the repayment demand is justified, offer payment by installments.

What you get

Cross-check the proof of use – Compare receipts and achievement of purpose against the conditions (ANBest).
Check legitimate expectations – Check the authority's one-year deadline (§ 48 Abs. 4 / § 49 Abs. 2 S. 2 VwVfG) and protection of legitimate expectations (§ 48 Abs. 2 VwVfG).
Lodge the remedy – Objection or action for annulment within the deadline; where the repayment demand is justified, offer payment by installments.

What it is not