European Social Fund (ESF+) in Hesse

The ESF+ funding program in Hesse targets a wide range of organizations and institutions active in the fields of labor market, education, and social inclusion. It specifically supports projects that promote equal opportunities and improve employability in the state of Hesse. Transnational cooperations are also explicitly encouraged.

The ESF+ funding program in Hesse supports projects that include labor market and employment policy measures, especially in the areas of general and vocational education and active inclusion. In principle, eligible expenses that are directly project-related are eligible for funding. Projects must be implemented in the 2021 to 2027 funding period.

Funding through the ESF+ in Hesse is provided as a grant and generally amounts to up to 40 percent of the total eligible expenditures of a project. The exact amount of funding and co-financing rates can be found in the respective specific funding guidelines. Projects are approved for a limited period; the framework guideline applies until the end of 2031.

Various conditions and requirements apply to the application and project implementation under ESF+ in Hesse, including adherence to the principles of economy and efficiency, compliance with overarching EU principles (equality, equal opportunities, sustainable development), and ensuring overall financing. Strict public procurement regulations must also be observed.

The application process for ESF+ in Hesse generally takes place electronically via the ESF customer portal of Wirtschafts- und Infrastrukturbank Hessen (WIBank). Applications must be submitted before the start of the project, although an early start of measures can be approved in writing under certain circumstances. The selection of projects takes place according to program-specific procedures.

The legal basis for the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) in Hesse is the framework guideline for the 2021 to 2027 funding period. This guideline is supplemented by specific EU regulations, Hessian state laws, and further administrative regulations. All relevant documents are available for download on the ESF Hesse homepage.