The following rules apply (cf. the relevant funding guidelines):

• The Standard Allowance for Equity and Diversity must be spent in accordance with the general principles set out in the funding guidelines and award letters as applicable to the research programme in question. As such, these funds are likewise to be spent in accordance with the principle of efficiency and economy.
• Subject-specific core support must be ensured: measures that can be attributed to the respective subject-specific core support cannot be financed from the Standard Allowance for Equity and Diversity.
• All measures financed from the Standard Allowance for Equity and Diversity must be related to the research project. This might derive from an affiliation with the project, for example, or from the fact that the events concerned are being organised as part of the research project. A brief and plausible reference to the project must be documented.
• Measures can only be funded for persons who are actively involved as researchers in the network/project. Non-DFG funded persons can also benefit from the Standard Allowance for Equity and Diversity providing the funds are used to finance measures to support an open group of participants and no additional costs are incurred as a result of the participation of external persons.
• Measures for which funds have already been approved elsewhere in the research project or network cannot be financed from the Standard Allowance for Equity and Diversity.
• As a matter of principle, one and the same measure – such as a soft skills course – cannot be financed from the Standard Allowance for Equity and Diversity for some members of the research network (e.g. for women) and from funds approved through a different channel for other members (e.g. for men).
• The prohibition of favouritism (Besserstellungsverbot) enshrined in budgetary law must be observed. Remuneration may not be granted that is higher than the level of the collective agreement for the civil service or of other benefits above or beyond the collective agreement.
• When planning the use of funds from the Standard Allowance for Equity and Diversity, it must be considered as a matter of principle whether it is more expedient to use a large portion of the funds for a single measure or to finance several smaller measures. 
• Observation of the above-mentioned underlying framework conditions and requirements must be verified on site in each case and compliance must be ensured. The appropriate use of the Standard Allowance for Equity and Diversity must be documented on site for accounting purposes. 
• Furthermore, funds approved for other purposes (such as funds for visiting researchers, travel funds or personnel funds) are likewise to be spent with due regard for the principle of equity and diversity.