Cycling promotion in Germany

The federal government supports research and innovation projects with its funding programs. These funding programs are generally designed to run for several years. They are designed to meet specific goals that the funding is intended to achieve. It also sets out the priorities and the actions to be taken.

An important prerequisite for funding is that the objectives of the project applied for are in line with the objectives of the funding program.

The federal government generally supports projects through grants. As a rule, these are collaborative projects. In exceptional cases, individual projects can also be subsidized.

There is no legal entitlement to funding. Funds will be allocated solely within the limits of available budgetary resources.

Eligible to apply are

• Freelancers and self-employed
• Company
• Universities
• Research institutions outside universities
• Municipalities or municipal institutions in individual cases
• Educational institutions and churches in individual cases

Certain programs are also reserved for applicants belonging to small and medium-sized enterprises(SMEs). For research institutions and universities, the funding amount can be up to 100 percent.

Applications can be submitted in either a one-step process or a two-step process.

• In a one-step application process, the application is formally submitted immediately with all supporting documentation.
• In a two-stage process - as the first stage - a sketch is submitted first.

If this project outline has been positively reviewed, the formal application can be submitted. Which of the two procedures is applicable is governed by the guidelines for the respective funding program.

A project outline informs about the idea, presents the application possibilities and shows the framework of the project.

These include:

• Description of the reference to the funding program
• Presentation of the idea for the project
• Naming of the partners involved
• Information about the own state of knowledge and about information researches
• Assessment of the possibilities of the application
• Defining the thematic, temporal and financial framework of the project

If additional items are required, the respective specific funding announcements will provide information.

The application procedure can be found in the funding guidelines. As a rule, applications should be submitted online. address is the barrier-free Internet portal easy-Online. This portal provides support for the calculation of the entire financing. It contains plausibility and completeness checks. The project application can have both a legally binding signature and an electronic signature.

Basis of assessment of the grant: Expenditure or costs

It is possible to settle on the basis of expenses, as well as to settle on the basis of costs. The normal case under the budgetary system is an accounting of expenditures. Settlement on the basis of costs is the exception.

Application on the basis of expenditure (AZA)

Funding applications must be submitted on an expenditure basis by applicants whose expenditure funding as an institution is largely provided by government grants. These include, for example, universities, institutions of the Leibniz Association and institutes of the Max Planck Society.

The following documents are part of the application:

• The special application forms for grants on an expenditure basis (AZA) are submitted to the responsible project executing agency in legally binding signed paper form. In addition, they must be submitted electronically via the easy-Online portal.
• A financing plan must be prepared. It must contain explanations of the calculation bases and the quantity approaches. If the term extends over several years, separate financing plans for the individual calendar years and additionally the entire financing plan belong to the documents.
• Proof of creditworthiness
• Articles of association or partnership agreement
• Business plan
• the last two annual financial statements
• a current excerpt from the commercial register or register of associations
• the information of the house bank
• a description of the project with a work plan
• supplementary explanations

Application on cost basis (AZK)

Settlement on a cost basis may be approved if applicants are commercial entities. This also applies to the Helmholtz facilities and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. Other applicants may also bill on a cost basis if they meet certain requirements.

The required application documents are:

• the special forms for grant applications on a cost basis (AZK)
• Evidence of preliminary calculations
• Proof of creditworthiness
• the last two annual financial statements
• the current business plan
• a current excerpt from the commercial/association register
• a proof of the house bank
• further documents for the overview of the company situation
• Description of the project, work plan
• Supplementary declarations

The project description for both application forms (AZA and AKA).

In this description, the applicant justifies why their project is eligible.
The following items should be included:

1. Targets
   The overall goal of the project, its scientific and technical objectives, and its relationship to the grant program are presented.
2. State of the art in science and technology and previous work
   Here, the current state of science and technology is shown, as well as own information research and alternative solutions. Likewise, previous projects and work results of the applicant are named. Existing rights that stand in the way of the exploitation of results must also be pointed out here.
3. Detailed description of the work plan
   The work plan is shown, as well as resource planning and the planning of intermediate stages and milestones.
4. Exploitation plan
   The technical, scientific and economic prospects for success are described here. The economic and scientific connectivity to other processes is also named here.
5. Work sharing/collaboration with third parties
   This describes how the cooperation with third parties is regulated.
6. Necessity of the grant
   The need for the grant through the grant program is justified.

Applications must be submitted to the project management organization responsible for the subject. The contact addresses of the project sponsors can be found in the corresponding funding announcement. The responsible project executing agency accepts applications in legally binding signed paper form. In addition, they must still be submitted electronically via the easy-Online portal.