We support you in all areas of national and international research and project funding, such as:

• Search for suitable funding programs for your project idea
• Application workshop – from the idea to the project proposal
• Advice and assistance with the outline and application
• formal review of application documents and project calculations
• Project management support
• Support with networking in research networks

The funding landscape for projects in research, art and design is very diverse. The spectrum ranges from large international funding institutions to national and regional programs run by the federal government, the federal states and major funding foundations, as well as more than 25,000 mostly regionally and locally active foundations in Germany. Most funding programs are thematic, so there should already be a rough project idea when selecting the funding instrument. Funding opportunities may include financial aid for the provision of equipment, scholarships, staff, events, travel funds or collaborative work, which may be granted as a partial or full grant. Depending on the funding program and donors, there are programs with and without submission deadlines. The application format can be both one-step and two-step (sketch – full application). The scope of applications can vary from one page to 50 or more pages.

National funding opportunities:

The German Research Foundation (DFG) offers a broad range of fundamental research grants, like individual fellowships, prizes, travel programs, conferences, or research clusters. Projects can be conducted worldwide.
The Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) supports projects in research and innovation. The funding priorities mainly cluster projects between research institutions and small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
The Kulturstiftung des Bundes supports a variety of projects irrespective of their particular topic or artistic field. They provided larger projects with an international scope.
The VIP+ funding programme supports scientists in examining and demonstrating the innovation potential of research results and in developing possible areas of application.
The EXIST-Forschungstransfer funding programme supports the preparation and implementation of technically particularly risky and complex development work. It can be used to finance personnel and material expenses. Students, graduates and scientists can be supported.
There are many further funding opportunities by different ministries, research funds, and foundations. They are often very specific and addresses to research and development projects. However, some programs may offer opportunities for scientists in art, artists and cultural worker in joint ventures projects. Check out: www.foerderdatenbank.de

Further private funding opportunities in Germany:

The Allianz Kulturstiftung addresses to multinational and intercultural cooperation projects of young people in art, culture, and education.
The Hypo-Kulturstiftung supports public projects and exhibitions in contemporary arts up to 50.000.- Euro.
The German Federal Film Board feature films at all stages of production and exploitation: from script development through production to distribution, sales and video distribution.
The Lepsian Art Foundation offers grants for young talented artists in painting, sculpture, and photography.
The Karin Abt Straubinger Stiftung sponsors non-commercial visual arts projects realized in Germany. Any art producer (individual artists as well as artist groups) of any age can apply for a grant up to 50% and up to 3000.- Euro.
The Schering-Stiftung supports the contemporary visual arts. A particular focus is on artists and projects that explore unfamiliar territory as well as on the dialogue between artistic disciplines and between art and science.
The Fritz Thyssen Stiftung funds research projects, junior researchers with doctoral degrees through the award of research stipends, small research conferences to a limited extent, and the publication of the results of research work produced with funding from the Foundation.
The Gerda Henkel Stiftung supports a wide range of projects and fellows in historical sciences like art history.
The foundation maecenia for women funds project from women about women in science, art, and culture up to 10.000.- Euro.
The Gerda Weiler Stiftung supports female authors, scientists, and artists who works about women in history, culture, and science.
The BHF Bank Stiftung funds projects in contemporary art (literature, music, art, and aesthetic education).
The Volkswagen foundation is Germany’s largest independent funder of basic research. It aims at advancing the sciences and the humanities: stimulating, interdisciplinary, and transboundary. The foundation supports summer schools, a wide range of fellowships, and research grants.

European funding opportunities:

The European Cultural Foundation supports artists, innovative international projects, and cultural exchanges.
The Creative Europe programme aims to support the European audiovisual, cultural and creative sector. It focuses to European cooperation projects, platforms, networks, and literary translations.
The MEDIA sub-programme of Creative Europe supports the EU film and audiovisual industries financially in the development, distribution and promotion of their work. It helps to launch projects with a European dimension and nurtures new technologies; it enables European films and audiovisual works including feature films, television drama, documentaries and new media to find markets beyond national and European borders; it funds training and film development schemes.
The Programm European Cooperation Projects supports cross-border cooperation projects between cultural and creative organisations within the EU and beyond. Projects can cover one or more cultural and creative sectors and can be interdisciplinary. The funding scheme contains two types: Small-scale cooperation projects (project leader and at least two other partners) and Large-scale cooperation projects (project leader and at least five other partners).
S+T+ARTS Residence Call Program of the European Union supports collaborations between artists, scientists, engineers and researchers to develop more creative, inclusive, and sustainable technologies. The goal is to foster creativity and the critical thinking of artists to reflect on novel uses of technology and allow technology to be more seamlessly integrated into society.

Special funding programs and databases in Baden-Württemberg:

Funding database of the Landes-Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Kulturinitiativen und Soziokulturellen Zentren in Baden-Württemberg e.V.
European Structural Funds Baden-Württemberg (ESF / EFRE)
Cultural Funding of the Ministry of Science, Research and Art Baden-Württemberg
Art and culture of the Baden-Württemberg-Stiftung
Art Office of the Kunststiftung Baden-Württemberg
Cooperation Compass Cultural Education Baden-Württemberg
MFG Film Subsidy Baden-Württemberg

You can also use other funding databases, such as:

Funding database of the Federal Government, the Federal States and the EU
Service Center for Electronic Research Funding Information (ELFI)
Fund-Finder - Guide to funding opportunities for arts and culture in Europe
Foundation Database
Information page on the cost subsidies and congress funding of the University of Duisburg-Essen

For the research of study and doctoral scholarships there are e.g. following research portals:

e-fellows.net – the online scholarship and careers network
studyportals
Stipendienlotsen - Scholarship database of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research

In addition, we will inform you about other current funding programs in our internal HfG research newsletter.