Keeping Ports Deep – Funding by the Elbefonds Foundation

The Elbefonds Foundation supports desilting measures in sports boat and recreational harbors along the tidal Elbe and its tributaries in Hamburg, Lower Saxony, and Schleswig-Holstein. The grant program "Keeping Harbors Deep" promotes the long-term navigability of maritime infrastructure to harmonize environmental and nature conservation with economic use. A volunteer allocation committee composed of experts from all involved federal states decides annually on the allocation of funds according to established award guidelines. The goal is to secure waterway maintenance through targeted dredging work and to strengthen the climate-friendly leisure and tourism location on the Lower Elbe.

Eligible for funding are desilting measures in sports boat or recreational harbors, whose applicants may be public institutions, non-profit organizations, or associations operating a harbor on the tidal Elbe or its tributaries. A prerequisite for application is the timely submission of the application form "Keeping Harbors Deep" as well as, if applicable, the final invoice forms. The next application deadline is August 31, 2026. Successful funding requires compliance with all grant conditions. Detailed award guidelines and a schematic process of the funding procedure are available for download to ensure transparent and efficient project implementation.