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1. Who can/can’t apply for funding?
The Karl Schlecht Foundation supports non-profit and public law entities (e.g. universities, non-profit associations, NGOs) headquartered in Germany. This excludes charities and religious organisations. For-profit organisations are likewise ineligible.
In exceptional circumstances, eligible non-profit entities headquartered abroad may be funded if they meet all the requirements of the applicable German laws. This requires close legal scrutiny and it is therefore best to ask us whether your institution is eligible before submitting an application. Non-profit and public law entities based in Germany may apply in the standard way for projects intended to be carried out abroad.
Individuals may only be supported indirectly through third-party grant programs.
Please ensure you fulfil these criteria before submitting an application. For further information, check our funding regulations (in German).
2 Is there a lower or upper limit for project funding?
No. Funding amounts are decided on a case-by-case basis.
3. What must be included in my application?
You will be asked for the required information at each step of the application process in the online portal. You can save and edit your application at any time. Important information for which you will be asked includes:
- Applicant details and planned project duration
- Detailed project description: project topic and remit, project purpose, goals and content
- Why the project deserves funding
- Project innovation and potential (e.g. as a pilot or model project); transferability and sustainability of the project
- If applicable, information on partner institutions collaborating on the project
- Evaluation criteria for measuring project success
- Planned timeline and milestones of the project
- Project costs, broken down by category (staff, travel, materials)
- Additional funding sources, if any, for the project; plans for financing the project beyond the applied-for funding period
- If applicable, a brief evaluation of project plan by an expert unaffiliated with the applicant(s)
- Valid exemption certificate from your tax office
4. Where do I find the application forms?
All forms are available exclusively in our online application portal. Register for the portal here (HL).
Please note, the portal is available only in German, but you may complete the forms in English.
5. When is the application deadline?
There is no deadline. Proposals are considered on a rolling basis, so you can apply at any time. Please note, however, that applications for projects with a planned start-date in the current calendar year must be submitted by 31.10. to allow sufficient time for evaluation and approval. Proposals submitted after 31.10. can only be considered for funding in the following year.
6. Am I allowed to submit more than one application at the same time?
Yes. An applicant may submit multiple applications as long as the eligibility requirements for each proposed project are met.
7. How long does it take to process the application?
Application processing usually takes up to six weeks. Please note, however, that a decision for projects requiring larger funding amounts and/or multiyear projects may take several months.
8. What happens if my proposal is accepted?
If the Karl Schlecht Foundation decides to fund your project, you will receive a written commitment in the form of an approval notice (Bewilligungsbescheid). If your approved project involves several project partners, a high funding amount and/or will run for a longer period of time, you will receive a grant agreement (Zuwendungsvereinbarung), which you will need to sign, instead of an approval notice.
In both cases, you will also receive the following documents:
- Funding guidelines
- Scheduled use of funds (required for grants over €25,000, see item 10)
- Checklist for press and publicity related to the project and the Karl Schlecht Foundation's support
9. How is funding disbursed?
For approved projects costing up to €50,000, we will coordinate the schedule with you and disburse the funds either as a single payment or in instalments.
10. What happens when project costs exceed €50,000?
Amounts over €50,000 cannot be transferred as a single payment, only in instalments. For approved grant applications over €50,000, we therefore require a completed scheduled use of funds form (Mittelabrufplan, see point 8), indicating the intended timeline and required amount of the individual instalments.
11. How soon can I start my project once it has been awarded funding?
Funding begins immediately upon receipt of the approval letter or upon presentation of the signed funding agreement and your scheduled use of funds plan. At this point, you accept our funding guidelines as binding, unless alternative provisions are made in a separate agreement.
12. What do I have to do upon completion of the project?
Within three months after project completion, you must submit a final project report to the Karl Schlecht Foundation (see Evaluation). Use of funds must be documented and submitted with the project report. Any remaining funds must be repaid to the Karl Schlecht Foundation.
Still have questions about funding?
Please read the information about the funding process and project monitoring. If you don't find the answers you need there, contact us at Tel. 07127 599 345 or foerderung (at) ksfn.de.
