diff --git a/src/models/governance/governance.model.js b/src/models/governance/governance.model.js
index e70cabd8..76dc9124 100644
--- a/src/models/governance/governance.model.js
+++ b/src/models/governance/governance.model.js
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ class Governance extends Model {
 
     if (!governanceBodyId) {
       throw new Error(
-        'There is no Goverance Body that you own that can be edited',
+        'There is no Governance Body that you own that can be edited',
       );
     }
 
diff --git a/src/models/staging/staging.model.js b/src/models/staging/staging.model.js
index 5b0af3e4..bc02d041 100644
--- a/src/models/staging/staging.model.js
+++ b/src/models/staging/staging.model.js
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import {
   createXlsFromSequelizeResults,
   transformFullXslsToChangeList,
 } from '../../utils/xls';
+import { updateNilVerificationBodyAsEmptyString } from '../../utils/helpers.js';
 
 class Staging extends Model {
   static changes = new rxjs.Subject();
@@ -488,6 +489,11 @@ class Staging extends Model {
       throw new Error('No records to send to DataLayer');
     }
 
+    // replace nil issuance validationBody values with empty strings
+    stagedRecords.forEach((record) =>
+      updateNilVerificationBodyAsEmptyString(record),
+    );
+
     const [unitsChangeList, projectsChangeList] = await Promise.all([
       Unit.generateChangeListFromStagedData(stagedRecords, comment, author),
       Project.generateChangeListFromStagedData(stagedRecords, comment, author),
diff --git a/src/utils/helpers.js b/src/utils/helpers.js
index 3d2cef5e..e5d2dd73 100644
--- a/src/utils/helpers.js
+++ b/src/utils/helpers.js
@@ -93,3 +93,32 @@ export const getDataModelVersion = () => {
   const majorVersion = version.split('.')[0];
   return `v${majorVersion}`;
 };
+
+/**
+ * the issuance table does not allow the verificationBody to be null. by requirement this field is nullable.
+ * this function defines null or undefined verificationBody for all issuances that exist in a staged record
+ * @param stagedItem from the staging table
+ */
+export const updateNilVerificationBodyAsEmptyString = (stagedItem) => {
+  try {
+    if (stagedItem?.data) {
+      const data = JSON.parse(stagedItem.data);
+      data?.forEach((changeRecord) => {
+        if (stagedItem?.table === 'Projects') {
+          changeRecord?.issuances?.forEach((issuance) => {
+            if (!issuance?.verificationBody) {
+              issuance.verificationBody = '';
+            }
+          });
+        } else if (stagedItem?.table === 'Units') {
+          if (data?.issuance && !data.issuance?.verificationBody) {
+            data.issuance.verificationBody = '';
+          }
+        }
+      });
+      stagedItem.data = JSON.stringify(data);
+    }
+  } catch {
+    return;
+  }
+};
diff --git a/src/validations/governance.validations.js b/src/validations/governance.validations.js
index 1dc7d285..9600f514 100644
--- a/src/validations/governance.validations.js
+++ b/src/validations/governance.validations.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ export const governancePickListSchema = Joi.object().keys({
   ratingType: Joi.array().items(Joi.string()).min(1).required(),
   unitType: Joi.array().items(Joi.string()).min(1).required(),
   unitStatus: Joi.array().items(Joi.string()).min(1).required(),
-  verificationBody: Joi.array().items(Joi.string()).min(1).required(),
+  verificationBody: Joi.array().items(Joi.string()).min(1).optional(),
   projectTags: Joi.array().items(Joi.string()).min(1).required(),
   unitTags: Joi.array().items(Joi.string()).min(1).required(),
   coBenefits: Joi.array().items(Joi.string()).min(1).required(),
diff --git a/src/validations/issuances.validation.js b/src/validations/issuances.validation.js
index 1c28d4c5..8c5f2d27 100644
--- a/src/validations/issuances.validation.js
+++ b/src/validations/issuances.validation.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ export const issuanceSchema = Joi.object({
   startDate: Joi.date().required(),
   endDate: Joi.date().min(Joi.ref('startDate')).required(),
   verificationApproach: Joi.string().required(),
-  verificationBody: Joi.string().required(),
+  verificationBody: Joi.string().allow('').optional(),
   verificationReportDate: Joi.date().required(),
   timeStaged: Joi.date().timestamp().allow(null).optional(),
   updatedAt: Joi.date().allow(null).optional(),