Allianz Foundation Grants Program 2025

Enabling better living conditions for future generations: That is our mission. The Allianz Foundation works with partners in Europe and the Mediterranean who are committed to social justice, open societies, and a living planet.

We support initiatives with civil society, ecological, cultural and artistic backgrounds. We put particular emphasis on projects at the intersection of these areas which strive for systemic change.

Our goal is transformation towards just, resilient societies and a climate-neutral future. This is why we fund projects in the range of EUR 80,000 – 200,000 for a period of up to 24 months, starting from August 1, 2025 at the earliest.

Interested? We look forward to receiving your applications – all the information on the process and criteria can be found here.

What we are looking for

We are looking for applications in the fields of Arts & Culture, European Civil Society and Climate & Environment from Europe and the Mediterranean region that

pursue a clear impact plan and systemic approaches and look for solutions beyond predetermined paths. We request applicants to specifically describe the problem they are addressing and how their project can contribute to a solution.
develop a sustainable vision that goes beyond the duration of the immediate project. What will last beyond the end of the funding period and would not have been possible without the project?
have a trans-local dimension and at the same time are strongly tied in their surroundings – projects that aim to address global challenges by bringing about concrete changes in their region, communities or local environment.
use natural resources responsibly and develop ecologically sustainable formats and strategies.

We particularly welcome submissions from organizations led by women, young people and/or groups affected by marginalization.
We welcome project proposals that use participatory approaches and actively involve their target groups in project development.

Additional information on the funding criteria and the application process can be found in the FAQ section at the bottom of this page.

Three areas for concrete impact

The Allianz Foundation’s funding program focuses on projects in the areas of Arts & Culture, European Civil Society and Climate & Environment. To maximize the impact of our funding and be transparent about our selection criteria, applicants can find additional information here on the priorities we would like to set in the respective areas with the 2025 funding program. Projects must demonstrate the extent to which they meet at least one of the criteria listed below.

CULTURE

In the area of Arts and Culture, we are particularly interested in projects that

enable participation: The projects are designed by people from different social backgrounds, which enables them to participate practically, make their voices heard and communicate their personal experiences to others (whether as actors, producers, or audiences).
Open up spaces for community experiences: The projects make concrete and measurable efforts to anchor culture in the center of society, they counteract social polarization through openness and approachabilitiy; they explicitly include groups for whom art might often appear exclusive and elitist.
Advance cultural change: The projects work at the intersection of art and climate and have an impact in both directions by dealing with a sustainable transformation of cultural practices at the level of production, reception or mediation and/or by using artistic means to test concrete ideas for fairer forms of coexistence on our planet.

Two buildings are connected by two small bridges.

EUROPE

In the area of European Civil Society, we are particularly interested in project that

strengthen spaces for civil society and democratic resilience as well as promote social cohesion. These projects are active across borders and contribute to safeguarding civil liberties and the rule of law. They enable other civil society actors to develop in a sustainable way and to work independently and effectively.
strengthen the role of journalism and the media as guardians of democratic structures in Europe and the Mediterranean region, create the necessary conditions for independent, fact-based journalism and support open discourse across political divides.

CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT

In the area of Climate & Environment, we are particularly interested in projects that

Develop and implement strategies in the field of climate transformation. Projects support the decarbonization of the built environment sector and the development of liveable cities for all, putting them on the political agenda. Here, what is important to us is a systemic-transformative approach that, for example, promotes renovation before demolition and new construction or the use of renewable building materials, while at the same time incorporating social aspects such as climate justice and climate responsibility.
are committed to sustainable land use at various levels in the field of biodiversity conservation/natural climate protection. Projects should work systemically for the conservation and promotion of biodiversity as well as for natural and ecosystem-based climate solutions and at the same time incorporate social justice, inclusion and participation. We especially welcome projects that work with or in rural areas and offer approaches for systemic changes towards sustainable food production and consumption.

Our call in a nutshell

The application process consists of two steps: 1. submission of the project outline, 2. Call for and submission of a full proposal for selected outlines.
Project outlines can be submitted via our online form. The application deadline for project outlines is February 10, 2025 at 15:00 CET. Click here for the project outline form.
Applicants will be informed by around March 25, 2025 whether their project outline has been selected. The selected applicants will receive further information on how the full proposal must be submitted with the invitation to submission. The deadline for submitting full proposals is tentatively scheduled for April 25, 2025 (tbd).
Full applications will be subsequently reviewed and sent to the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, which will make the final funding decisions in June 2025.
The selected funding projects are expected to be announced in July 2025.
The permitted funding period is from August 1, 2025 to December 31, 2027.
Projects can be funded with sums between €80,000 and €200,000 for a maximum term of 24 months.
There will be a digital Q&A for interested applicants to give information on the criteria and formal processes of the call. The Q&A will take place on January 28, 2025, 11am CET via ZOOM. To attend, please register here.

FAQs

What does the selection process look like?

The Allianz Foundation team reviews your project outline. Project outlines can be submitted via our online form (here). The submission deadline for project outlines is February 10, 2025, 3:00 pm CET. We aim to inform you if your project has been selected for the second round until March 25, 2025. Please refrain from inquiries during this time.

If your project meets our criteria, we will ask you to hand in a complete application. Requested applications can be submitted until April 25, 2025 (3:00 pm CEST). An application consists of a financial plan and a detailed project description including a milestone plan.

Your full application will be reviewed by the foundation's team. We will set up a call with you (in April 2025) to support you in the process. The most convincing projects are recommended for funding to our Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees then approves the funding for the proposed projects at its meeting in late June (tbd).

Can I apply in other languages?

Application documents can generally be submitted in German or English. For reasons of processing, we cannot offer any other languages. To enable an assessment by non-German speaking board members, please note that application documents submitted in German will be translated to English using translation software.

In which countries can projects be funded?

The Allianz Foundation supports projects and partners in Europe and the Mediterranean that work to improve the living conditions of the Next Generations. Projects and partners that have an impact in these regions are therefore eligible to apply. The implementation of the project and use of its funds must primarily take place in Europe and the Mediterranean. If you are unsure whether your project falls within our regional order, please contact: info@allianzfoundation.org. 

What is the maximum funding for my project?

Projects can be funded with an amount between 80,000 and 200,000 € for a maximum duration of 24 months. The Allianz Foundation funds projects up to a maximum percentage of 75% of total project costs, i.e. at least 25% of funding has to come from other sources (see below). In the selection process, we check the estimated expenses to see whether the requested amount allows for a realistic implementation of the project and criteria such as fair pay. We encourage applicants to pay fair wages and we welcome measures to implement a climate strategy within the project and the organization.

Do I have to contribute own funds or other third-party funds?

The Allianz Foundation does not provide full financing for projects. This means that further own or third-party funds of at least 25 % of the total cost of the project must be contributed. This can be your organization's own funds or other funds requested from third-party funding bodies. Please note that third-party funds must be confirmed before the project starts – a project may not be begun if the overall project costs are not secured. It is unfortunately not possible to start with Allianz Foundation funds only and acquire third party funds while the project is already running. It is also important to note that in-kind contributions (i.e. non-monetary services) cannot be part of the cost and financing plan.

Can I cover indirect or infrastructure costs with the funding of Allianz Foundation?

We acknowledge that there are important processes of an organization that are not directly related to a concrete project, for example the preparation and submission of applications for future projects, rental costs or teambuilding measures. To give the applicants flexibility to cover these indirect costs, up to 20% of the project costs may be requested as administrative costs. These costs do not need to be documented in the financial report, but in the context of the full project application process an explanation of the intended use may be requested by us. If you have questions regarding this point, we can answer them at the digital Q&A session for interested applicants (see above).

Can my project last for more than one year?

Projects can have a maximum duration of 24 months from the start of the project.

Can my project have already started?

The project may not start before the announcement of the funding decision. This means that the earliest possible start of the project is August 1, 2025. No expenditure or material commitments may have been entered into before that date.

Can I get feedback on my project outline / application?

We receive a large number of project outlines in the first phase of the application process. Unfortunately, this means that we cannot give advice or feedback at this stage. If you are selected for a full application, we will set up a call with you to support you in the further process and give relevant feedback on your application. In case your project should then not be finally selected, you are welcome to contact us and we strive to provide you with relevant feedback as far as possible.

What do you mean by “funding projects that use natural resources in an economic way and pursue ecologically sustainable formats and strategies”?

We welcome project ideas that pursue sustainable or climate-friendly approaches at various levels. This can be done in the project, for example, through regional exchanges without air travel, or by reusing materials in different places and in different contexts.

We also welcome the consideration of the climate impact of your own work and support climate-friendly and sustainable measures within the framework of the project budget, , for example, additional costs for vegan, regional, seasonal catering or sustainable event concepts (e.g. support for travel by public transport and the avoidance of air travel).

At the thematic level, too, we welcome a discussion of the social, cultural and political implications of the climate and biodiversity crisis.

Can I apply for funding as an individual?

No, within the framework of the grants program, we can only fund organizations.

Can I apply as a for-profit organization or company?

Funding for for-profit entities can only be assessed within strict limitations as the foundation is required by law to ensure the use of its funds towards the public good. Should you consider to apply as a for-profit entity, please contact us beforehand via info@allianzfoundation.org.

Is follow-up funding possible?

Follow-up funding is generally possible. However, applications for further funding of a project go through the same selection process as all other applications.

What cannot be funded?

full financing of a project
Shortfall financing or budget gaps in the public sector as well as non-project-related costs
Individuals and individual assistance (travel or training costs)
Educational or doctoral scholarships
School and university activities
Publications not related to a funding project (e.g. printing cost subsidies)
Film productions (with the exception of project documentation)
Art or real estate purchases
Building measure
Purchase of technical equipment not related to the project
Charity events and charity galas
Sports and entertainment events
Commercial productions, events and sponsorship activities
Non-program-related lobbying
Gifts
Advertising spots and other street and door-to-door advertising
organizational consulting
Membership fees from other organizations
Board related expenses