Funding programme of the Lower Saxony Memorials Foundation:
Through this programme, we support cultural investments such as building works and refurbishment projects, as well as initiatives aimed at active cultural engagement, such as permanent exhibitions or digital learning environments. Another key focus is on major acquisitions that contribute to the preservation and future-oriented development of places of remembrance.
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Recognising the importance of sites, memorials and initiatives in Lower Saxony dedicated to the history of National Socialism, and in acknowledgement of the work carried out there, the State of Lower Saxony is providing additional investment funding of 34 million euros to enable the sustainable development of memorial work and the landscape of remembrance in Lower Saxony.
Through these investment projects, the State of Lower Saxony intends to fulfil its responsibility for further strengthening the institutions dedicated to the culture of remembrance relating to National Socialism in Lower Saxony and their work, which remains indispensable.
The funding is intended to help strengthen knowledge of the historical events that took place between 1933 and 1945 within the territory of the State of Lower Saxony and to promote a contemporary, reflective historical awareness.
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Funding is provided for cultural investments. These include, in particular:
- Building works and equipment purchases, such as museum-related, security and event-related, administrative, energy-related and digital procurements. Sustainability aspects must be given due consideration – in particular the resource- and climate-friendly use of materials and the improvement of the environmental footprint of day-to-day operations.
- Measures to improve active cultural education (e.g. permanent exhibitions and digital learning environments). In doing so, inclusion, cultural participation and diversity, as well as gender equality, must be given appropriate consideration.
- Major procurements serving conservation, equipment and further development, such as:
- purchases of exhibition equipment
- procurements of digital media and technology
- security and surveillance technology
- purchases of software and digital solutions
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In 2026, €34,000,000 will be available for the funding programme. Applications can be submitted for amounts of €5,000 or more.
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Eligible for funding are individuals and non-profit legal entities governed by private law that are dedicated to memorial work in Lower Saxony.
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The funding programme will run in 2026; applications must be submitted to us by 30 September 2026 at the latest.
The project duration may be several years.
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Funding applications may be submitted to the Lower Saxony Memorials Foundation (investition@stiftung-ng.de) at any time, but no later than 30 September 2026. There is a two-stage application process.
In the first stage, a project outline is requested, which is intended to enable a comparative assessment of whether the project appears worthy of funding in line with the programme’s objectives. The funding applications and project outlines received are submitted to the Academic Expert Commission, which makes funding recommendations.
The Foundation then decides, on the recommendation of the Scientific Expert Committee, which of the project outlines should be developed further and invites the applicants to submit a full application.
All applications are subject to the general funding principles of the Lower Saxony Memorials Foundation and the guidelines for project funding from the Lower Saxony Memorials Development Department.