Overall Description

This funding topic supports innovative and practically applicable solutions that improve material efficiency and advance the transition from a linear economy to a circular economy. It addresses large and environmentally significant primary and secondary raw-material flows in sectors such as chemicals, agriculture, food, construction and wastewater treatment.

Projects may cover the complete product life cycle—from design and resource-efficient production to use, reuse, repair, recycling and material recovery. DBU recognises that technological innovation alone is insufficient and therefore also supports new business models, social innovation, cooperation networks and educational approaches.

Funding Amount

• Typical funding per project: €100,000–€400,000, excluding the applicant’s own contribution.
• Maximum per project: No fixed maximum is specified; funding is determined 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 project costs and 50% of research-related project costs. More favourable rates may apply to SMEs and cooperation projects.
• Grants of up to €175,000 are approved by the DBU Secretary General. Projects requesting higher amounts 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.
• Early submission is recommended because funding is competitive.
• Indicative assessment period: approximately four to six months for complete, high-quality submissions that do not require additional clarification or external review.

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 economically viable.
• Proposed solutions must have strong practical relevance, implementation potential and continued effectiveness after the project ends.
• Projects must not begin 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 an individual 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 durations are approved only in justified exceptional cases.
• Projects consisting solely of basic research, investment, market launch, environmental monitoring or studies without a concrete implementation perspective are not eligible.
• Projects fulfilling statutory obligations, projects already started and institutional funding applications are also excluded.

Eligible Types of Businesses and Organisations

Funding is generally available to legal entities, including:

• Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – given particular consideration.
• 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 eligible in individual cases following a separate assessment.

Eligible Countries

• Primary eligible country:
  • Germany
• International projects:
  • Limited funding is available for international projects, primarily in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe.
  • Projects outside these regions may be considered individually.
  • International projects must primarily be implemented abroad and substantially involve local partners.
  • DBU particularly supports cooperation projects between a German applicant and international partners in the project country.