The Robert Bosch Stiftung is reported to be the largest German Foundation, managing the philanthropic bequest of company founder Robert Bosch for more than 40 years. The Foundation is divided into four areas to support and operate its aid program. In order to pursue the Foundation’s objectives, it promotes external projects and initiates its own projects for developing and running programs.
Some 130 employees manage an average of about 800 internal and external projects a year. Approximately €68 million was spent on program work in 2011. In total the Robert Bosch Stiftung has provided grants worth €1 billion since its founding.
To respond to social challenges and develop new solutions are the key objectives of the Robert Bosch Stiftung. To achieve this, the Foundation organises a wide range of projects and programs of their own and support many project ideas developed by others. The Foundations current funding areas are Health and Science; Education, Society and Culture; International Relations America and Asia; International Relations Europe and its Neighbours.
Both the Foundation’s own programs and the projects they fund aim to promote new developments and bring about change. The Foundation funds projects that either supplement their existing programs, continue them in an innovative way, or contribute significantly to realizing their objectives in the program area concerned.
Due to the wide range of potential projects eligible for funding both in Germany and abroad, the methods and procedures by which the Foundation provides funding are not subject to restrictions. They use a range of instruments to achieve their goals, such as competitions, scholarship programs, prizes, funding of pilot projects, appointment of independent committees and juries, political consulting based on scientific studies, surveys, seminars, and colloquia.
The Foundation welcomes funding proposal by stating that “As a funding foundation, we are always open to new project ideas and funding proposals. They must complement our focus areas and existing funding instruments. The project goals must be specified clearly.” The two step application process is briefly outlined below:
First Step: Inquiry
Forms for first-time applications for third-party projects are available for download. Applications should be no more than two pages in length.
Second Step: Grant Request
The Foundation aims to inform applicants within four weeks whether a project will be accepted for further examination. The application must then be substantiated in greater detail.
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