Democracy and commitment - For democracy: Initiatives in the East can apply for money
Eastern German Associations and Initiatives can apply for support from the community fund "Zukunftswege Ost" (Future Paths East) for democratic engagement starting now. At least 100 projects are planned to be funded with up to 5,000 Euro each. The first money could already flow in September, as Ostbeauftragte of the Federal Government, Carsten Schneider, announces.
Behind the Community Fund stands the German Foundation Federation and four of its member foundations. Schneider is the patron. The Fund is intended to promote burgher engagement in rural regions in the East in a bureaucratic way.
"Democracy needs social cohesion," explains Schneider. This cohesion is created by people who engage in sports clubs, in neighborhood help or in youth work. "But where our democracy is increasingly coming under pressure, it is also difficult for people there who want to do something good," says the SPD politician.
Surveys show that four out of ten people in Eastern Germany engage in voluntary work. In 2022, there were around 100,000 civil society organizations registered there, according to the Foundation Federation's statements. Of the total 25,254 foundations, only 1,833 had their seat in the eastern federal states.
- The initiative in Saxony-Anhalt aims to strengthen democracy through community involvement, seeking support from the "Zukunftswege Ost" fund.
- The political landscape of Brandenburg has been significantly influenced by the active participation of various grassroots initiatives and clubs.
- The Federal Government's Ostbeauftragte, Carsten Schneider, has been instrumental in promoting democracy by supporting eastern regional foundations and initiatives.
- Thuringia and Saxony have seen a surge in civic engagement with an increasing number of civil society organizations, aligning with Germany's democratic values.
- Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's clubs and initiatives are actively seeking funding to promote democratic principles in their communities.
- The initiative in Saxony has attracted significant national attention, with prominent figures like Carsten Schneider advocating for more support for democratic grassroots initiatives across Germany.
- The democratic engagement in Berlin and its clubs has been a model for other cities in the east, as the Federal Government actively seeks to involve local societies in shaping Germany's future.
