Regional Initiatives for Future Projects in Regional Development (Funding Guideline for Regional Development – FöRLa)
Funding for regional management initiatives in Bavaria for the planning and implementation of innovative future projects in state development in the areas of demographic change, competitiveness, settlement development, regional identity, and climate change. Basic funding of 50% up to €100,000 per project year. Applications possible no later than 6 weeks before the start of funding.
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Grant criteria
Funding objective
The Free State of Bavaria supports regional initiatives in the preparation and implementation of innovative projects in state development on key future topics such as demographic change, competitiveness, settlement development, regional identity, and climate change, in order to create equivalent living conditions and working environments throughout Bavaria.
Eligible expenses
- Personnel expenses
- Travel and accommodation expenses
- Hospitality expenses at public relations events
- Expenditures for services by third parties
- Investments in digital goods
Eligible to apply
- Public Institutions
Funding requirements
- Projects must comply with the Bavarian State Development Program, the relevant regional plans, and existing regional development strategies
- Contribution to cross-sectional regional development
- Eligible expenses per project more than EUR 10,000 and per application more than EUR 25,000
- Own contribution of at least 10% of the total costs
- Eligibility to apply for legally capable sponsors of regional initiatives or spatially affected local authorities
Documents required for application
- Application form(s)
- Cost and financing plan
- Schedule (timeline with textual milestones)
- Subsidy declaration
- If applicable: Separate cooperation agreement
Evaluation criteria
- Compliance with the state development program and regional plans
- Contribution to cross-sectional regional development
- Completeness and plausibility of the cost and financing plan
- Existence of an evaluation concept
Description
In Bavaria, the Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy supports public and private law entities of regional initiatives as well as spatially affected local authorities in the preparation and implementation of innovative future projects. The focus is on key thematic areas such as agriculture & rural development, regional promotion, smart cities & regions, and digitalization. Funded projects address demographic change, strengthening competitiveness, sustainable settlement development, promotion of regional identity, as well as measures against climate change. A prerequisite is the substantive alignment with the Bavarian State Development Program, relevant regional plans, and existing development strategies, as well as a cross-sectional regional development approach.
The grant is provided as a subsidy with a base rate of 50% up to 90% depending on the spatial scope of impact and amounts to up to €100,000 per project year with a maximum duration of 36 months. Applicants must provide a minimum own contribution of 10% of the total costs; eligible expenses per project exceed €10,000 and per application exceed €25,000. Funding priorities include personnel expenses, travel and accommodation costs, hospitality at public events, services by third parties, as well as investments in digital goods. Applications, including the application form, cost and financing plan, schedule, subsidy declaration, and, if applicable, cooperation agreement, must be submitted to the responsible district government no later than six weeks before the project start. The funding guideline is valid until 31.12.2026, with funding commencement on the 1st or 15th of each month.