Pearls Fund
Nationwide, the Perlenfonds of the Joachim Herz Foundation supports sustainability projects by university students, vocational school students, apprentices, and secondary school students in grades I and II. Applications can be submitted continuously.
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Grant criteria
Funding objective
The Perlenfonds supports projects in which young people implement their own ideas for a sustainable future – at universities, vocational schools, schools, extracurricular learning locations, or in their neighborhoods – in order to strengthen engagement and participation in sustainability processes and to impart practical green skills.
Non-eligible expenses
- Projects in the elementary and primary education sector
- Equipment in the building services sector (e.g., photovoltaic systems) and construction projects
- Initial furnishing of premises (e.g., furniture)
- Participation in student competitions
- Scholarships for individuals
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Eligible to apply
- Public Institutions
- Non-profit Organizations
- Educational Institutions
Funding requirements
- Submission exclusively via the online application form
- Fully completed application including all mandatory fields
- Project description (max. five pages) and financial plan as attachments
- Proof of non-profit status (not required for public law entities)
- Registered office of the applicant institution in Germany
Documents required for application
- Online application form
- Project description (max. five pages)
- Financial plan
- Proof of non-profit status or confirmation as a public law corporation
Evaluation criteria
- Initiative of the project participants
- Quality and relevance of the project content
- Clear and well-considered content-related and financial planning
- Role model function and transferability
- Seriousness, experience, and reputation of the applicant
- Efficient and economical use of funds
- Long-term impact and sustainability of the measures
- Existence of evaluation criteria and their review
- Documentation of the project progress
- Creativity and topicality of the subject
Description
The Perlenfonds of the Joachim Herz Foundation supports creative initiatives nationwide by university students, vocational school students, apprentices, as well as secondary school students in grades I and II. The goal is to strengthen engagement and participation in sustainable transformation processes through the practical implementation of one’s own ideas—whether at universities, schools, extracurricular learning locations, or within the immediate neighborhood context. Projects in the fields of education, digitalization, environmental and climate protection, energy efficiency, as well as labor and social affairs receive support, provided they achieve concrete impact and specifically equip young people with “green skills.” The transferability of results is emphasized in order to make successful approaches serve as models for further initiatives.
The fund offers grants of up to 25,000 euros for projects with a maximum duration of 36 months and allows year-round application submission via an online form. Requirements include a complete project outline (maximum five pages), a transparent financial plan, and proof of non-profit status or status as a legal entity under public law. Excluded are projects in the early childhood or primary education sectors, construction and building technology projects, initial furnishing of premises, student competitions, individual training scholarships, as well as politically or artistically oriented projects. Decision criteria include initiative, quality of content, well-considered content and financial planning, efficiency of resource use, sustainability impact, exemplary function, creativity, and topicality. Applications are generally reviewed within eight to ten weeks, enabling timely implementation. Applicant institutions must be based in Germany and may act as municipal bodies, non-profit initiatives, or educational institutions. Accompanying documentation and a structured evaluation of the project’s progress are part of the funding requirements to make impact and learning processes transparent.
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