Submitting an application
Before a Teams up! project application can be made, a project outline document must be submitted, the German project partner must pass the assessment for implementing organisations and a strategy for ensuring a partnership approach on the project must be drawn up.
The application process
- is subject to a deadline;
-
requires (from 2024) a project outline document (previously referred to as an “expression of interest”) to be submitted; and
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requires the application form to be filled in in German and fully completed.
Good to know: Costs incurred for the translation of applications into English or French for the project partners’ information are eligible for funding.
A two-phase process
The application process is supported by online information events to provide advice for applicants. From 2024, the process will consist of two phases with two application deadlines per year.
Application deadlines
The application deadline is based on the planned project start date. First-time applications must not exceed a funding request of 50,000 euros. For follow-up projects (youth exchange and accompanying projects), a grant of up to 80,000 euros can be applied for. Project outline documents must be submitted by no later than eight weeks prior to the next application deadline.
Project applications for up to 50,000 euros (total expenditure)
Project start date | Application deadline | Deadline for submitting the project outline document |
---|---|---|
1/07/25 | 31/07/24 | 31/05/24 |
1/05/25 | 15/12/24 | 15/10/24 |
Project application
The completed project application must include an educational plan and a detailed schedule. In addition, a complete financing plan and a security and crisis plan must be attached.
Information events for potential applicants
Information events are offered for organisations interested in applying for funding. They are run online, in plenty of time before the next application deadline, and cover common questions from first-time applicants. The dates of these events are regularly posted on our website.
Project outline document
All organisations seeking to submit a project funding application must first submit an expression of interest in the form of a project outline document. The project outline must contain a brief description of the project, explain how it relates to which SDG and provide details of the project partnership. It must also give a rough estimate of the total project expenditure and specify how the partners’ share of the funding is to be financed (for each year).
The project outline document can be submitted at any time but no later than eight weeks before the next application deadline. As a compulsory part of the process, we will contact you by telephone after your project outline has been assessed to advise you at an early stage as to whether the project will be eligible for funding and what aspects need to be modified before the application is actually submitted. The outline document can be assessed at the same time as the implementing organisation.
Project application
Each project application is based on an educational plan, which is drawn up jointly by the project partners. The application form is intended to show how the project will address one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and what educational support and mentoring is to be provided. In addition, the contribution to achieving the goals of Teams up! and the implementation of the funding principles such as partnership, sustainability or diversity should be evident.
The application should cover the following project phases, depending on the project type:
- Preparatory phase
- Outbound visit to one of the two partner countries
- Interim phase
- Return visit to the other partner country
- Follow-up phase
The content-related criteria to be considered for the different phases of the project are described in more detail in the Funding Guideline:
Funding Guideline - Teams up! Youth Exchange for Sustainable Development
Below you will find downloads of the application forms and help for filling them out:
Financing plan
The financing plan must include all planned eligible expenditure and income.
- The financing plan is binding.
- The funding provided by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) covers up to 75 percent of the overall expenditure.
- In line with the principle of partnership, all expenditure should be balanced between the project partners.
- Precise details must be given of the basis upon which the planned eligible expenditure for each item was calculated.
- The provisions of the German Travel Expenses Act (BRKG) must be observed.
- Staff expenditure must be based on the Pay Agreement for German Public Service (TVöD), fees on the fee scale for training sessions.
- Flat rates are not eligible for funding. Only expenditure that is actually incurred and for which proof can be provided is eligible for funding.
Financing plan (PDF, 1.5 MB)
How to fill in the Financing plan (PDF, 1.1 MB)
Security and crisis plan
The security and crisis plan should make it clear that the implementing organisations are in a position to provide and implement appropriate concepts and structures for the security of the participants and for crisis situations.
Please feel free to use the document to think through possible risks and crises in the implementation of the project and to work out suitable countermeasures in advance. There is no form template for the document.
The security and crisis plan must
- describe the communication channels and measures to be taken in the event of a crisis,
- contain emergency addresses during the visits as well as
- an emergency telephone number that can be contacted by all participants 24/7.
In addition, all participants of the German group must register in the Electronic Registration of Germans Abroad (ELEFAND) list.
If participants whose place of residence is in Germany and who do not have German citizenship are involved in the projects, please contact the contact persons of Teams up!
Important
All of the documents linked above can also be found in the Document Centre.
A step-by-step guide to the application process
The application process for Teams up! consists of the steps described below. The implementing organisation must have passed the assessment before the project application is submitted.
- Provision of individual pre-application advice by Engagement Global to potential applicant organisations, based on the project outline document they submit before submitting their application. The project outline can be submitted when the implementing organisation assessment takes place. We also offer regular online information events to provide advice and support on any unanswered questions.
- Electronic submission of the project outline document at least eight weeks before the application deadline to:
jugendbegegnungen@engagement-global.de - Assessment of the project outline document by Engagement Global. Forwarding of any queries regarding the project outline document. Engagement Global draws up a shortlist based on the outline documents and invites those on it to submit a project application.
- Completion of all necessary forms and drawing-up of an educational plan as part of the application, financing plan and security and crisis plan.
- Electronic transmission of all application documents to
jugendbegegnungen@engagement-global.de
and postal submission of the application by post to Engagement Global gGmbH, Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 40, 53113 Bonn. - Preliminary review by Engagement Global of the formal, content-related and financial aspects of the application.
- Presentation of any queries about the application. Possible rejection of application if there are substantial queries. Then resubmission for the next application deadline instead.
- If recommended for funding, forwarding of the application (with comments) by Engagement Global to the BMZ.
- In the event of a positive decision: Drawing-up of the forwarding agreement and signature by the German implementing organisation.