Overall Description

The programme supports innovative and practically applicable projects that reduce the environmental and climate impacts of food production and consumption. It covers the entire food value chain, including primary agricultural production, processing, marketing, storage, transport, preparation and consumption. Particular attention is given to resource conservation, animal welfare, food-loss prevention and improving consumer understanding of sustainable food choices.

Funding Amount

• Typical DBU funding per project: €100,000–€400,000, excluding the applicant’s own contribution.
• Maximum per project: No fixed maximum is stated; the amount is assessed individually.
• Funding instrument: Earmarked, non-repayable grant.
• Co-financing: Applicants must generally provide and document an own contribution.
• Indicative funding rate: Cost-based funding is usually approximately 50%.
  • Companies generally contribute 75% of development-related costs and 50% of research-related costs. More favourable rates may be available for SMEs and cooperation projects.
  • Grants up to €175,000 are approved by the DBU Secretary General; larger grants require additional assessment and approval by the DBU Board of Trustees.

Submission Deadlines

• Deadline: No fixed deadline; project outlines and applications may be submitted at any time.
• Applicants are advised to submit as early as possible because funding is competitive.
• Indicative assessment period: approximately four to six months where the submission is complete and no additional review is required.

Submission Conditions

• Applications normally follow a two-stage procedure:
  1. Submission of a project outline through the DBU online portal, normally 3–10 pages.
  2. Submission of a complete funding application, normally around 20 pages, following an invitation from DBU.
• Applications and project reports must generally be submitted in German.
• Projects must be innovative, exemplary, environmentally beneficial and capable of practical implementation.
• Projects must not have started before DBU approval unless early commencement has been expressly authorised.
• Applicants must generally provide an own contribution and document the use of total project costs.
• Cooperation projects must submit a joint application, with a separate cost plan for each partner and a consolidated project budget.
• Compliance with DBU funding guidelines and applicable EU State aid rules is required.
• Typical project duration is 18–36 months; longer projects are approved only in justified exceptional cases.
• Institutional funding, pure investment projects, market-launch activities, basic research without application potential, studies without a concrete implementation link and projects fulfilling statutory obligations are not eligible.

Eligible Types of Applicants

Funding is generally available to legal entities, including:

• Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – given particular priority.
• Other companies.
• Universities and higher-education institutions.
• Scientific and research institutions.
• Associations, clubs and non-profit organisations.
• Municipalities and other local authorities.
• Civil-society organisations.
• Other legally constituted organisations.

Natural persons and state institutions may be supported in individual cases following a separate assessment.

Eligible Countries

• Primary eligible country:
  • Germany
• International projects:
  • International projects may receive limited funding, primarily in Central and Eastern and South-Eastern European countries.
  • Projects outside this regional focus may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
  • International projects must primarily be implemented abroad and substantially involve local partners.
  • DBU particularly supports cooperation projects between a German applicant and international local partners.