Funding for CSOs

What is funded?

Funding is provided for international youth exchanges and associated accompanying or model projects that deal with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In addition to bilateral encounters, multilateral cooperation with two African partners and, in exceptional cases, triangular cooperation between Germany, an African country and a non-African country from the DAC list are also possible.

Target group: young people between the ages of 16 and 30

Objectives: Participants "develop an understanding of what it means to take responsibility in a globalised world and how important it is to shape their own actions consciously and sustainably." (DAJW website) 
Multipliers also have the opportunity to gain further qualifications. 

What requirements must be met?

There must be a German and an African partner who are both non-profit organisations. Both partners must not be missionary, state or commercially active. The German partner must have undergone an audit of the organisation. The project is planned and implemented in close cooperation between the two partners.

Application

An expression of interest in the form of a brief concept must be submitted no later than 8 weeks before the application is submitted, which contains the most important content-related and financial points and establishes the SDG relevance of the project.

In addition to the technical and educational concept, the project application must contain a precise programme schedule. It should be clear from the application how the SDGs will be addressed. The implementation of the funding principles of partnership, sustainability and diversity should also be presented.
The course of the project should be described in the following phases:

• Preparation phase 

• Initial meeting in one of the two partner countries 

• Intermediate phase 

• Return visit to the second partner country 

• Follow-up phase 

Detailed criteria for the various phases can be found in the funding guidelines in the document centre.

The application also contains the financial plan and a security and crisis concept. This serves to demonstrate that the project partners involved have appropriate strategies in place to ensure the safety of participants and in the event of a crisis.

The security and crisis concept includes

• a description of the communication channels and measures in the event of a crisis

• Emergency addresses for the meeting times

• an emergency telephone number that can be reached by all participants at all times

All German participants are obliged to register on the "ELEFAND" crisis preparedness list of the Federal Foreign Office.

The respective application deadlines can be found here. Information events on how to apply can be found here.

What is funded?

Duration: The maximum project duration is 2 years. 

Funding: 

• This is proportional funding of max. 75% of the total expenditure. The expenditure should be divided equally between the project partners.

• Travelling expenses are calculated in accordance with the Federal Travel Expenses Act (BRKG).

• Personnel costs and fees can be included.

• No lump sums can be entered.

All necessary documents can be downloaded from the document centre.

What is funded?

Team works! is a tandem programme in which young and experienced professionals work together. Young professionals (trainees, career starters) have the opportunity to complete a 2.5 to 6-week work shadowing programme in an African country or in Germany. They are accompanied by experts from the Senior Expert Service (SES). The work shadowing placements can be in companies, administration, social or medical institutions. The programme also offers inclusive internships. As part of the exchange, they deal with topics relating to sustainable development. 

Target group: Young people in training occupations from Germany and African countries

Objectives: The programme aims to promote partnership-based cooperation from a global learning perspective as well as professional exchange and commitment to sustainable development. Young people are to be supported in exploring global connections and their own opportunities for action.

Work shadowing in an African country

Prerequisites:

• For young German skilled workers in training occupations aged 18 - 30 years 

• Those interested must be at least in the 3rd year of an apprenticeship

Procedure:

• Interested parties create a profile at SES, registration is possible at any time

• Comparison with upcoming SES assignments and possible work shadowing placements in the database

• SES contacts interested parties if a suitable work shadowing position is available

• There is a 2-day preparatory meeting for the tandem before the start of the trip

• SES takes care of the visa application

• all German participants should register on the ELEFAND crisis preparedness list of the Federal Foreign Office

• the experienced professional is the first point of contact for the young professional during the stay; the SES also provides support from Germany in the event of questions and problems

Accommodation:

• usually near the work shadowing centre

• Young professional and experienced professional usually live in the same accommodation

What is financed?

• Flight costs

• Costs for meals and accommodation

• Costs for any preparatory seminars

Costs for individual excursions and pocket money must be borne by the participant.
There are no costs for your own training centre or employer, but they must release the interested person from work for the duration of the exchange.

Insurance cover

Trainees have the following insurance cover during their exchange:

• International health insurance 

• Liability insurance 

• Luggage insurance

• Repatriation and accident insurance

What is funded?

Team works! is a tandem programme in which young and experienced professionals work together. Young professionals (trainees, career starters) have the opportunity to complete a 2.5 to 6-week work shadowing programme in an African country or in Germany. They are accompanied by experts from the Senior Expert Service (SES). The work shadowing placements can be in companies, administration, social or medical institutions. The programme also offers inclusive internships. As part of the exchange, they deal with topics relating to sustainable development. 

Target group: Young people in training occupations from Germany and African countries

Objectives: The programme aims to promote partnership-based cooperation from a global learning perspective as well as professional exchange and commitment to sustainable development. Young people are to be supported in exploring global connections and their own opportunities for action.

Work shadowing in Germany

Prerequisites:

• for young African skilled workers in training occupations aged 18 - 30 years 

• Interested persons must be at least in the 3rd year of an apprenticeship

Procedure:

• Interested parties create a profile at SES, registration is possible at any time

• Comparison with possible work shadowing positions in Germany

• SES contacts interested parties if a suitable work shadowing position is found

• Digital preparatory meeting with the job shadowing centre and the SES mentor

• Participation in intercultural and language online training is possible

• During the stay, there is a permanent contact person at the job shadowing centre and an SES expert provides additional support as a mentor

Accommodation:

• usually near the work shadowing centre

• SES takes care of the accommodation

What is financed?

• Flight and visa costs

• Costs for meals and accommodation

• Costs for any preparatory seminars

• Pocket money for the duration of the internship

There are no costs for your own training centre or employer, but they must release those interested for the duration of the exchange.

Insurance cover

Trainees have the following insurance cover during their exchange:

• International health insurance 

• Accident and personal liability insurance

The Small Projects Fund of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) finances small development projects in countries of the Global South with funding of up to €50,000. Organisations submitting an application for the first time can receive a maximum of € 10,000 for their first project. 
The basic aim of the funded projects is to directly improve the material living conditions of disadvantaged groups in countries of the Global South and to strengthen the ability of these groups to solve existing problems.

Projects and measures on the following topics are supported:

• Satisfying basic needs and improving the material living conditions of the target group

• Helping people to help themselves, e.g. by generating income 

• Education and qualification

• Protection of the environment and resources

• Gender equality, in particular to improve the situation of women

• Promoting human rights

• Anti-discrimination (e.g. on the basis of origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, political conviction, disability)

• Peace work and prevention of violence

Prerequisites:

• Stable cooperation with an independent organisation in the partner country for at least one year

• First application must undergo an assessment by the organisation

• The project must always be supported by the organisation in the partner country

• Participation of the target groups in the project process 

• Maximum project duration is 12 months

• Ensuring sustainability after the end of the project
       

What is funded?

Up to 75% of the total project costs are financed. 
All expenses necessary for the realisation of the project can be financed, including:

• Investments

• Operating expenses

• Personnel costs in the project country

• Administrative costs (up to a maximum of 4% of the total project costs)

• Travelling expenses for project support are only financed in exceptional cases

Application

Partner request
A partner requirement must be submitted together with the project application and the income/expenditure plan. The Foundation wishes to ensure that both the ‘problem analysis’ and the proposed solutions have been jointly developed by the partner from the Global South and the Saxon partner. This is a letter from the project partner from the Global South confirming that the planned measures are desirable, sensible, efficient and appropriate to the location. 

Child and youth protection guidelines
If children and young people are part of the direct or indirect target group of the project, a child and youth protection guideline must be submitted together with the application.

Application deadlines

Project applications with an application amount of up to €10,000 can be submitted by the 20th of the current month. The decision will be made within 2 to 3 weeks. There should be at least 6 weeks between the application deadline and the start of the project. 

Project applications with an application amount of more than €10,000 are decided by the Executive Board. You can find the relevant application deadlines here.

Partner contract
After the decision has been made, a partner agreement between the German organisation (applicant) and the South partner organisation is required by the 1st call for funds at the latest, a copy of which must be sent to the North-South Bridges Foundation.
 

The forms, as well as current application deadlines and further information can be found here and on the website of the Small Projects Fund. 

The Saxon State Chancellery supports non-profit civil society organisations that implement development cooperation projects abroad. Non-profit organisations based in the Free State of Saxony are eligible to apply. The DC Small Projects Fund is particularly suitable for migrant-diasporic non-governmental organisations that can use their special local knowledge to provide important impetus for meaningful and effective project funding.

Project applications are submitted and approved via the North-South Bridges Foundation.
 

Projects on the following topics in particular are supported:

• Education 

• Infrastructure and medical care 

• Stabilisation of the current refugee countries of origin 

• Environmental and climate protection 

• Agriculture, forestry and the food industry, including the protection of natural resources 

• Humanitarian measures 

• Gender equality and self-determination for girls and women

• Digitalisation 

• Strengthening human rights

 Prerequisites:

• Non-profit organisations based in the Free State of Saxony are eligible to apply 

• Maximum funding amount is € 25,000. 

• Partial funding of max. 75% of the total costs

• Maximum project duration is 12 months

What is funded?
 

All expenses necessary for the realisation of the project can be financed, including:

• Investments

• Operating expenses

• Personnel costs in the project country

• Administrative costs (up to a maximum of 4% of the total project costs)

• Travelling expenses for project support are only financed in exceptional cases 

Application

Partner request
A partner request must be submitted together with the project application and the income/expenditure plan. In this, the southern partner organisation expresses its desire to cooperate with the German partner organisation and states whether the project idea originates from the southern partner organisation and to what extent it is involved in the project development.

Child and youth protection guidelines
If children and young people are part of the direct or indirect target group of the project, a child and youth protection guideline must be submitted together with the application.

Application deadlines

Project applications with an application amount of up to €10,000 can be submitted by the 20th of the current month. The decision will be made within 2 to 3 weeks. There should be at least 6 weeks between the application deadline and the start of the project. Project applications with an applications over € 10,000 are decided by the Executive Board. The relevant application deadlines can be found here. The final funding decision lies with the Saxon State Chancellery.
 

The application forms and further information on application deadlines can be found here. 
 

Project agreement
After the decision has been made, a project agreement between the German organisation (applicant) and the South partner organisation is required by the 1st call for funds at the latest, a copy of which must be sent to the North-South Bridges Foundation.
Further detailed information on project applications, funding requirements, project implementation and contact persons can be found here.

The North-South Bridges Foundation also supports projects abroad from foundation funds. These funds are primarily used to secure the organisations' own contribution to larger projects financed by the BMZ. However, the respective NGO must bear 10 per cent of the project sum itself. Registered non-profit organisations based in the five eastern German federal states and Berlin are eligible to apply. 

Projects and measures on the following topics are eligible for funding:

• Satisfying basic needs and improving the material living conditions of the target group

• Helping people to help themselves, e.g. by creating income 

• Education and qualification

• Protection of the environment and resources

• Gender equality, in particular to improve the situation of women

• Promoting human rights

• Anti-discrimination (e.g. on the basis of origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, political conviction, disability)

• Improving the situation of people with disabilities

• Peace work and prevention of violence

Prerequisites:

• Stable cooperation with an independent organisation in the partner country for at least one year

• Participation of the target groups and other groups affected by the project in the entire project cycle (selection, design, planning, implementation, evaluation) 

• Project is in line with the human rights conventions, the development policy goals of the German government and the do-no-harm approach

Application

To apply, the relevant application form, a project description and the expenditure/income plan must be submitted. The documents are available for download here.

Partner requirement
A partner request must be submitted together with the above-mentioned documents. In this, the southern partner organisation expresses its desire to cooperate with the German partner organisation and states whether the project idea originates from the southern partner organisation and to what extent it is involved in the project development.

Guidelines for the protection of children and young people
If children and young people are part of the direct or indirect target group of the project, a child and youth protection guideline must be submitted together with the application.

Application deadlines
Project applications up to € 2,500:

• Can be submitted on an ongoing basis by the 20th of the current month

• Decision made promptly by the office team

Project applications over € 2,500:

• Decision by the Executive Board 

• Meeting dates can be found here

Who can apply?

As non-profit organisations recognised initiatives, associations or legal entities that are based in Saxony, Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt or Brandenburg  and that implement joint projects with their partners in the Global South are eligible for funding.

Prerequisites

• Partnership-based development cooperation is a declared statutory objective of the applicant organisations

• There is a long-term partnership with a partner from the South and joint experience in project implementation and realisation

• Funding amount: €50,000 to €120,000

• Project duration: 1 to 3 years

• Project criteria: partnership-based cooperation, sustainability, gender equality, impact-orientation

• Church or Christian-oriented applicants must belong to the Catholic Church or the Evangelical Alliance.

Application

Documents to be submitted

• Funding application

• If applicable: annex of construction measures

• Cost & financing plan - it is essential to use the document provided by the Saxon Youth Foundation

• Additional materials explaining the project can also be submitted.

Application deadline
There is an annual application deadline, which is announced on the website of the Saxon Youth Foundation. 

The documents required for the application can also be downloaded from the same place (at the bottom of the page). The documents are available in both German and English. However, applications can only be submitted in German.