Environmental Education of the Dieter Mennekes Environmental Foundation (DiMUS)

The Dieter Mennekes Environmental Foundation supports non-profit and public educational institutions throughout Germany in implementing innovative environmental education and nature pedagogy projects. Particular focus is placed on formats such as forest classrooms, where young people can learn directly in nature and experience sustainable actions. Through financial grants, offerings in the areas of training and further education, energy efficiency, and climate protection are to be realized or further developed. The goal is to strengthen participants' environmental awareness in the long term and to clearly convey development policy as well as ecological contexts. Schools, associations, and other non-profit organizations can thus develop tailored concepts that link theoretical knowledge with practical experiences and inspire generations for nature and climate protection.

Applications can be submitted at any time, as the foundation continuously reviews and approves requests. Eligible for funding are exclusively non-profit organizations or public institutions that present a convincing educational concept and transparently demonstrate the use of funds. The range of possible projects extends from workshops on biodiversity to educational trails in protected areas to interactive participatory formats around renewable energies. The grant covers project costs such as material procurement, fees for experts, and travel expenses. Interested initiatives receive comprehensive feedback on the feasibility of their project and benefit from the foundation’s expertise in environmental and nature conservation issues. In this way, a sustainable anchoring of environmental education is promoted and young people are enabled to experience their ecological actions in a vivid way.