Congress Fund Berlin – Funding for your sustainable event

The areas of action within the “Sustainable Event Scorecard” are based on the various planning aspects of an event. Within each area, strategic concepts or individual measures can be implemented to create a more sustainable event. The first area of action, General, focuses on the strategic implementation of sustainability, particularly through overarching concepts.

1. General
2. Transport
3. venue
4. Accommodation
5. Catering
6. Equipment
7. Technology
8. Personnel
9. Procurement
10. Event Programme
11. Communication
12. Sustainable Development Goals
13. Sustainable Partner

It has been developed on the basis of established frameworks and standards. These include the “Guidelines for the Sustainable Organisation of Events” issued by the German Environment Agency, ISO 20121, specialist literature such as Riediger/Oblasser, and Sustainable Event Management by GIZ.

After submitting the funding application, IBB Business Team GmbH (IBT) will send an acknowledgement of receipt. This includes approval for the project to commence. Until an official funding notice has been issued, the applicant acts at their own economic risk.

The funding programme supports events in Berlin aimed exclusively at a professional audience, such as congresses, meetings, seminars and training courses. These events must demonstrate compliance with specific sustainability criteria. A key focus is the international positioning of Berlin. The aim is both to further strengthen the city’s leading role as an international congress destination and to support the internationalisation of the events industry, which represents significant economic potential for Berlin. Together, these objectives are a fundamental prerequisite for maintaining the German capital’s competitiveness at both national and international level. The funding programme therefore provides particular support for events taking place in Berlin for the first time and/or those with a high number of international participants.

• Trade fairs, exhibitions and similar formats, even if they are aimed exclusively at a professional audience and/or are linked to an eligible congress
• Events aimed at private individuals or intended for leisure or recreational purposes
• Events which the applicants themselves or third parties are legally obliged to carry out
• Political party events
• Events that have already commenced before the application is submitted

Amount of Basic Funding

• 25 Euro per participant per event day
• 30 per cent of the total basic funding amount if at least 30 per cent of in-person participants can prove that their place of work is abroad
• €8,400 as a lump sum for events taking place in Berlin for the first time
• The calculation is based exclusively on in-person participants attending the event (online participants are not taken into account)
• Maximum funding amount: €99,950 per event

Examples:

• 2-day congress with 121 participants on day 1 and 95 participants on day 2: €5,400
• As an international event: €7,020
• As a first-time event: €15,420

Only the number of in-person participants (professional audience) is counted. Speakers, employees, service staff, etc. are not included.

The funding programme is aimed at organisations (e.g. companies, associations, public law institutions) as well as self-employed and freelance professionals planning to hold an event in Berlin. In particular, the organiser is considered to be the party that bears the financial and entrepreneurial risk of the event, holds the economic, organisational and legal liability responsibility, and delivers the event on its own account. Event venues are therefore not eligible to apply for funding in their role as landlords.

An important requirement for eligibility is that the applicant must have a registered office, business premises or branch within the Federal Republic of Germany.

A professional audience within the meaning of the Congress Fund funding programme refers to participants attending an event exclusively for professional reasons. For example, because they are registering on behalf of their employer or for research purposes, such as attending a scientific congress.

Accordingly, the programme supports events such as congresses, meetings, seminars or training courses. A professional motivation may also be assumed if the event serves the further training of individuals involved in voluntary work. This may apply, for example, where participation in the event is required to obtain a qualification necessary for carrying out voluntary activities.

To apply for funding, the forms must be completed and uploaded via the customer portal of IBB Business Team GmbH (IBT). In addition, the supporting documents listed at the end of the application must also be uploaded. The funding application and all related documents must be submitted digitally to the granting authority via the customer portal of IBB Business Team GmbH (IBT). Unsolicited submission of printed and signed copies is not required.

The application must be submitted by a person authorised to represent the company.

Yes. An organiser may generally submit multiple funding applications. However, only one funding application may be submitted per event. It is, however, possible to submit funding applications for different events.

After submitting the funding application, IBB Business Team GmbH (IBT) will send an acknowledgement of receipt. This includes approval for the project to commence. Until an official funding notice has been issued, the applicant acts at their own economic risk.

No, funding through the Congress Fund for Sustainable Meetings can only be granted for events whose preparation has not yet begun. In principle, the start of a project is deemed to be the conclusion of a supply or service contract attributable to the implementation of the event. This includes, for example, rental agreements for event premises, service or rental contracts for technical equipment, catering contracts, or contracts for the delivery of promotional materials for the event.

Excluded from this are contracts concluded with an event agency for the purpose of the conception, organisation and delivery of an event. Contracts relating to the organiser’s revenue side are also excluded, such as sponsorship agreements.

The programme must comprise at least four net hours (excluding breaks) per funded day. Incentives are not eligible for funding.

Participant lists must be prepared and maintained. Information on how to handle the data will be provided with the funding notice.

The lists must either

• be signed daily by the participants present, stating their first and last name, institution, city and country, or
• come from a digital registration system that ensures daily attendance monitoring and be confirmed by the applicant’s management.

Compliance with the sustainability criteria and submission of the relevant evidence are prerequisites for requesting payment. Cash payment receipts are not accepted.

All public-facing communications must include written reference to the financial contribution of the Senate Department responsible for economic affairs and incorporate the Senate Department logo (see downloads at the end of the page).

The event must take place by 30 June 2028. Applications can be completed and uploaded via the customer portal of IBB Business Team GmbH (IBT).

All employees (including those working outside the project itself) must be paid at least the current minimum wage applicable in the State of Berlin (§ 9 LMiLoG Bln) for as long as, and to the extent that, funding is received from the State of Berlin. In the case of the Congress Fund, this applies for the duration of your event. The current regulation can be viewed on the State of Berlin website.

For statistical purposes, the Federal Statistical Office has developed an industry directory and classified industries using specific codes. As part of the application process for the Berlin Congress Fund, this industry code must be provided in two places:

• The applying organisation must state which industry it belongs to.
• To better understand which types of events are being funded, the industry sector of the target audience for the proposed event must also be specified.

You can find the Classification of Economic Activities in the overview provided by the Federal Statistical Office.

The first five digits of the code must be entered.

Through the subsidy provided under the Congress Fund for Sustainable Meetings funding programme, successful applicants receive financial support from the State of Berlin. All legal entities that receive or wish to receive funding from the State must be registered in the transparency database in order to improve the clarity of information and increase transparency. Further information and the option to register can be found in the transparency database of the Senate Department for Finance.

The funding will be paid out following successful review of the payment request. Submission must take place no later than three months after the event has been held.

The following documents must be submitted:

Participant List:

• including first and last name, institution, city and country, signed daily by all in-person participants, or
• generated from a digital registration system that ensures attendance monitoring and confirmed by the applicant’s management.

Financial Statement (Proof of Use):

• details of total costs, eligible costs (see funding guidelines), and income,
• confirmation that the funds were used appropriately, economically and efficiently,
• confirmation that the information corresponds with accounting records and supporting documents.

Invoices and Supporting Documents:

• invoice for the booked event venue in Berlin together with proof of payment (bank statement),
• final event programme including schedule, content (including speakers) and net duration (excluding breaks).

Sustainability Documentation:

• details of the fulfilled criteria within the Sustainable Event Scorecard, numerically referenced according to the scorecard.