4Generation: Diversity – Participation – Engagement in Youth Work

The "4Generation" program in Lower Saxony aims to strengthen youth work and enable discrimination-free participation for young people. Funding is primarily directed at volunteer-led youth groups and initiatives, as well as recognized youth associations and youth work providers based in Lower Saxony, to support their projects.

The program supports individual projects as well as overarching and coordinating projects of volunteer-led youth groups in Lower Saxony. Projects must focus on the thematic priorities of participation, diversity, engagement, and experimental approaches, and pursue new methods in youth work.

Funding is provided as a non-repayable grant for project funding in the form of fixed-amount financing. The amount of the grant per project ranges from EUR 1,500 to EUR 10,000 per full project year, with a maximum monthly funding of EUR 850. The project duration is a minimum of 3 to a maximum of 24 months.

Applicants must meet various requirements, including planning new projects with specific thematic priorities and considering gender mainstreaming. Collaborations are welcome, and certain projects exceeding EUR 5,000 should have an overarching function. There are no specific De minimis regulations, but budgetary limits and legal form requirements apply to higher funding amounts.

The application procedure for final recipients is managed online by the Landesjugendring Niedersachsen e.V. (State Youth Council of Lower Saxony) as a service point. The State Youth Council itself submits an annual application to the Lower Saxony State Office for Social Affairs, Youth and Family based on the expected funding applications from the final recipients. Projects are reviewed by a decision-making committee.

The legal basis of the "4Generation" program is the "Guideline on the Granting of Subsidies for Measures of the Program '4Generation: Diversity – Participation – Engagement in Youth Work'". The program is also subject to the administrative regulations pertaining to § 44 of the State Budget Code (LHO).