Addressing Challenges Arising from the Influx of Protected Persons (Integration Fund)

This fund is aimed at municipalities in Lower Saxony with a disproportionately high influx of immigrants who wish to implement measures for the sustainable integration of protected persons. The goal is to avoid social hotspots, strengthen social cohesion, and promote social participation.

The Integration Fund supports various measures to address integration challenges in Lower Saxony municipalities. Eligible for funding are necessary personnel, material, and investment expenses for projects that aim at stabilizing and developing areas with particular integrative challenges, preventing social hotspots, securing social cohesion, or promoting social participation.

The funding is provided as a non-repayable grant for project funding. The grant can amount to up to 90 percent of the eligible expenses. Each individual grant should exceed 50,000 EUR in individual cases.

Funding is tied to specific conditions that concern both eligibility and the implementation of measures. Eligible municipalities must demonstrate a disproportionately high integration need and must not be member municipalities of 'Samtgemeinden'. Processing is carried out in accordance with the General Administrative Regulations for the State Budget Code.

Applications for funding must be submitted in writing to the competent approving authority. A project description, a cost and financing plan, and any other required documents are necessary. Approval is granted at the dutiful discretion within the framework of available budget funds.

The funding is based on the Guideline on the Granting of Subsidies for Addressing Challenges Arising from the Influx of Protected Persons (Integration Fund). This guideline, issued by the Lower Saxony Ministry of Interior and Sport, regulates the conditions and framework of the funding program and refers to the administrative regulations for the State Budget Code.