Stiftung Wanderjugend

The Stiftung Wanderjugend was established in 2000 by a circle of supporters and friends of the Deutsche Wanderjugend within the German Hiking Association. It supports nonprofit groups of the Deutsche Wanderjugend nationwide – from local youth groups through state associations to the federal level – in innovative, forward-looking, and creative projects in the field of youth hiking. The aim is to promote the concept of youth hiking, to make the guiding principles of the Deutsche Wanderjugend tangible, and to strengthen both quantitative and qualitative structures of the youth organization. Funding is provided particularly for measures aimed at child- and youth-friendly design of hiking offerings, environmentally sustainable outdoor sports, musical-cultural leisure activities, nature and environmental protection, as well as international encounters. Grant applications up to €200 are decided promptly through a simplified procedure; applications over €200 can be submitted annually until October 31.

The Stiftung Wanderjugend promotes youth hiking as an experiential, environmentally sustainable, and intergenerational form of leisure activity. We aim to motivate young people to take responsibility for nature and the environment, to strengthen their creative and social skills through communal hiking, and to support the sustainable development of volunteer structures within the German Youth Hiking Association.

Eligible to apply are all groups of the German Hiking Youth: youth groups of the main associations, state associations, state working groups, and the federal level. The foundation targets non-profit organizations that plan and implement innovative projects in the field of youth hiking, particularly those initiatives that would not be feasible without the foundation’s grant. The target group consists of young people and volunteers who design and develop hiking programs.