Apply for funding from the ESF Plus program „Win-Win - Through Cooperation to Integration“

If you wish to offer socially innovative solutions and measures for young men aged 18 to 35 who face difficulties accessing education, employment, and social benefits, you can apply for funding under certain conditions.

With the help of the European Social Fund Plus (ESF Plus), the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) supports municipalities, in particular with the social integration of young men with a migration background and non-working individuals aged 18 to 35, as well as with access to the labor market and relevant support and social services. This target group presents many German municipalities with a high proportion of migrants with special challenges.

Funding is provided by the ESF Plus federal program "Win-Win". The "Win-Win" program funds new innovative solution concepts and measures to improve the labor market opportunities of young men with a migrant background. This is achieved through the formation of new social relationships or cooperation between public, civil society, and private organizations. Social innovations are also intended to be transferred to other municipalities or into other social contexts.

Nature and scope

You will receive the grant as one of the organizations in the new cooperative network. It is typically paid out as a grant for a period of 4 years. The amount of the funding is up to 95 % of the project’s total expenses. You must contribute at least 5 % of the total expenses yourself.

The approval of the applications is handled by the German pension insurance fund Knappschaft-Bahn-See (DRV KBS). In doing so, the DRV KBS has the tasks of,

• to inform the applicants and provide advice on funding matters,
• To review applications,
• to grant and disburse subsidies and
• To review the project.

You are not entitled to funding.

The funding procedure for the ESF Plus program "Win-Win" is a two-stage process. In the first step, you submit an expression of interest. In the second step, the selected project coordinators are invited to submit an application.

Regarding step 1:

• Please submit your expressions of interest electronically via the online service funding portal Z-EU-S. Please note the separately announced deadlines.
• An independent expert institute evaluates the submitted expressions of interest. The selection is made based on defined selection criteria and weightings. These include
  • Aspects of suitability and financing,
  • Formation and cooperation of a new cooperation network,
  • Quality of the project concept,
  • Quality of the work and schedule,
  • Consolidation and transfer of social innovations and the
  • Economic viability of the project.  

Regarding step 2:

• If your project receives a positive evaluation in the first stage, you will be asked to submit a formal, written funding application via the Z-EU-S funding portal.

If your project is approved, the standard regulations for grants will apply, supplemented by special regulations for federal funding from European Social Fund 2021-2027 resources.

• Against decisions made within the framework of the approval process (grant notification, final notice), you can use the funding portal
  Submit a Z-EU-S objection.
• A direct lawsuit is also permissible against decisions made within the context of the expression of interest procedure – provided these were issued by a supreme federal authority.