New funding pot for creative projects in Kiel: Up to 250,000 euros!

New funding pot for creative projects in Kiel: Up to 250,000 euros!

In Kiel it's again about the desire to create and neighborhood initiatives! The “Shaping Kiel Together” fund has been celebrating successes with projects by citizens, associations and initiatives since 2016. The idea behind the fund? Promote active citizen participation and let people breathe creatively in order to bring many small and large ideas to fruition. Kiel Magazin explains exactly how this works.

Last winter, the cultural office began a comprehensive consultation process to support interested project sponsors in submitting their ideas. The applications had to be submitted by February 19, 2025. The suggestions were then presented to the local councils and the most promising ones were forwarded to a jury for further review. The jury was originally supposed to make a decision in June, but a budget impasse disrupted that schedule. Fortunately, projects that were already well into the selection process can now benefit from the coveted funding.

New funding period from 2026

Important to know: In the future, the fund will only be awarded every two years. This ensures that processes are streamlined and planning security is increased. The starting signal for the new funding round will be in 2026, in which a total of up to 250,000 euros will be distributed to the best projects. The jury will make the decisions in January 2026, followed by a decision in the Committee for Finance, Interior and Equality in February. The implementation of the funded projects is planned between March 2026 and March 2027 - earlier than in previous years.

The aim of the funding remains clear: the focus is on strengthening neighborhood cohesion and improving the quality of life in the district. The fund provides a maximum funding amount of 25,000 euros per project for 2025. Not only associations and non-profit organizations are eligible to apply, but also district initiatives and local advisory boards. Smaller projects are also welcome, provided they are assigned to a clearly defined local council district and are implemented within twelve months.

Advice for project sponsors

An important date is coming up soon! There will be online advice for applicants on January 31, 2025, organized by the Cultural Office. Registrations are possible at komm.kiel.gestalten@kiel.de, and the access link to the Zoom session will be provided. If you have any questions, you can contact Pia Behnke directly - by phone at 901-5229 or by email.

In addition to these administrative details, the involvement of citizens is also an important part of these projects. This is clearly shown in the Norddeutsche Handelszeitung, which emphasizes how crucial citizen participation is for urban development. Together with municipalities, urban developers and infrastructure planners, strategies are developed to make the city climate-friendly and meet the needs of the population.

Kiel residents not only have the opportunity to actively participate in the transformation of their city, but also to creatively contribute their ideas and improve their living environment. These are excellent prospects for the coming months!