EU funding

The EU CERV programme strengthens the rights and values of the European Union and promotes an active, democratic civil society in Europe.

Scope of the funding pot:
More than 1.4 billion euros (2021-2027)

Eligible applicants:
Civil society organisations, public institutions and other relevant stakeholders at local, regional, national and transnational level

Eligible for funding are:
Projects to strengthen fundamental rights, equality, civic participation and democratic participation

Funding:
in the form of regularly recurring calls

The funding guideline supports projects for interregional and cross-border cooperation and for strengthening the European idea.

Eligible applicants are:
registered non-profit associations, independent organisations, Saxon municipal communities of the Euroregions, municipalities and districts as well as their legally responsible associations, non-profit foundations, non-profit limited liability companies (gGmbHs), state-recognised religious communities, hospitals, chambers of crafts, chambers of industry and commerce, European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTCs)

The following are eligible for funding:
Exchanges of experience, information events, cultural and sporting events, meetings and excursions for groups of children, schoolchildren and young people, production of information material, language camps and language courses (German, Polish, Czech, Sorbian), excursions (Berlin, Strasbourg, Brussels, Luxembourg)

Funding:
Applications for funding for projects should be submitted by 28 February for the calendar year, but at least two months before the planned start of the project.
 

Further information:

The programme promotes cross-border cooperation projects for the sustainable development of the Saxon-Czech border region.

Scope of the funding pot:
142.3 million euros (2021-2027)

Eligible applicants are:
legal entities based in the eligible areas (e.g. public institutions and administrations, educational and research institutions, cultural and tourism institutions, non-governmental organisations)

Eligible are:
Cooperation projects in the fields of innovation and competitiveness, climate change and sustainability, education, culture and tourism as well as cooperation and confidence building

Funding:
Continuous call for proposals

Further information:

Interreg Europe supports exchange and cooperation between European regions in order to improve their development and quality of life.

Scope of the funding pot:
394 million euros (ERDF, 2021-2027)

Eligible applicants: 
Public institutions and private non-profit organisations from 36 European countries: the EU-27 plus Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland and Ukraine.

Eligible for funding are:
Interregional cooperation projects and policy learning measures in the areas of innovation, sustainability, social development, citizenship and governance

Funding:
Permanent call for proposals (all funds have been drawn down by 2027)

Further information:

Erasmus+ Youth promotes young people and youth work in Europe. International encounters strengthen key skills, social participation and European commitment. Professionals professionalise their work. Organisations expand their capacities and promote quality and innovation in the youth sector.</p

<p>The Erasmus+ Youth programme is aimed specifically at young people who want to learn outside of school or training. Youth work professionals, youth organisations and local authorities can also use the programme to develop their skills and build European networks.

<p>The total budget for Germany in 2026 is around 48.1 million euros.

The following are eligible for funding:

Youth exchanges
Mobility projects for professionals
Youth participation projects
DiscoverEU inclusion (enables young people with fewer opportunities to discover Europe by train in a flexible and low-threshold way)
European Solidarity Corps
Cooperation partnerships
Cooperation partnerships
 

• European Youth Portal
• Erasmus+ Youth Funding Portal
• National Erasmus+ Agencies in Germany

Erasmus+ Sport strengthens European exchange and cooperation in grassroots sport.

Scope of the funding pot:
Approx. 2 million euros for Germany (2026)

Eligible applicants:
The Erasmus+ Sport programme is aimed specifically at employees and volunteers from grassroots sport, e.g. coaches, trainers, members of executive boards or management teams, grassroots sport officers and coordinators

Eligible for funding are:
mobility projects, exchange formats and cooperation projects in popular sport, in particular on topics such as inclusion, sustainability, digitalisation and participation

Further information:

Erasmus+ supports European cooperation and exchange in the school and early childhood education sector.

Eligible applicants are:
Schools, daycare centres, authorities, associations, teachers and learners (partly via accredited institutions)

The State Office for Schools and Education has been accredited for the new Erasmus+ programme and thus offers schools easier access to the Erasmus+ programme via an application for funding from the State Office for Schools and Education without their own accreditation. You can find the relevant contact persons here.

Eligible for funding are:
learning mobilities, exchange projects and collaborations on topics such as inclusion, digitalisation and sustainability

Further information:

Creative Europe promotes cooperation and competitiveness in the European cultural and creative sectors. "Creative Europe" consists of the sub-programmes "Culture" and "MEDIA" (audiovisual media) and a cross-sector strand.</p

<p>Scope of the funding pot:
2.55 billion euros (2021-2027)

Eligible applicants:
Legal entities such as associations, companies and public organisations with European partners

Eligible for funding are:
In the "Culture" sub-programme, funding is awarded for

• cross-border cooperation projects and European networks of cultural and creative organisations,
• activities of European networks of cultural and creative organisations from different countries,
• cross-border mobility of artists and actors in the cultural and creative sector and dissemination of their works,
• the capacity building of the European cultural and creative sectors,
• actions in the different sectors (in particular music, books and publishing, architecture and cultural heritage, cultural tourism, design and fashion),
• special actions in the field of culture, including the Union Culture Awards, the European Capital of Culture initiative, the European Heritage Label initiative.

The following actions will be supported in the cross-sectoral strand:

• cross-sectoral and transnational policy cooperation, including on the role of culture for social inclusion,
• innovative approaches to content creation, distribution, promotion and access,
• cross-sectoral activities to adapt to structural and technological changes in the media sector,
• the establishment and operation of contact points for the programme.

Further information:

Horizon Europe is the central EU programme for promoting research and innovation. Horizon Europe is the scientific successor to the European Union's Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, under the leadership of the European Commission.</p

<p>Scope of the funding pot:
95.5 billion euros (2021-2027)

Eligible applicants:
As a rule, legal entities are eligible to apply, e.g. universities, research institutions, companies (SMEs)

: Universities, research institutions, companies (SMEs and large companies), associations, organisations.

<p>The following are eligible for funding:
Research and innovation projects in the areas of scientific excellence, global challenges and industrial competitiveness

Funding:
The individual calls for proposals of the Horizon Europe programme are regularly published in the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

The European Urban Initiative (EUI) supports cities in developing innovative and experimental solutions for complex urban challenges such as climate change, digitalisation or social inequalities and testing them in practice.

Scope of funding pot:
450 million euros (ERDF, 2021-2027)

Eligible applicants:
City authorities in the European Union as well as stakeholders from administration, urban development, politics and urban practice

Eligible for funding are:
Experimental pilot projects ("Innovative Actions") that test new, previously untested solutions to urban challenges
- including the development of partnerships, co-creation with relevant stakeholders and measurable results
- Projects must be transferable and scalable to other cities
(funding rate: up to 80% co-financing, max. 5 million euros per project)

In addition, knowledge exchange, safeguarding of results and transfer of successful approaches to other European cities are supported
(funding rate: up to 80% co-financing, max. 5 million euros per project)

Further information: