VRD Stiftung für Erneuerbare Energien

The VRD Foundation for Renewable Energies is a non-profit private foundation established in 1997 and based in Heidelberg. It supports projects and initiatives that promote the expansion of renewable energies, energy efficiency, and sustainable agroforestry. The focus is on educational programs for kindergartens, schools, and secondary institutions, demonstration projects in agroforestry, as well as international development projects in Africa and Latin America. The foundation provides earmarked, non-repayable grants and works closely with partners from politics, science, and civil society.

The mission of the VRD Foundation is to secure a livable future for succeeding generations by raising awareness of renewable energies, promoting energy conservation and efficiency, and providing practical solutions. Education is the starting point: even children should develop a fundamental understanding of alternative energy production. At the same time, the foundation advocates for social and political frameworks that enable the widespread use of sustainable energy forms and the integration of woody plants into agriculture.

The funding programs are aimed at educational institutions (kindergartens, primary and secondary schools) as well as farmers and actors in agricultural policy who wish to establish agroforestry systems. In addition, non-profit organizations, research institutions, and municipalities may submit funding applications, provided their projects contribute to the dissemination of renewable energy and sustainable land use. Internationally, the foundation supports development policy initiatives in countries of the Global South.