Application process

Who can receive funding?
Commercial enterprises, universities, non-university research institutions and education institutions located in Germany are all eligible for funding.
Applicants must have the necessary specialist qualifications and sufficient personnel and material capacities to carry out their project and be able to guarantee that they can secure the total finance for the project.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are particularly encouraged to apply for funding.

How does the funding work?
The projects are generally funded by means of non-repayable grants for thematically, temporally and financially divisible projects. These must not yet have started and must be carried out in Germany and with added value for Germany.

The grant amounts awarded to commercial enterprises are assessed on the basis of the project related total costs eligible for funding, which can generally be part-financed up to 50% depending on the project’s market relevance. Bonus rules apply for small and medium sized enterprises, which can lead to a higher level of funding.
In principle, research institutions that invoice on a cost basis can receive 100% financing although a reasonable contribution of at least 10% from their own resources is desired.
Universities and research institutions that invoice on an expenditure basis (grant applications on an expenditure basis - AZA) can receive funding for up to 100% of the project-related total expenditure eligible for funding.

Grant recipients must be able to provide evidence of the appropriate use of the resources.

How are applications made?
Once the basic funding eligibility has been determined using the draft assessment, a funding application is submitted (in line with the scope of the budget funds available). The application must contain the necessary details for assessing the appropriateness and necessity of the grant.

Project funding applications must be submitted in writing and electronically using the appropriate forms, which can be accessed online in the "elektronisches Antrags- und Angebots-System easy " at www.kp.dlr.de/profi/easy.

The electronic application system easy facilitates the project funding application process thanks to the ability to create and print out applications (forms AZA, AZK, AAA, AAK and AZV) on a PC using integrated help functions. Further information such as regulations, leaflets, notes and auxiliary terms and conditions is also provided.