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Funding under the ESF Plus Program "Win-Win – Through Cooperation for Integration"
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Last updated: 14.6.2025

The ESF Plus program "Win-Win – Through Cooperation for Integration" supports projects that promote young men aged 18 to 35 with particular access challenges to education and the labor market. It aims to improve their social and economic participation through the development, testing, and transfer of social innovations in cooperative networks. This program is essential for the integration of disadvantaged young men into the labor market and society.

Who is Funded: Target Groups and Reach

The "Win-Win" program is aimed at cooperation or project consortia that support measures to improve the social and economic participation of young men aged 18 to 35. In particular, it supports individuals who have difficulties accessing education, training, and employment and are often not reached by employment agencies or job centers. Funding is provided nationwide, with projects needing to be tailored to specific regions.

What is Funded: Measures and Focus Areas

Measures and activities tailored to the individual support needs of the target group and contributing to improving their access to the labor market are funded. This includes the development and testing of new socially innovative solutions, as well as the transfer of already identified and funded approaches to other municipalities. The funding objectives are divided into four individual goals, relating to whether the target group is reached or refused by the employment administration.

Type and Scope of Funding

The "Win-Win" program offers financial support in the form of non-repayable grants. The funding amount is up to 95 percent of the eligible expenditures, with total project expenditures ranging between EUR 250,000 and EUR 1,250,000. The project duration is limited to the period from December 2024 to December 2028.

Conditions and Requirements

Specific conditions apply to participation in the "Win-Win" program regarding application submission, consortium formation, and budgeting. Furthermore, cross-cutting principles such as equality and anti-discrimination must be observed, and comprehensive reporting and transparency obligations must be fulfilled. The entire process is handled electronically via the Z-EU-S funding portal.

Application Procedure

The application procedure for the "Win-Win" program is two-stage. It begins with an expression of interest via the Z-EU-S funding portal, which is evaluated according to fixed criteria. Only selected projects are invited to submit a formal funding application. The granting authority is the German Pension Insurance Federation, Knappschaft-Bahn-See (KBS).

The ESF Plus program "Win-Win" is based on specific European and national legal foundations that define its objectives and implementation. These include EU regulations for the European Social Fund Plus, provisions of the Federal Budget Code, and the underlying funding guidelines. These documents ensure that the program complies with legal requirements and contributes to the active inclusion of disadvantaged groups.

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Funding Overview

Maximum Amount

Maximum Amount:

€1,250,000

Deadline

Deadline:

12.04.2024

Open Until

Open Until:

31.12.2028

Award Channel

Award Channel:

Competitive Tender

Region

Region:

Germany (More Developed Regions, Transition Regions)

Sectors

Sectors:

Education and Vocational Training, Research and Development, Service Sector, Social Enterprises

Beneficiaries

Beneficiaries:

Young men with a migration background, non-employed young men (18-35 years), newly arrived male EU citizens, members of minorities and third-country nationals who are at risk of social exclusion and poverty.

Funding Stages

Funding Stages:

Experimental Development, Pilot Testing, Market Introduction

Funding Provider

Program Level: National

Funding Body: Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (BMAS)

Managed By: German Pension Insurance Federation, Knappschaft-Bahn-See (KBS)

Website: Deutsche Rentenversicherung Knappschaft-Bahn-See (KBS)