Municipal Model Projects for the Implementation of Ecological Sustainability Goals in Structural Change Regions (KoMoNa)

The funding program for the implementation of ecological sustainability goals in structural change regions targets numerous stakeholders, including municipalities, companies, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations. It supports innovative model projects in the lignite mining regions of Brandenburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Saxony-Anhalt and promotes both conceptual and investment measures. With grants of up to 90% or 100% for citizen science initiatives, there is the opportunity to develop and implement municipal sustainability concepts. The aim is to accelerate ecologically sustainable structural change in the designated regions and to advance the German Sustainability Strategy (DNS). The funding program relies on a participatory approach that actively involves citizens and regional experts in the development and implementation of sustainable projects.

Within the scope of the funding, a wide range of projects and measures are supported, ranging from the redesign of public spaces and renaturation projects to extracurricular educational and nature conservation initiatives. Investments can, for example, flow into the creation and networking of biodiversity-promoting open spaces, the renaturation of water bodies, or green urban development projects. Furthermore, the focus is also placed on innovative approaches such as smart cities and digitalization to establish more resilient structures in the long term. A key component is also the promotion of civic engagement to optimally utilize local potentials and initiate participatory development processes. Eligible for funding are all institutions based in the target regions, provided that voluntary measures are undertaken without public or legal obligations.

Applications are submitted through a two-stage process, in which a project outline is first submitted and, after positive evaluation, a formal funding application is made. This transparent procedure ensures that the requirements for legally compliant tendering are always met. The diverse funding areas include, in addition to regional development and environmental/nature conservation, infrastructure, agriculture, energy efficiency, climate protection, and urban development. By providing substantial financial scope, municipal action packages are to be strengthened and pioneering impulses for ecological structural change set. The program demonstrates how sustainable approaches can not only create ecological added value but also sustainably improve the quality of life in the affected regions.