This funding guideline supports applied research and innovation projects that strengthen the resilience of the population in crisis and disaster situations within Germany’s civil security research framework programme “Research for Civil Security – Together for a safe life in a resilient society”. The call responds to increasingly frequent, complex and dynamic crisis constellations (e.g., climate-related events, geopolitical tensions, hybrid threats, prolonged disruptions) that place greater demands on society’s ability to prepare for, cope with, and recover from crises and catastrophes. A central premise is that resilience must be built “with” the population, not only “for” it: projects are expected to actively involve citizens and civil society actors where appropriate, and to improve the population’s self-help and self-protection capabilities.

Funded projects should design, test and demonstrate innovative, practice-oriented concepts, methods and tools (technical and non-technical) that enable better prevention, preparedness, response and aftercare across an “all-hazards / all-threats” perspective. Solutions should be widely applicable beyond a single local context and should explicitly address transfer into practice, scalability, and sustainable uptake after the project ends. The call is particularly interested in approaches that improve risk awareness and risk communication (e.g., targeted information, campaigns, materials), reduce implementation gaps of existing resilience concepts, and strengthen self-help capabilities through actionable guidance (checklists, tutorials), educational and learning processes in social spaces (neighbourhoods, schools, workplaces, associations), and community-based mutual support mechanisms.

Projects may also consider the special needs and participation barriers of vulnerable groups, including minors, older people, people with disabilities, persons with limited German language proficiency, and socio-economically disadvantaged groups, among others. Additionally, proposals can include psychosocial aspects, such as primary and secondary prevention programmes that support mental health as a factor of societal resilience. A strong emphasis is placed on whole-of-society cooperation: eligible consortia should combine scientific partners with at least one additional partner from relevant practice domains (e.g., authorities and organisations with security tasks, municipalities, competent ministries and agencies, civil society organisations, and/or businesses), ensuring that required expertise for research, piloting, and exploitation is present.

Alongside the thematic research consortia, the guideline also foresees a scientific accompanying project that consolidates findings across funded projects, provides networking and knowledge management, disseminates results to different stakeholder groups, and conducts a discourse analysis on how “risk” and “security” are negotiated in public debate.

Funding is provided as a non-repayable grant under the applicable national budgetary rules and EU state-aid provisions. Typical project durations are expected to be three to four years for the research consortia; the accompanying project is planned for up to four years. The application procedure is explicitly two-stage: first, applicants submit project outlines (sketches) electronically via “easy-Online”; selected consortia are then invited to submit full proposals. Submissions are handled by the VDI Technologiezentrum GmbH as project management organisation, with specific contacts named in the call text.

Find original funding call in german here.