Three questions for Katharina Thomas: The Allianz Foundation Grants Program

The Allianz Foundation supports initiatives with a civil society, environment and arts & culture background through the general Grants Program. We have asked Katharina Thomas, Chief Operating Officer and interim CEO of the Allianz Foundation, about the details of the program.

Ein Foto von Katharina Thomas

Katharina Thomas © Marcel Wolgram

What’s specific to the Grants Program vis-à-vis other calls of the Foundation such as the Climate Cultures Call?

“What makes the Allianz Foundation Grants Program different from other calls that it has a broad thematic scope. We’re looking for projects from across all three of our strategic areas: for empowered people; for open societies; for a living planet. By contrast, we publish individual calls for projects such as the Climate Cultures Call when we want to focus on a very specific challenge. Also, these calls are only published at specific times and on an irregular basis, whereas you can apply for our Grants Program throughout the year. For projects starting in a given year we ask to have your application no later than February 15 so we can assess them in time and offer advice in the application process, if needed. We’ll announce the selected projects in July - they can run for up to two years and have a budget of 80-150k per year. So all in all, the Grants Program offers you the opportunity to implement projects with a wider scope.”

Who can apply for the Allianz Foundation Grants Program?

“We’re looking for project partners from arts and culture, civil society or climate and environmental protection. We are especially interested in projects at the intersection of these areas with a transdisciplinary and trans-local approach. If you’re unsure whether you should apply, I recommend familiarizing yourself with examples of existing projects on the website. You also find information there on how we work as a Foundation and the specific application process. Of course you can also get in touch with our team if questions remain.”

What do I need keep in mind when applying for the Grants Program?

“We are excited to see your ideas and out of the box formats! There’s a lot of great work that’s being done by many people out there, and we hope to hear from you and connect that work with the support that we can offer as a foundation. An important thing to keep in mind, though, is that the Grants Program is for organizations and non-profit partners. If you are an individual seeking support for an initiative addressing the urgent challenges of our time, take a look at the Allianz Foundation Fellows Program for which we have launched the application. Stay tuned!”