Funding by the Mercator Foundation

The Mercator Foundation funds innovative projects nationwide that contribute to achieving socio-political goals and thereby support digital, ecological, and social transformation. Eligible for funding are exclusively organizations recognized as non-profit and public-law institutions in Germany that are active in at least one of the focus areas – Digitized Society, Europe in the World, Climate Protection, or Participation and Cohesion. The Foundation places particular emphasis on initiatives that achieve long-term, systemic effects and relies on a collaborative partnership from the project proposal stage through to project completion. Through this strategic funding, approximately 80 percent of projects are realized as funded projects and 20 percent are implemented operationally, aiming to generate impulses for a fairer and more sustainable society.

The application process prioritizes a clear application structure and transparent presentation of the planned measures. Applicants must submit, in addition to the standardized application form, a precise financial plan and other accompanying documents, such as the guidance for applicants and the ecological sustainability guide for project partners. The evaluation of applications is based on strict content-related and strategic criteria, including the quality of the project outline, the evaluation potential, and the systemic impact of the initiative. This methodically sound selection process ensures that only projects generating sustainable societal added value and providing forward-looking impulses in the areas of digitalization, democratic participation, environmental protection, and European integration are funded.

The continuous submission option without fixed deadlines allows applicants to respond flexibly to emerging challenges and societal discourses. The Mercator Foundation not only supports the administrative process but also actively fosters exchange among diverse societal actors to achieve broad impact. Through its funding, not only innovative solutions to current societal challenges are initiated, but also intersectoral dialogue is strengthened – for example, through the involvement of experts, political decision-makers, scientific institutions, and civil society actors. This funding program thus offers an excellent platform for organizations that set sustainable impulses for democracy, climate protection, and social integration while simultaneously focusing on a digitized future.