diff --git a/src/main/groovy/au/org/ala/merit/GmsMapper.groovy b/src/main/groovy/au/org/ala/merit/GmsMapper.groovy
index adffb0e67..48f2de7bf 100644
--- a/src/main/groovy/au/org/ala/merit/GmsMapper.groovy
+++ b/src/main/groovy/au/org/ala/merit/GmsMapper.groovy
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class GmsMapper {
     static final REPORTING_THEME_COLUMN = 'PGAT_PRIORITY'
 
     static final FINANCIAL_YEAR_FUNDING_PREFIX = 'FUNDING_'
-
+    static final FINANCIAL_YEAR_FUNDING_DESCRIPTION = "FINANCIAL_YEAR_FUNDING_DESCRIPTION"
     static MERIT_DATE_FORMAT = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ssZ")
 
     static final GMS_DATE_FORMAT = new SimpleDateFormat("dd/MM/yyyy")
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ class GmsMapper {
            }
         }
         // Special case for MERI plan funding mapping
-        headers << "FINANCIAL_YEAR_FUNDING_DESCRIPTION"
+        headers << FINANCIAL_YEAR_FUNDING_DESCRIPTION
         descriptions << "Description of the funding for each financial year.  Must be present for financial year funding amounts to be imported"
 
         for (int i : (18..30)) {
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ class GmsMapper {
         mappingKeys.add(DATA_SUB_TYPE_COLUMN)
         mappingKeys.add(REPORTING_THEME_COLUMN)
         mappingKeys.add(FINANCIAL_YEAR_FUNDING_PREFIX)
-        mappingKeys.add("FINANCIAL_YEAR_FUNDING_DESCRIPTION")
+        mappingKeys.add(FINANCIAL_YEAR_FUNDING_DESCRIPTION)
 
         projectRows[0].keySet().each { key ->
             if (!key?.trim() || key == 'index') {
diff --git a/src/test/groovy/au/org/ala/merit/GmsMapperSpec.groovy b/src/test/groovy/au/org/ala/merit/GmsMapperSpec.groovy
index c23573a95..2ecd6d5e6 100644
--- a/src/test/groovy/au/org/ala/merit/GmsMapperSpec.groovy
+++ b/src/test/groovy/au/org/ala/merit/GmsMapperSpec.groovy
@@ -374,8 +374,9 @@ class GmsMapperSpec extends Specification{
 
         then: "We are just checking every value in the spreadsheet is mappable and has a description"
         lines.size() == 4
+        Map mappings = gmsMapper.projectMapping + gmsMapper.geographicInfoMapping
         lines[3].every {String value ->
-            gmsMapper.projectMapping[value].description != null
+            value == GmsMapper.FINANCIAL_YEAR_FUNDING_DESCRIPTION || value.startsWith(GmsMapper.FINANCIAL_YEAR_FUNDING_PREFIX) || mappings[value].description != null
         }
     }