Federal ministries

In addition to the German Research Foundation (DFG), the federal ministries are among the major providers of funding in Germany. The Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN), the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity (BMLEH) and the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) all provide funding.

Germany’s Federal Government funds specific R&D projects based on the ministries’ specialised and framework programmes. Projects are funded that aim to drive knowledge forward in key areas of application and thus serve as growth engines in various sectors. The topic-specific calls for proposals address matters on which current funding policy focuses and which benefit society.

The majority are collaborative projects, usually with practical applications. In many cases, funding is awarded to research collaborations between research institutions and companies.

The ministries delegate the technical and administrative coordination of R&D funding projects to project management organisations.

North Rhine-Westphalian state ministries

Among the various NRW ministries, the Ministry of Culture and Science (MKW) and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Action and Energy in particular offer various options for research funding.

The funding announcements for individual programmes or funding focus areas are published in the Federal Gazette (Bundesanzeiger) intermittently throughout the year and on the funding institutions’ websites.

Federal Government funding database

In the Federal Government funding database, Germany’s Federal Government provides a complete and up-to-date overview (in German) of the funding programmes of the Federal Government, the states and the European Union.

FIT information resource

An even more convenient way to learn about current calls for proposals is the University of Kassel’s FIT information resource for research, international matters and transfer. UDE belongs to the FIT network and enables you, as a member of our University, to access their database and receive personalised newsletters free of charge.

The targeted selection options available in this database are a huge benefit. When you subscribe, you can choose which categories of content you are interested in; for example, you can select certain research fields or have only programmes run by particular funding bodies sent to you.

Simply use your UDE or UKE email address to register at https://fit.uni-kassel.de/ and set up your profile with your research interests. With this profile, you can research in the database and subscribe to a weekly newsletter that is tailored to your personal research interests.

Depending on the funding line, requests are submitted either by the people applying for the funding or by University management. Please contact us at an early stage because some programmes require you to obtain signatures from University management. We will be happy to discuss the timeline with you.

Application procedures are set up in one, two or three steps. In one-step procedures, a full, legally binding application is submitted which is assessed in terms of its eligibility for funding (e.g. by the project management organisation or an expert committee).

In two-step procedures, a project outline is submitted in advance of the application which must contain a summary of all the information required to make the assessment. If the assessment is positive, you will be asked to submit a detailed application.

With three-step procedures, a project presentation, e.g. in the context of a selection symposium, also forms part of the assessment.

We recommend that you contact us (the SSC) and/or Department 6.3 at the earliest possible stage of your project. Please get in touch at least six weeks before the application deadline so there is enough time to answer any questions, optimise your application through multiple feedback loops and obtain the necessary signatures, e.g. from University management. Please avoid making your initial request very close to the application deadline. We expressly encourage you to talk with us even if your work is not yet complete.

Advice on suitable calls for proposals

We can advise you with respect to identifying appropriate funding bodies in the federal and state governments as well as choosing suitable funding lines for your externally funded projects.

Advice on structuring your application

Nearly all funding bodies offer instructions and tips to show you how your application is to be submitted. The funding announcements also describe objectives, target groups, focus areas, special considerations and the steps in the process.

Since some of them are open to interpretation and cannot cover each individual case, we advise you on the common standards and the current expectations in terms of funding policy, and we also help you ‘read between the lines’.

Checking for coherence and strategic editing

The requirements of applications for federal and state government funding have grown in past years. However, experience has shown that draft applications often still focus too heavily on the ‘status quo’ section while the descriptions remain too vague in other areas. Many people also underestimate the role overarching topics play in the assessment and evaluation of applications.

We support you in formulating your application and are happy to provide feedback in the form of strategic editing in which we check the structure and content. Strategic editing gives you a competitive edge: we look at your application from the perspective of the project management organisations and assessors and indicate where there is room for improvement. The focus here is on coherence, readability and understandability – including, perhaps most importantly, for people who are not from your field who will be responsible for assessing your application.

Advice on overarching topics

Together with other UDE service units, we provide you with support regarding data protection, research data management, research communications, diversity and gender equality, research ethics, transfer, etc.

Obtaining the necessary signatures

Depending on the funding programme, submission of the application may require signatures from University management, possibly also preceded by a discussion of your application in a Rectorate meeting. Therefore, please contact us at an early stage so we can agree in advance on the time required.

Support with project presentations

Depending on the funding format and/or organisation, a project presentation may form part of the assessment process. Presentations are usually held on the funding organisation’s premises or via video conference. We can help you prepare and practice the presentation. We offer the following types of support before the date of your presentation:

• feedback on your slides (or drafts)
• practice session (in person or via video conference) with feedback