Zukunftsstiftung Ehrenamt Bayern

The Zukunftsstiftung Ehrenamt Bayern (short form: Ehrenamtsstiftung Bayern) is a Bavarian foundation dedicated to promoting voluntary and civic engagement in the Free State of Bavaria. It has existed as a Verbrauchsstiftung — a foundation that spends down its endowment over time rather than preserving it in perpetuity — since 1 February 2018, and it is based in Munich. Its stated purpose is to act as a point of contact for the roughly 4.6 million people in Bavaria who volunteer, and to fund projects that take on voluntary and civic tasks and support volunteers in their work. It aims both to give new interested parties information and to give individuals and groups such as associations and initiatives the chance to network. The foundation is financed through a base endowment (Grundstockvermögen) consisting of securities, additional endowments (Zustiftungen), income from the foundation's assets, and other contributions such as donations and/or funding from the Free State of Bavaria. It is audited annually by independent auditors and by the government of Upper Bavaria. Its board of directors has three members and is chaired by the Bavarian Social Minister Ulrike Scharf (CSU); the board represents the foundation externally and decides how foundation funds are used. A board of trustees (Kuratorium) advises and supports the foundation; its members come from the Round Table on Civic Engagement based at the Bavarian State Ministry for Family, Labour and Social Affairs, including churches, academia and municipal umbrella organisations. Each year in January the foundation opens a themed call for projects, which can be submitted until March. Decisions are made by July at the latest after approval by the board of trustees and the board of directors, and successful applicants are notified; funding then begins in September of the same year. The theme for submissions up to March 2026 was "Ehrenamt in der Kommune – ein starkes Netz" (Volunteering in the municipality — a strong network). Grants support groups such as associations and organisations for new, sustainable, low-threshold projects with model character, further education and training, networking, expansion and development of infrastructure, public relations, use of new media and/or technologies, and various forms of scientific research. Individual sums in 2026 range from 1,000 to 15,000 euros and total 300,000 euros. The funding period for a project is a maximum of twelve months. In 2025, under the theme "Ehrenamt für den demokratischen Zusammenhalt" (Volunteering for democratic cohesion), 35 projects were funded: seven in Upper Bavaria, six in Swabia, six in Middle Franconia, five in Lower Franconia, five in Upper Franconia, six in the Upper Palatinate and six in Lower Bavaria. The foundation communicates through its website, which offers an overview of project funding, FAQs on the funding procedure and on applying, and its funding guidelines, as well as an image film. Recent items on its site include a new ZiviZ survey starting in September 2026, an invitation to the FORUM EHRENAMT "Ohne Nachwuchs keine Zukunft?" on 24 October 2026 in Mühldorf am Inn, and the news that Karin Offman is the new chair of the foundation's board of trustees. The 2026 call for applications has closed.

The Zukunftsstiftung Ehrenamt Bayern was established as a Verbrauchsstiftung (a spend-down foundation) with effect from 1 February 2018 and has its seat in Munich. It was created to promote voluntary and civic engagement in the Free State of Bavaria, and it describes itself as a point of contact for the roughly 4.6 million volunteers in Bavaria (as of 2026). Its purpose is to fund projects that take on voluntary and civic tasks in Bavaria and to support volunteers in their activities, while also giving new interested parties information and giving individuals and groups such as associations and initiatives the opportunity to network. The foundation is financed through a base endowment (Grundstockvermögen) consisting of securities, additional endowments (Zustiftungen), income from the foundation's assets, and other contributions such as donations and/or funding from the Free State of Bavaria. It is audited annually by independent auditors and by the government of Upper Bavaria. Its board of directors has three members and is chaired by the Bavarian Social Minister Ulrike Scharf (CSU); the board represents the foundation externally and decides how foundation funds are used. A board of trustees (Kuratorium) advises and supports the foundation; its members come from the Round Table on Civic Engagement based at the Bavarian State Ministry for Family, Labour and Social Affairs, including churches, academia and municipal umbrella organisations. Operationally, the foundation runs an annual funding cycle. Each January it opens a themed call for projects, which can be submitted until March. Decisions are made by July at the latest after approval by the board of trustees and the board of directors, and successful applicants are notified; funding then begins in September of the same year. The theme for submissions up to March 2026 was "Ehrenamt in der Kommune – ein starkes Netz" (Volunteering in the municipality — a strong network). Grants support groups such as associations and organisations for new, sustainable, low-threshold projects with model character, further education and training, networking, expansion and development of infrastructure, public relations, use of new media and/or technologies, and various forms of scientific research. Individual sums in 2026 range from 1,000 to 15,000 euros and total 300,000 euros. The funding period for a project is a maximum of twelve months. In 2025, under the theme "Ehrenamt für den demokratischen Zusammenhalt" (Volunteering for democratic cohesion), 35 projects were funded: seven in Upper Bavaria, six in Swabia, six in Middle Franconia, five in Lower Franconia, five in Upper Franconia, six in the Upper Palatinate and six in Lower Bavaria. The foundation maintains a website that provides an overview of its project funding, FAQs on the funding procedure and on applying, and its funding guidelines, as well as an image film. Recent communications include a new ZiviZ survey starting in September 2026, an invitation to the FORUM EHRENAMT "Ohne Nachwuchs keine Zukunft?" on 24 October 2026 in Mühldorf am Inn, and the appointment of Karin Offman as the new chair of the foundation's board of trustees in July 2026. The 2026 call for applications has closed.

• The Zukunftsstiftung Ehrenamt Bayern is established as a Verbrauchsstiftung with its seat in Munich.

• Under the theme "Ehrenamt für den demokratischen Zusammenhalt", 35 projects are funded across all seven Bavarian administrative regions.

• Submission deadline for the 2026 project call under the theme "Ehrenamt in der Kommune – ein starkes Netz".

• Karin Offman is announced as the new chair of the foundation's board of trustees (Kuratorium).

• Invitation to FORUM EHRENAMT "Ohne Nachwuchs keine Zukunft?" on 24 October 2026 in Mühldorf am Inn.

• Announcement that a new ZiviZ survey starts in September 2026.

A state-backed Bavarian foundation acting as a central point of contact and funder for voluntary and civic engagement across the Free State.

• Annual themed project funding (Ausschreibung)

  Grants of 1,000–15,000 euros per project, totaling 300,000 euros in 2026, for new, sustainable, low-threshold projects with model character, further education and training, networking, infrastructure development, public relations, new media/technologies, and scientific research.

• FORUM EHRENAMT

  An event series; the 2026 edition is titled "Ohne Nachwuchs keine Zukunft?" and takes place on 24 October 2026 in Mühldorf am Inn.

• Funding guidelines and application FAQs

  Published guidance on the funding procedure and how to apply.

1. 1Stiftung Ehrenamt – official websiteehrenamtsstiftung.bayern.de
2. 2Zukunftsstiftung Ehrenamt Bayern – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Zukunftsstiftung Ehrenamt Bayern – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org