Funding for Self-Help Contact Points

The State of North Rhine-Westphalia supports independent non-profit organizations, as well as districts and independent cities, in establishing and maintaining self-help contact points. The goal is to strengthen self-help in NRW by financing qualified personnel for the counseling, referral, and networking of self-help groups. The funding is regionally limited to North Rhine-Westphalia.

Within the scope of this funding, personnel costs for specialist and secretarial staff in self-help contact points are specifically supported. The funded activities include comprehensive support and networking of self-help groups as well as public relations. Material costs are excluded from funding.

Financial support is provided as a project grant with fixed-sum financing. The maximum funding amount per self-help contact point is €15,000, with the exact amount depending on the number of eligible applications and the total annual budget available. Funding is generally provided for one calendar year.

Eligible applicants must meet certain requirements, including the employment of qualified personnel and the provision of publicly accessible premises. There is no legal entitlement to funding; the allocation is made at the discretion of the competent authority within the framework of available budget funds. The grant exclusively covers personnel costs.

The application must be submitted to the competent district government within the deadline, with copies and, for initial applications, a statement from the local health authority being required. Approval is granted by a grant decision, and disbursement and proof of use follow established templates and regulations.

The funding program is based on the "Guidelines for the Support of Self-Help in North Rhine-Westphalia through the Funding of Self-Help Contact Points" from February 27, 2024. This is supplemented by the regulations of the State Budget Ordinance (LHO) and its administrative regulations (VV to LHO).