Eco-Cheque 2025

The Eco-Cheque is intended to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises and non-profit organisations to take action towards ecological transformation. Projects can address the following topics:

• Problem analysis, research
• Design and development of suitable solutions
• Pilot trials, testing of new business models, products or services

If additional expertise is required for the project, costs for external innovation or sustainability expertise can also be funded in addition to personnel costs (max. 30% of the total costs).

Examples of topics you can work on can be found in the overview.

The project duration is max. 12 months, an extension is not possible.

Only one eco-cheque per organisation will be funded.

• Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs, information provided in German only) of any legal form (e.g. GmbH, KG, OG, etc., but not civil law partnerships – GesbR)
• Sole proprietorships are only eligible for funding if they have a commercial register number or VAT number. This must be provided when submitting the application.
• Non-profit organisations
  • Non-profit organisations (NPOs)
  • Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
  • Associations
• The following are not eligible for funding:
• Organisations that have already received funding through an eco-cheque
• Large companies (affiliated companies, e.g. parent and subsidiary companies, are considered as one company)
• Sole traders without a commercial register number or VAT number
• Companies in the process of being established
• Companies that are excluded under the de minimis regulation (e.g. companies in the primary production of agricultural products, etc.)
• (Private) universities and technical colleges
• Non-university research institutions
• Municipalities and local authorities
• Schools

Funding is provided in the form of non-repayable grants and amounts to a maximum of €12,000 per project. The funding rate is 80% of the total eligible costs (max. €15,000).

Personnel costs and third-party costs (max. 30% of the total costs) are eligible for funding.

The Eco-Cheque is a de minimis aid (information provided in German only).

Funding applications are assessed according to the following criteria:

1. Project content
2. Benefit and impact
3. Cost

Submissions can only be made electronically via eCall before the deadline.

Please note: Information on the size of the company must be provided when submitting the application.

The decision on funding is made in a simplified evaluation process after the submission deadline.

If more applications are submitted within the defined submission period than budget funds are available, the applications to be reviewed are selected by means of a random draw.

The procedure involves drawing the maximum number of applications that can be funded with the available budget funds and creating a waiting list for funding applications that will be considered in the event of rejections. Only one funding application per organisation will be considered in the drawing procedure.

The selected applications are reviewed based on the random order of the draw to determine whether they meet the funding criteria and are approved or rejected accordingly until all available budget funds have been exhausted.

Please note: When reviewing applications, the proportionality of costs will be taken into account (cost reductions or rejections are possible).

Funding will only be paid out after the project has been completed and the final report has been approved (final instalment).

Further information can be found on our FAQ page.