German Federal Foreign Office

Quick Stats

• Annual Humanitarian Assistance: €2.25 billion (2024)
• Success Rate: ~31% (Eastern Partnership Programme: 1,100 funded from 3,500+ applications)
• Decision Time: 8-12 weeks minimum
• Grant Range: €20,000 - €500,000 (depending on program)
• Geographic Focus: International (emphasis on Eastern Partnership countries, Middle East, North Africa, and humanitarian crises globally)

Contact Details

Website: https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en

For Project Funding Enquiries:

• Division S 03 handles initial project outline submissions
• Humanitarian divisions for humanitarian assistance projects

Note: Organizations should confirm eligibility before submitting full applications

Overview

The German Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) is Germany's federal ministry responsible for foreign policy and international relations. Established as a core government ministry, the Federal Foreign Office has six foreign policy focus areas: human rights, climate, feminist foreign policy, humanitarian assistance, national security strategy, and civil crisis prevention. In 2024, Germany allocated €2.25 billion for humanitarian assistance through the Federal Foreign Office, making it the second largest donor country globally. The ministry provides project-based funding to civil society organizations, NGOs, and humanitarian relief organizations to implement programs aligned with German foreign policy objectives. Recent years have seen significant budget pressures, with the Foreign Office's budget decreasing from €7.5 billion in 2023 to €6.7 billion in 2024, a 10.3% decline.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Micro-Projects Programme

• Amount: Up to €20,000
• Duration: Maximum 1 year
• Focus: Improving basic needs of poor and vulnerable populations
• Application: Through German embassies in-country

Eastern Partnership Programme

• Amount: Variable (€77 million disbursed across 1,100 projects over 7 years, averaging ~€70,000 per project)
• Focus: Civil society cooperation between German organizations and partners in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, and Russia
• Requirement: Tandem partnerships (one German organization + at least one partner from programme countries)
• Application: Rolling basis

Large ODA Projects

• Amount: Up to €500,000
• Duration: Up to 4 years
• Requirement: German NGOs must demonstrate at least 3 years of project development experience
• Documentation: Must be submitted in German

Humanitarian Assistance

• Amount: Variable, deficit funding model
• Partners: UN humanitarian organizations, International Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement, specialist NGOs
• Focus: Emergency response, crisis prevention, humanitarian relief

Ta'ziz Programme

• Focus: Democracy and rule of law in Middle East and North Africa
• Application: Rolling basis with 3-page project outline

Priority Areas

• Civil society cooperation and strengthening democratic institutions
• Humanitarian assistance and emergency relief
• Crisis prevention, conflict management, and peacebuilding
• Education, culture, media, and language work
• Science and vocational training initiatives
• Youth exchange and sport programmes
• Human rights protection
• Climate-related foreign policy initiatives
• Feminist foreign policy objectives

What They Don't Fund

• Projects that have already begun (no retroactive funding)
• Permanent staff salaries (only project-specific staff)
• Existing infrastructure costs (offices, IT equipment)
• Institutional/operational funding (only project funding)
• Projects without local partner involvement (as a rule)

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Governance and Leadership

The Federal Foreign Office is led by the Foreign Minister (currently Annalena Baerbock as of recent reporting), who oversees Germany's diplomatic relations and funding decisions for humanitarian and civil society support.

Key Operational Units:

• Division S 03: Handles initial project outline submissions and general project funding
• Humanitarian Divisions: Manage humanitarian assistance funding decisions
• “Peace and Stability” Envelope: Comprises more than 50% of the ministry's budget, covering crisis prevention, stabilization, peacebuilding, and humanitarian assistance abroad

The Federal Foreign Office partners with intermediary organizations including:

• Goethe-Institut (culture and education)
• Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (ifa) - manages project cycles including applications, disbursements, and auditing
• DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) - manages scholarship programmes

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has emphasized Germany's commitment to humanitarian assistance despite budget pressures, stating the importance of maintaining support for crisis regions worldwide.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Initial Contact:

1. First-time applicants should submit a 3-page project outline covering: who, what, how, why, where
2. For humanitarian assistance: confirm eligibility with humanitarian divisions before applying
3. Submit to Division S 03 for general project funding

Timing Requirements:

• Applications must arrive at the Federal Foreign Office at least 8 weeks before scheduled project start date
• Projects already begun are not eligible

Application Method:

• Rolling basis (may apply at any time)
• Documentation must be submitted in German for German NGO-led projects
• Online portals available for specific programmes (e.g., Eastern Partnership)

Full Application Requirements:

• Detailed project proposal
• Budget breakdown
• Evidence of applicant's experience and capacity
• Confirmation of local partnerships (where applicable)
• Evidence of co-financing/own resources

Decision Timeline

• Minimum processing time: 8 weeks from submission
• Typical approval process: 2-3 months for cooperative programmes
• Decisions taken directly by Federal Foreign Office
• Embassies may provide position statements to support evaluation

Success Rates

Eastern Partnership Programme (most detailed statistics available):

• Over 3,500 project ideas submitted over 7 years
• Approximately 1,100 projects funded
• Success rate: ~31%
• Total disbursement: €77 million

General Observations:

• Competition is significant due to limited budgets and budget cuts
• Organizations with prior experience and established partnerships have higher success rates
• Humanitarian organizations with UN/Red Cross affiliations or specialist expertise are prioritized

Reapplication Policy

The Federal Foreign Office operates on a rolling application basis, allowing organizations to submit new project proposals at any time. There is no explicit restriction on reapplication after rejection. However, applicants should:

• Address any feedback received from previous applications
• Ensure projects align closely with current foreign policy priorities
• Demonstrate organizational learning and capacity development

Application Success Factors

Critical Success Elements:

1. Partnership Requirements: Projects should be implemented in conjunction with local partners. For the Eastern Partnership Programme, tandem partnerships (German + local organization) are mandatory.

1. Alignment with Foreign Policy Priorities: Projects must clearly align with at least one of the six foreign policy focus areas: human rights, climate, feminist foreign policy, humanitarian assistance, national security strategy, or civil crisis prevention.

1. Organizational Capacity: Demonstrate experience in humanitarian assistance or relevant project areas, plus experience managing donations or public funds.

1. Financial Responsibility: Be prepared for deficit funding model where the Federal Foreign Office provides only what your own resources cannot cover. Show evidence of co-financing.

1. Project Design: Focus on measurable outcomes, local ownership, and sustainability. Projects should address basic needs of vulnerable populations or support democratic civil society development.

1. No Retroactive Funding: Projects must not have begun at time of application. Plan well in advance (minimum 8 weeks before start).

Direct Guidance from the Federal Foreign Office:

From the Funding Concept document, the Federal Foreign Office emphasizes:

• “The measures should, as a rule, be implemented in conjunction with local partners”
• Only project-specific staff costs are eligible, not permanent organizational staff
• “There is no automatic entitlement to a grant” - funding is discretionary
• Projects must be non-profit-making

Recently Funded Project Examples:

The Eastern Partnership Programme has funded diverse projects including media development, science initiatives, education and vocational training, cultural projects, sports programmes, language work, and youth exchanges between German civil society and partners in Eastern Partnership countries.

Common Reasons for Rejection (inferred from guidelines):

• Lack of local partnership
• Requesting funding for permanent staff or infrastructure
• Projects already underway
• Insufficient alignment with current foreign policy priorities
• Weak organizational capacity or financial management
• Insufficient own resources/co-financing

Tips for Standing Out:

• Submit a strong 3-page outline initially - this is your first impression
• Demonstrate clear understanding of local context and needs
• Show how project supports both local development and German foreign policy objectives
• Highlight innovative approaches to crisis prevention, peacebuilding, or humanitarian response
• Emphasize measurable outcomes and sustainability plans
• For humanitarian projects, demonstrate compliance with international humanitarian principles

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Budget awareness is critical: The Federal Foreign Office faces significant budget pressures with cuts of 10-20% in recent years. Competition for funding is intensifying, making strong applications essential.

• Partnership is non-negotiable: Projects must involve local partners and demonstrate genuine collaboration, not just German-led implementation. For specific programmes like Eastern Partnership, tandem partnerships are mandatory.

• Plan well ahead: The minimum 8-week advance submission requirement means projects cannot be funded retroactively. Combined with 2-3 month decision timelines, start planning at least 4-5 months before intended project start.

• Focus on project costs only: Do not request funding for permanent staff salaries, existing infrastructure, or operational costs. Only project-specific staff and direct project expenses are eligible.

• 31% success rate requires excellence: With only about 1 in 3 applications funded (based on Eastern Partnership data), applications must be exceptionally well-aligned with priorities and demonstrate clear impact.

• Deficit funding model: Be prepared to demonstrate significant co-financing. The Federal Foreign Office provides only what your own resources cannot cover, following the principle of subsidiarity.

• Humanitarian organizations should pre-qualify: For humanitarian assistance funding, confirm eligibility with humanitarian divisions before investing time in a full application. This saves time and ensures you meet baseline requirements.

References

1. Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) - Official Website: https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en

1. “Federal Foreign Office Funding Concept” (Policy Document): https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/resource/blob/2442814/fed7ee4c6e4b3088c79176bda4a15d26/tp-foerderkonzept-s-data.pdf

1. “Cooperation with humanitarian relief organisations” - Federal Foreign Office: https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/aussenpolitik/themen/humanitarianassistance/-/256632

1. “Expanding Cooperation with Civil Society in the Eastern Partnership Countries and Russia (Eastern Partnership Programme)” - Federal Foreign Office: https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/aussenpolitik/europe/cooperation-with-civil-society/373732

1. Civil Society Cooperation - Eastern Partnership Countries, Germany and Russia: https://civilsocietycooperation.net/about-the-programme/

1. “Germany, Federal Foreign Office (FFO)” - Publish What You Fund, 2022 Index: https://www.publishwhatyoufund.org/the-index/2022/germany-federal-foreign-office/

1. “German government agrees on draft budget for 2025; ODA funding envelopes significantly cut” - Donor Tracker: https://donortracker.org/policy_updates?policy=german-government-agrees-on-draft-budget-for-2025-oda-funding-envelopes-signficantly-cut-2024

1. "Germany's 2024 budget: Massive ODA cuts after a fiscal odyssey" - Donor Tracker: https://donortracker.org/publications/germany-s-2024-budget-massive-oda-cuts-after-a-fiscal-odyssey-2024

1. “German humanitarian assistance” - Deutschland.de: https://www.deutschland.de/en/humanitarian-assistance

1. “Micro-projects: Call for Applications” - Federal Foreign Office South Africa: https://southafrica.diplo.de/sa-en/04-news/2581988-2581988