Requirements
Non-profit status
Legal entities (e.g. associations) that can provide proof of recognition of their non-profit status by the tax office can apply for funding for a project. Public corporations (e.g. universities) can also be supported if they use the funds received exclusively for tax-privileged purposes.
Foundation objectives
It must be possible to assign the planned project to one of our foundation objectives. The foundation’s current objectives were defined in 2006 by Hans Hermann Voss. Our funding priorities are to be observed within the foundation’s objectives.
Funding priorities
Mainly in North Rhine-Westphalia we support
- Scholarships for students of scientific-technical disciplines with an in-house scholarship program, usually at universities or universities of applied science with technical focus. For the award of scholarships, personal social aspects of the students are also taken into account
- Interdisciplinary networking of students
- Research projects with a regional focus, i.e. with the Oberberg district as a pilot region or on regionally relevant topics
We do not support
- Individual research projects
- Individual scholarships outside our scholarship programs
- Chair equipment
- Projects in the field of teaching
- Student competition entries that can be sponsored with funds from the economy
- Endowed professorhips
Depending on the focus topic we support in Wipperfürth, the Oberbergischer Kreis district, the Bergisches Land region or internationally
- STEM activities along the entire education chain; here also: projects with a STEM focus from or at universities that are aimed at pupils (district-wide, selectively also regionally or internationally)
- Projects at the transition between school and training (district-wide, possibly also as part of international exchanges, or internationally)
- Music education for children (district-wide)
- Healthy nutrition and exercise in daycare centers and schools (district-wide)
- Participatory projects at schools (locally)
- Projects that focus on daycare centers and schools as living spaces (locally)
We do not support
- Basic equipment for daycare centers and schools
In Wipperfürth and the Oberbergischen Kreis district we support
- Youth work in local sports and music associations and leisure activities offered by other non-profit organizations; here also: international youth exchange activities
- Cross-generational activities for youth and seniors
- Participation projects for seniors beyond working life
- Projects to combat loneliness among senior citizens
- Support projects for and with senior citizens
- Age-appropriate club sport
We do not support any
- Vehicles
- Top-class sport
In Wipperfürth and the Oberbergischer Kreis district we support
- Offers of non-profit organizations for people of all ages who are dependent on the help of others because of their physical, mental or psychological condition
We do not support
- Vehicles
- Individual aid as direct support
- Projects and measures outside our foundation objectives
- Building projects, investments
- Ongoing personnel or infrastructure costs
- Projects already in progress
- One-off events
- Subsidies for printing costs
- Evaluation measures, except for projects implemented or supported by us
- Amendments to projects already approved
Excerpts of our statute and our funding guidelines
The objectives of the Hans Hermann Voss Foundation stem from the foundation statute from 06-28-2006, last modified on 06-21-2012. § 2 of the foundation statute reads:
1. The objectives of the foundation are
- Funding of natural science and research;
- Funding of education and training;
- Funding of youth and seniors;
- (case by case) support of charitable causes.
2. The objectives of the foundation are achieved e.g. by supporting
- research projects of academic institutions, in particular universities and universities of applied sciences and other scientific facilities, e.g. Max Planck Institute, as well as research projects of non-profit, private, and public institutions, as well as by aiding students and affiliates of these institutions through scholarships and scientific awards,
- educational and athletic institutions, such as kindergartens, youth centers, athletic clubs, and schools,
- retirement and rest homes,
- individuals listed in § 53 nos. 1 and 2 of the fiscal code, or by founding and maintaining facilities like those listed above.
3. The funding does not necessarily have to be granted uniformly to all foundation objectives. The foundation can fund individual foundation objectives to a lesser extent than other foundation objectives or – over a restricted period of time – not at all.
4. The foundation can entirely or partially allocate its resources for the fulfillment of the objectives to suitable corporations of public law or other tax-deductible bodies insofar as it does not fulfill the objectives itself – if necessary, using auxiliary persons within the meaning of § 57 sect. 1, sentence 2 of the fiscal code in the publication version from 10-01-2002.
5. The board of trustees has the right to set funding guidelines for the allocation of resources within the framework of the objectives of the foundation in accordance with sect. 1 to sect. 4.
In the funding guidelines from 08-09-2013, it is firstly established that funding is prioritized for Wipperfürth and for the Oberberg district for the foundation objectives “Youth and seniors” and “Support of charitable causes”. Secondly, the following funding principles are defined in § 2:
1. Out of the foundation resources available according to § 1 sect. 3, the projects that can be funded according to the statements above and the statute can be financed entirely or partially.
However, the following should in principle not be financed:
– costs following completion of funded projects,
– projects that lead to withdrawal by the public authorities that were previously financing these projects,
– projects with party political impact,
– projects that would not have been supported by the founder Hans Hermann Voss, according to the opinion of the board of trustees.
2. Indiscriminately distributed funding is not desirable. On the contrary, it may turn out to be appropriate to bundle the expected foundation resources. This can be done by allocating larger proportional shares to particular foundation objectives in an annual rotation. This allows the possibility of funding of more costly and possibly more urgent projects.
3. The funding must take place according to objective and transparent criteria.
4. When allocating foundation resources that require particular expertise, the executive and board of trustees may rely on consultation with specialists (e.g. when awarding scholarships).
Application
Applications for funding can be submitted to us at any time via our online application portal.
We are happy to answer questions in advance by e-mail, telephone or in a personal meeting.
The decision as to whether and to what extent funding will be provided is usually made at one of the four meetings of the Board of Trustees each year.
Triennial Report
The three-year report provides a comprehensive insight into the work of the Hans Herman Voss Foundation and highlights selected funding projects in the four foundation purposes Natural science and research, Education and training, Youth and Seniors and Charitable causes.