Funding of Projects within the Framework of the National Species Assistance Program

The National Species Assistance Program is a nationwide funding instrument that supports the permanent protection of endangered species. The program targets municipalities, public institutions, private individuals, and companies that wish to implement projects in the fields of environmental and nature conservation, energy efficiency, and climate protection. Funding is provided for measures that particularly improve species and their habitats affected by the expansion of renewable energies. Within the framework of a grant procedure with a project duration of up to 84 months, applicants can submit projects that sustainably secure the conservation status of affected species and make a significant contribution to national as well as EU biodiversity goals.

The funding covers project-related expenses, planning costs, costs for approval procedures, expert reports, and even incidental costs of land acquisition. This enables comprehensive support for measures that go beyond pure environmental protection initiatives. A central component of the program is the continuous opportunity to submit project outlines without being bound to fixed deadlines. The evaluation of applications is carried out based on strictly defined criteria – these include proof of sustainable species protection, the expertise and performance capability of the applicants, as well as the plausibility of the financing plan and self-financing participation. These criteria ensure that only projects with high scientific and practical added value are funded.

Applicants must apply in German and comprehensively document their projects – this includes a concise project outline, a detailed financing plan, and other accompanying documents. The program particularly supports projects that avoid conflicts between the expansion of renewable energies and species protection and exceed existing legal minimum requirements. Collaboration in joint projects is expressly encouraged to efficiently utilize synergies and optimally integrate regional as well as supra-regional resources. Funding is provided to ensure that coordinated measures guarantee not only local but also supra-regional nature conservation, ultimately aligning with the objectives of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection.