Rudolf Augstein Stiftung

The Rudolf Augstein Foundation is a non-profit and independent foundation under civil law based in Hamburg. It commemorates the journalist and SPIEGEL publisher Rudolf Augstein (1923–2002) and continues his patronage. The foundation’s capital of approximately 33 million euros originates from his estate. Since 2006, the foundation has annually granted around 1 million euros in the fields of journalism, art, and social affairs to strengthen critical quality journalism, create opportunities for disadvantaged children and youth, and enable artistic experiments and cross-disciplinary projects. To date, over 1,200 projects have been supported with around 15 million euros.

The Rudolf Augstein Foundation sees itself as an enabler of social innovation. It supports projects that transcend existing boundaries in journalism, art, and social issues, critically examine societal grievances, and dare to pursue new approaches. In doing so, it trusts its partners, relies on interdisciplinary exchange, and accompanies initiatives with financial resources, expertise, and its network to catalyze sustainable change.

The funding programs target three groups: 1) Journalists, media institutions, and initiatives engaged in critical, investigative, and innovative quality journalism or experimenting with new formats; 2) Artists, cultural institutions, and interdisciplinary networks implementing socially relevant and experimental projects in visual arts, music, theater, literature, or intermedial formats; 3) Social initiatives and non-profit organizations supporting disadvantaged children and youth in education, training, and integration, particularly during the transition from school to work and in challenging social environments.