Funding guidelines
The funding guidelines provide information on the criteria for evaluating funding applications. Please send us only project applications whose content and structure comply with the funding guidelines. The following criteria should help you in processing the request. Please check carefully and, if in doubt, feel free to ask whether your project has a chance of receiving funding from our foundation.

Goals and funding priorities
The Schöck-Familien-Stiftung gemeinnützige GmbH (hereinafter: SFS) was founded in 2012 by Sabine Schöck and her children and has since been supporting projects in Germany and abroad. In Germany, SFS focuses on funding primarily in Baden-Württemberg and abroad on funding primarily in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Uganda and Kenya.
It is close to the family’s heart to give disadvantaged people a chance at a successful and responsible life through individually tailored support, good education and training.
Depending on the regional conditions and social environment, the SFS is concerned with, among other things, learning basic knowledge, promoting personality development, training for gainful employment, basic knowledge about rights in a society, strengthening self-esteem, creating a livelihood, protecting nature and the environment, providing medical care, and maintaining cultural values.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants can be corporate bodies (e.g. associations, foundations or gGmbHs) based in Germany and recognized as non-profit by the tax office, as well as municipalities and educational institutions.

In exceptional cases, EU organizations are also funded.
Funding agreements with organizations outside Europe are not concluded due to the increased administrative burden.
Projects funded by the SFS are committed to being non-profit.

For project funding abroad applies:
Cooperation with a local partner organization is a prerequisite for project funding. The applicant organization should be primarily responsible for administration and coordination in Germany, with the local partner organization implementing most of the project.

The applicant organization only works with partner organizations that are sufficiently known to it and that can expertly plan, implement, monitor and account for the project.

Other requirements

– sustained partnership between the applicant and local implementing organization,
– financial participation and initiative of the applicants, local partner organization(s) and beneficiaries,
– target group-oriented project realization as well as participation of the target group(s) in planning and implementation,
– transparent content and financial planning of the projects,
– efficient use of resources,
– Exemplary function of the projects and their multipliability,
– projects designed for the long term and sustainability,
– highest possible involvement of the authorities,
– Consideration of cultural as well as traditional conditions and production methods, highest possible use of local material resources,
– Implementation of the measures in domestic facilities and organizational structures.
– In the case of projects in the field of agriculture, SFS attaches importance to environmental and nature compatibility.
– The project goals and measures must be defined realistically and comprehensibly. It must be possible to achieve the project objectives with the measures specified in the project application. Otherwise, the SFS must be informed promptly in writing about changes in planning and the reasons for them.
We particularly welcome applications from smaller initiatives that have been launched through the personal commitment of the project leaders.

Application procedure
First, please send us an informative brief description of the project as well as a cost and financing plan.
Please address the following points in any order in the presentation:

– Presentation of the applicant organization
– Presentation of the local partner organization
– Origin of the contact to the partner organization and previous cooperation
– Emergence of the concept / initiative
– Geographical and climatic position
– Situation analysis
– Description of the beneficiaries/target group
– Project goals
– What are the concrete measures to achieve the project goals?
– Schedule
– Assessment of longer-term viability – sustainability
– Difficulties and risks
– What cooperation exists with the state/governmental institutions?
– Exemplary function of the project and multiplicability
– Are there similar initiatives in the area?
– Other relevant information

Funding amount
Funding corresponds to shortfall financing; the funding is thus intended to close a financing gap between the planned expenditures and the company’s own funds and, if applicable, third-party funds.

Funding period
The funding period is a maximum of 2 years.
Follow-up funding and longer-term partnerships, however, are possible in principle.

Exclusion of funding and ineligible costs
The following are not supported
– Projects whose content is outside the thematic and geographical focus,
– Projects that pursue political or religious goals,
– Organizations with a religious background,
– Requests to fund administrative costs only,
– Applications from private individuals who – for whatever reason – are in need,
– Applications for projects/programs whose funding would result in the public sector that previously funded these projects withdrawing,
– Applications for loans, guarantees, barter transactions.

Administrative, advertising, and travel expenses of the applicant organization are also not eligible for funding. Nevertheless, please show these costs in the cost and financing plan.
If, in the case of a project abroad, personnel are to be seconded by the German sponsoring organization, reasons must be given as to why this is necessary for the implementation of the project.

Principles of the funding decision
As an independent gGmbH, the SFS reserves the right to decide on the funding applications received at its own and free discretion and on the basis of the funds available to it. The funding decision is made by the SFS Advisory Board. The SFS reserves the right to revoke its willingness to accept grant applications or to change its grant guidelines at any time. The principles laid down in these funding guidelines serve solely to ensure the transparency of activities. No claims – of any kind whatsoever – against SFS can be derived from this.

There is no entitlement to justification for rejections, nor is there any legal entitlement to a grant on the part of the applicant.

Promotion: agreement and payment
In the event of a positive funding decision, a funding agreement will be concluded between the SFS and the applicant organization. The grant in the amount specified in the Grant Agreement will be disbursed according to the disbursement schedule agreed in the Grant Agreement once the Grant Agreement is approved and signed by both parties.

Total funding must be guaranteed before the project begins so that implementation can be considered assured. Proof of the actual approval of third-party funds as well as the own contribution must be provided at the latest by the time the approved funding is disbursed.

Please note: The information you submit on the project description, the funding application with cost, financing and disbursement plan is binding and will serve as the basis for the funding agreement in the event of a positive funding decision.

Proof of the use of funds
Proof of use must be submitted to SFS during and after the end of the grant period. The proofs of use to be submitted and the time at which they are to be submitted are regulated in a grant agreement in the case of a grant.

The SFS is entitled to examine books, vouchers and other business records and the use of grant funds by means of local surveys or to have them examined by authorized representatives.