Häufige Fragen

Frequently asked questions about

Funding

There are currently 4 ongoing funding programmes:

General project funding: Funding for temporary projects that involve local people as active participants in the conception and realisation and deal with a socio-political or social topic using cultural methods. You can find more information on general project funding here.
U25 - Focus: Young culture initiatives: Micro-project funding for experimental project ideas from young people (18-25 years) that also actively involve local people and address a socio-political or social issue. You can find more information on U25 here.
Profile: Socioculture: Funding of organisational processes for the further development of sociocultural institutions by working with their own team. You can find more information about Profile: Socioculture here.
Cultural Bridge: Funding for partnerships between cultural organisations from the UK and Germany. You can find more information about Cultural Bridge here.

You submit the funding application digitally via the application portal. You must register there the first time you use it. You can then complete the application form, save it temporarily, edit it later and submit it once it is complete. You can find out what information you need to provide in the application form on the pages of the respective funding programme.

Is it possible to submit applications on a permanent basis?

No, depending on the funding programme, the application portal opens once or twice a year for one month at a time. For example, the application portal for general project funding is open from 2 April to 2 May and from 2 October to 2 November each year. It is only possible to submit a funding application during this application phase. The respective deadlines are published on the funding programme pages.

When can I apply for funding?

The application deadlines depend on the respective funding programme. Usually, funding is awarded once a year (Profile: Socioculture and Cultural Bridge) or twice a year (General Project Funding and U25). Find out more on the pages of the funding programme your are interested in and/or subscribe to our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any deadlines.

Can I get support with the application?

Yes, we offer several online information events in the month before the application deadline in which we provide information about funding and the application process. The dates and registration will be published on the funding page and announced in the newsletter approximately one month before the application portal opens.

If you have any specific questions, please contact our office. The contact persons and contact details can be found here.

How much money can I apply for?

This depends on the funding programme for which you wish to submit an application:

Link to the possible budget in the general project funding
Link to the possible budget for Profile: Socioculture
Link to the possible budget for U25
Link to the possible budget for Cultural Bridge

Who decides which application is granted and which is not?

All applications are reviewed by the Board of Trustees of the Sociocultural Fund. The Board of Trustees then meets and decides at the selection meeting which applications will be approved and which will not. The office then informs the applicants of the Board of Trustees' decisions without giving reasons. We cannot provide any information about the decisions at an earlier stage.

How do I receive my funding?

Funding can only be paid out once the funding agreement has been legally signed. The money is not paid out automatically, but you must apply for the payment (usually in instalments) yourself in the application portal (a so-called "Mittelabruf"). To do this, you must log in with the same e-mail address that you used for the application. This is the only way we can allocate your application.

Can I submit the same application more than once?

No, you cannot submit an unchanged application (or one which has only been changed in the wording) more than once.

Frequently asked questions about the

Application portal

How do I get access to the application portal?

If you are using the application portal for the first time, you must register first. To do this, enter an e-mail address and a password of your choice (at least 8 characters). After you have accepted the data protection declaration and clicked on ‘Register’, you will receive an email a few minutes later at the email address you provided (please also check your spam folder). As soon as you have clicked on the confirmation link in the email, your registration is complete. You can now log in to the application portal and manage your applications.

Why can't I see my applications that have already been started, submitted or approved?

If you cannot see the applications you have already started, submitted or approved, this may be because you have used different e-mail addresses. Please log in with the e-mail address that you used to start or submit the application. Otherwise the system will not be able to allocate your application.

Still not working? Please contact our office.

Where can I change the information about my approved project? (short description, photos etc.)

To change the information on your approved project, you must first log in to the application portal. In the list on the left-hand side, click on ‘Approved applications’ (Bewilligte Projekte). You can now make changes to the relevant application under ‘Project profile’ (Projektsteckbrief), ‘Project manager’ (Projektverantwortliche/r) or upload photos of your project under ‘Upload press photos’ (Upload Pressebilder).

Where do I request the payment of the funds?

To submit a request for payment, you must first log in to the application portal with the email address used for the application. In the list on the left-hand side, click on ‘Approved applications’ (Bewilligte Anträge). Scroll to the correct application and click on ‘Mittelabruf’. You will then see the requests you have already created or you can create a new one.

I have forgotten my password. What can I do?

If you have forgotten your password, you can request a new one here. Enter the email address with which you previously logged in and click on ‘E-Mail anfordern’. If an account with the email address exists, you will receive a new password by email.