Funding of the Orgelklang Foundation (Conservation and Restoration Measures for Historic Organs)
Since 2010, the Orgelklang Foundation has been supporting preservation and restoration measures for historic organs in Protestant churches in Germany. Applications are submitted online annually; the deadline is usually June 30.
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Grant criteria
Funding objective
The funding serves to support conservation and restoration measures on historic organs in Protestant churches in Germany, in order to preserve the ecclesiastical cultural heritage, ensure liturgical use, and enable proper professional renovations.
Eligible expenses
- Technical and acoustic restoration of historic organs
- Planning services of organ building companies
- Expert reports and expert opinions
Non-eligible expenses
- New organ constructions
- Reconstructions of instruments equivalent to new constructions
- New artistic designs
- Projects with a total volume under €15,000
- Retroactive costs
Eligible to apply
- Public Institutions
- Non-profit Organizations
Funding requirements
- Protestant church congregation as applicant
- Organ age at least 70 years at the time of application
- Congregation's own contribution required
- Proof of impossibility of full self-financing by the congregation
- Commissioning of a qualified organ-building company
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Documents required for application
- Online application
- Signed and sealed application
- Justification and objectives of the project
- Action plan
- Expert report of the organ specialist
- If applicable, third-party expert reports
- Representative photographic material of the church and organ
Evaluation criteria
- Historical significance of the organ
- Urgency of the preservation measure
- Appropriate co-financing by the church congregation
- Quality of the expert planning
Description
Since 2010, the Orgelklang Foundation has been supporting preservation and restoration measures for historic organs in Protestant churches nationwide. The goal is the permanent preservation of the ecclesiastical cultural heritage, the safeguarding of liturgical use, and the assurance of professional restorations by qualified organ-building companies. Eligible for funding are Protestant congregations or their ecclesiastical sponsors as non-profit organizations, provided that the organ is at least 70 years old at the time of application. The program line includes technical and tonal restorations, planning services by organ builders, as well as necessary expert reports and statements. New constructions, reconstructed instruments, new artistic designs, projects with a total volume under €15,000, or retrospective costs are excluded. The decision on the amount of the non-repayable grant is based on criteria such as historical significance, urgency of the measure, appropriate own contribution, and quality of professional planning.
For an application in the funding period 2027–2028, interested parties must use the online application procedure by June 30, 2026. Additionally, a signed and sealed copy of the application must be submitted. Required documents include, among others, the justification and objectives of the project, a detailed action plan, the report of the responsible organ expert, as well as meaningful photographic material of the church and organ. The project duration is up to 24 months from January 1, 2027. After review by the awarding committee, approval is granted by the foundation’s board. Proof of use must be provided online, and in the event of partial or total failure of the organ, the foundation must be informed within the following seven years. This funding ensures the sustainable preservation of the tonal heritage and church music practice.
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