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Guidelines for the awarding of grants

of the city of Paderborn for the promotion of projects on the occasion of the 1250th anniversary of the city

Paderborn was first mentioned in writing in the imperial annals in 777. The city is therefore celebrating a special anniversary in 2027: “Paderborn 1250”.

With “Paderborn 1250”, the city administration not only wants to look back, but also look to the present and future of Paderborn as a modern, lively and constantly developing city in Europe with international connections.

Interactive offerings for a wide audience are intended to invite all citizens to engage with Paderborn, its history and its future in a variety of ways.

The city administration wants to actively involve the entire city society in the organisation of the “Paderborn 1250” anniversary and support projects from the citizenry in the anniversary year in accordance with these guidelines.

§ 1 General principles

(1) The City of Paderborn grants subsidies in the form of grants for the realisation of projects for the 1250th anniversary of the city in accordance with these guidelines.

(2) The funding period is the anniversary year 2027.

(3) Grants can only be awarded within the framework of the funds made available for these purposes in the budget and only for projects that comply with the funding principles of these guidelines.

(4) There is no entitlement to funding. The budgetary principles of efficiency and economy must be observed. The maximum funding volume available in this funding programme is EUR 15,000.

(5) A maximum of twelve projects will be funded.

(6) The prerequisite for funding is that a project classified as eligible for funding would not be realised or would only be realised to a reduced extent without the support of the municipal grant. The grant can only be awarded if the overall financing of the project is demonstrably secured.

(7) Only projects for which no other funding from the City of Paderborn has been applied for will be funded.

(8) Funded projects must be realised and accounted for entirely on the applicant’s own responsibility. Independent implementation includes, in particular, obtaining authorisations, taking out insurance, ensuring safety and providing the technology.

(9) In addition, the General Terms and Conditions for the Granting of Subsidies by the City of Paderborn (as of September 2005) apply.

§ 2 Authorisation to apply

Associations, groups, initiatives and independent organisations as well as denominational institutions, artist groups and individuals are eligible to apply. They must have their registered office or place of residence in Paderborn.

§ 3 Object of funding

(1) In principle, projects and events can be supported that

  1. take place in the anniversary year 2027, i.e. be started and completed,
  2. offer a low-threshold programme for a wide audience,
  3. contribute to strengthening citizens’ identification with the city of Paderborn,
  4. create a thematic reference to the city’s anniversary and
  5. be carried out entirely in Paderborn.

(2) In particular, projects that promote art and culture, intercultural or interreligious dialogue, education, science, ecology, urban development, visions for the future, sport, social justice and other projects that promote the objectives of the city’s anniversary and are related to it in terms of content are eligible for funding.

The project applications should be characterised by, for example

  • Examination of the identity of the city of Paderborn including its districts,
  • a reference to the history of the city of Paderborn including its districts,
  • Strengthening the urban community,
  • Sustainability of the project,
  • Audience-orientation and reach (tapping into new target groups, participation, advertising effectiveness beyond Paderborn’s city limits, etc.),
  • Personal contribution of the applicant(s),
  • concretely realisable financing.

(3) In particular, these guidelines do not provide grants for

  • Measures that serve general association purposes or are aimed exclusively or predominantly at the association’s own members,
  • Facilities and projects that serve to generate profit and are commercially orientated,
  • Projects that take place outside Paderborn,
  • Investment measures if these are not absolutely necessary for the realisation of the project,
  • Fee costs for the applicant, hospitality costs, accommodation costs, travelling and travel expenses.

(4) Grants may only be approved for projects that have not yet commenced prior to provisional approval.

§ 4 Type and scope of funding

(1) Project funding for the city anniversary is granted by way of deficit financing.

(2) If funding is granted by various public bodies, third-party funding shall be prioritised. Any third-party funding must be stated in the application.

(3) The funding covers 50 % of the total eligible costs of the project, up to a maximum of EUR 1,250.

(4) Projects will only be subsidised if the sponsors provide half of the total costs of the project themselves.

(5) When submitting an application, applicants must take into account ancillary project costs such as the artists’ social security fund, GEMA, organisers’ liability insurance, etc. The City of Paderborn is not obliged to do so. There is no obligation for the City of Paderborn. In the event that claims are asserted by third parties, the City of Paderborn shall be indemnified by the applicants.

§ 5 Application, authorisation and payment

(1) Applications are submitted via a digital application on the anniversary homepage at www.paderborn1250.de/en/join-in.

The application must include the following information, among others:

  1. Name, address, telephone number, e-mail address and bank details of the applicants
  2. If applicable, name, address, telephone number and e-mail address of a project manager other than the applicant
  3. Detailed project description
  4. Overview of the venue, dates, start and end of the project
  5. a cost and financing plan broken down by individual items, which must show both the calculated total costs and the calculated shortfall.

(2) The application must be submitted by 31 May 2026. The application is only deemed to have been submitted on time if all of the required documents have been submitted to the City of Paderborn’s Office for Public Relations and City Marketing by the application deadline.

(3) Only applications that have been completed in full and submitted with all attachments will be considered.

(4) After the application deadline, the applications will be reviewed by the Public Relations Office and then submitted to the selection panel responsible for the funding decision, which includes representatives of the Public Relations and City Marketing Office, the Cultural Office, the Paderborn Tourist Office and the city departments.

(5) In principle, the selection panel is free to make funding decisions and may also consider aspects in favour of or to the detriment of applicants that are not listed in § 3 of these guidelines. The decision is made by simple majority.

(6) An application is approved in the form of a written funding decision, which contains the maximum amount of the approved grant and at least the requirement to provide suitable proof of utilisation. If a project cannot be funded, the applicants will be informed of this as soon as possible by means of a rejection notice.

(7) The concepts and financing plans submitted with the application are generally binding. Any changes to the concept must be justified in writing to the Office for Public Relations and City Marketing of the City of Paderborn in advance.

(8) If the approved project cannot take place, the Office for Public Relations and City Marketing of the City of Paderborn must be informed immediately.

(9) Once the project has been completed, a verifiable proof of utilisation must be submitted by email to rechnung-stadtjubiläum@paderborn.de within six months. The proof of utilisation must list and document all income and expenditure of the project in chronological order. The receipts must contain the information and attachments customary in business transactions, the receipts for expenditure in particular the payee, reason and date of payment, proof of payment and, in the case of items, the intended use. In addition, the receipts must contain a clear reference to the project.

(10) The Office for Public Relations and City Marketing of the City of Paderborn shall check whether

  1. the intended purpose of the grant has been achieved,
  2. the proof of utilisation meets the requirements specified in the funding decision.

(11) If the proven costs of the project are lower than the costs taken as a basis in the funding decision, the grant must be reduced accordingly by means of an amending decision.

(12) The grant shall be paid cashless to the applicant’s account and after verification of the proof of utilisation.

§ 6 Reimbursement of the grant, interest

(1) The grant shall be reimbursed if a funding decision is cancelled or revoked or otherwise invalidated with effect for the past in accordance with administrative procedural law (in particular Sections 48, 49 VwVfG) or other legal provisions.

(2) This shall apply in particular if the grant has been obtained on the basis of incorrect or incomplete information, if the grant is not or no longer used for the intended purpose or if these guidelines have been violated.

(3) Revocation with effect for the past may also be considered if the recipient of the grant does not use the grant to fulfil the purpose of the grant immediately after disbursement or does not fulfil conditions or does not fulfil them within a set period, in particular does not submit the prescribed proof of use in good time and does not comply with notification obligations in good time.

(4) The reimbursement amount shall bear interest in accordance with Section 49a (3) VwVfG at five percentage points above the base interest rate pursuant to Section 247 BGB.

(5) If grants are not used to fulfil the purpose of the grant immediately after disbursement and if the funding decision is not withdrawn or revoked, interest of five percentage points above the base interest rate pursuant to Section 247 BGB may also be charged annually for the period from disbursement to appropriate use; the same applies if a benefit is claimed although other funds are to be used proportionately or with priority (Section 49a (4) VwVfG). Immediate utilisation of the funds does not exist in the request procedure if the funds are used for payments due more than six weeks after disbursement.

§ 7 Other grant provisions

(1) The grant recipients must ensure that the project is publicised appropriately, drawing attention to the funding from the City of Paderborn in a suitable manner. This includes, in particular, references in documentation, brochures, flyers, press releases and interviews. In particular, documentation, brochures and flyers must include at least the anniversary logo with the addition “Funded by the City of Paderborn”.

Logo package for download (zip file)

(2) The applicants declare their consent to the City of Paderborn to publish digital and analogue information about the projects and to create and use corresponding recordings of the projects and events without restriction, taking into account the GDPR.

§ 8 Entry into force

This funding guideline comes into force on 6 October 2025.