Project Funding for German Minorities

ifa supports cultural projects as well as educational, youth and media projects of German minority organisations in Eastern Europe and the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). For this reason, together with German minorities and the German Federal Foreign Office, a funding concept was developed.

What projects will be funded?

The funding primarily supports programmes:

  • of extracurricular youth education,
  • of early bilingual education,
  • of the media,
  • for the strengthening of networks
  • for professionalisation.

What does the funding include?

The funding includes the financing of travel expenses, subsistence costs, fees or material costs. In special cases, a one-time sum for administrative fees can also be arranged.

What are the requirements?

The application must be submitted by a German minorities organisation. Only projects with a clear link to associations and institutions of German minorities in Eastern Europe and in the countries of the CIS will be funded. At the same time, the majority population should be sensitive to the cultural life of the minority. The organisation must be able to realise the project on its own and already have experience in implementing cultural activities.

Application

Application in 3 steps

  1. The organisation of the German minority should contact the local umbrella organisation with a project idea. If necessary and if there is no umbrella organisation, ifa is available for consultation.
  2. The umbrella organisation then communicates the project concept to the responsible German Consulate General or to the German Embassy.
  3. For projects that have been approved, the organisation must then fill out the application form and provide the necessary documentation. If consultation is necessary, ifa is happy to oblige.

Which application documents are required?

  1. Application form
  2. Financial plan
  3. Constituent documents of the organisation
  4. Current annual report

Deadlines

30 June for funding in the following year.

What happens after applying?

Within the framework of a planning meeting, the German Missions Abroad, the intermediary organisation and the umbrella organisations of the German minorities decide on the submitted concepts, select the projects to be funded and determine the intermediary organisation that will supervise the project. Finally, the responsible umbrella organisations are responsible for informing their respective German minorities organisation when the project proposal has not been approved.

For projects that have been approved, ifa will request the necessary funds from the German Federal Foreign Office and, if funds are made available, will conclude a funding agreement with the organisation. The basis of the contract are the German federal budget regulations and funding laws.

During the project, the representatives of the minority will be in continuous dialogue with the German Missions Abroad and with ifa.

German Minorities

Minorities can mediate between cultures and provide impulses for the coexistence of different population groups – provided that the minorities are socially recognised, have a secure space to assert themselves and have access to appealing programmes. For this reason, they must be well positioned both institutionally and personally. The programmes for German Minorities support German minorities in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia in their role as civil society actors and bridge-builders. They thus promote a multifaceted, current and realistic image of Germany, contributing to the process of European integration and cultural relations within Europe and beyond.

Contact

Silke Knautz

Charlottenplatz 17
D-70173 Stuttgart

Telephone: +49.711.2225.198

Gabriele Kuschmierz

Charlottenplatz 17
D-70173 Stuttgart

Telephone: +49.711.2225.199