Grant Applications
Information for Applicants
General Information
For us, personal contact with grant applicants is decisive. Thus, we are able to make do with few formalities and are able to make grant decisions based on a formless written application. Your application is initially reviewed to establish general eligibility for funding. For this review to take place in a timely manner, please ensure that your application materials are as complete as possible. For a list of required information, please consult the Guidelines for Applicants.
In the case of the establishment of a new school, please submit the required documents far enough in advance (i.e. during the year preceding the planned establishment of the school) due to the increased verification and processing time.
Data Protection
In processing your application, we take data protection and information security very seriously. That’s why we handle any personal data that you submit to us in the context of your application in accordance with the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). You can find more information about the types of data that we store and process in the “Data Privacy Policy for Applicants” (only available in German).
Preliminary enquiry
If you are uncertain, before applying, whether your planned project fits to the Software AG – Foundation and our funding priorities, please only use our enquiry form. You can download it here, save it on your computer as a PDF and then fill it out and send it by e-mail to anfragen(at)sagst.de. This way, you will receive an initial assessment of whether an official grant application appears to be appropriate, in principle.
Grant Application Procedure
- Download the Guidelines for Applicants (only available in German) and print it out.
- Submit all of the listed documents (preferably not stapled together).
- If you are unable to provide some of the requested information, please provide an explanation in the appropriate area of the guidelines.
- Please sign the completed Guidelines for Applicants and the consent to data processing, which is a part of the guidelines (pages 2 and 3). You do not need to attach the “Data Privacy Policy for Applicants” a second time. This document is for your information only.
- Put the signed document on top of your application documents.
- Please send your complete application – preferably in electronic form – to anfragen(at)sagst.de or by post.
Incomplete applications must unfortunately be returned unreviewed. Above all, please note that we cannot process your application without your consent to data processing.
Inquiries
You are welcome to submit an inquiry to us before your application, including via e-mail to anfragen(at)sagst.de.
Please include the following information:
- name of the applicant or organization, including legal form
- proof of charitable or non-profit status
- short description of the project
- cost plan, financial plan, and time frame of the project in brief
- signed consent to data processing
Grant Amounts
The possible grant amount is based on:
- our financial possibilities as well as the volume and number of applications received
- need and urgency of individual projects
- above all, the portion of the total costs of the project that can be sensibly and appropriately covered through the financial participation of the foundation
Donation Requests
Please understand that we are not able to respond to general requests for donations.
Review Process and Grant
When we receive applications, we first review whether they match the basic funding principles of our foundation. In the case of a positive first review, we appoint a SAGST colleague to serve the responsible project manager. Hhe or she will get in touch with you if there are documents missing from your application. If the review of the complete application leads to a positive interim result, then the project manager will usually arrange a visit with you to get to know the project. The project manager will present the project to the board of the foundation in a so-called “grant approval meeting.” The board decides jointly whether and how much funding can be given. Please understand that this form of application review takes time.
In the case of a positive grant decision, the responsible project manager will remain with your project until completion. Officially, project support ends only with an examination of your report on expenditure of funds.
Eligibility
We review all applications and consider them individually and with great flexibility. Nevertheless, some types of projects are almost always ineligible.
Projects not eligible for funding include:
- Short-term events such as conferences or symposia (unless part of a larger support context)
- Holiday or recreational activities
- Scholarships
- Clubs/associations or funding for administrative activities
In addition, applications are also disqualified for the following reasons:
- The applicant is a natural person, or the organization does not have non-profit status.
- The goal of your project is not included in our focal areas.
- You are entitled to receive public funding.
- The applicant does not have a legitimate need.
- The requested grant is intended to predominantly cover ongoing operating costs.
If you are unsure whether you meet these criteria, please do not hesitate to contact us by phone or e-mail with a non-binding inquiry.
Please note that there is no legal entitlement to funding.