Becoming an implementing organisation

Participation in the weltwärts programme is open to organisations that are non-profit, legal entities under private or public law, whose headquarters and operations are in Germany. It is also possible for groups of organisations to take part if they meet the specified requirements. One-person companies are not eligible for funding.

Associations under German law (“Vereine”) must prove they are listed in the “Vereinsregister” by providing an official print-out of the entry from the relevant court. Other organisational forms must submit suitable official verification of their status. The non-profit nature of the organisation must be demonstrated by means of a document from a tax authority (“Finanzamt”).

The organisation’s advertising and administrative costs must be of a reasonable level. The German Central Institute for Social Issues (DZI) states that advertising and administrative costs of no more than 35 percent are reasonable.

Proof of reasonable costs must be submitted in the form of a DZI seal of approval, a certificate of Deutscher Spendenrat membership or a list of the administrative costs.

Organisations wishing to participate in the weltwärts programme must provide proof that they have sufficient staff capacities for the administrative implementation of the programme, plus educational expertise for preparatory, support and follow-up activities for volunteers. Organisations that only intend to send/host a small number of volunteers should check whether they can perform the administrative and educational work themselves. As an alternative, they can join forces with an organisation that has already been approved as a weltwärts implementing organisation to send/host volunteers on assignment.

The number of full-time and unpaid staff must be shown in the application for approval as a weltwärts implementing organisation. An educational plan, for either the North-South or South-North component depending on the situation, must also be submitted. As well as the content of the accompanying seminars, it should also include the staffing plans.

The BMZ funding for the weltwärts volunteer service covers part of the costs incurred in sending volunteers on assignment and hosting them. In the North-South component, the funding covers a maximum of 75 percent of the implementation and healthcare costs combined. The funding for the South-North component is also 75 percent maximum. The remaining approximately 25 percent of the costs are covered by the implementing organisations, using their own funds. A check is therefore carried out to determine whether the organisation has adequate credit worthiness before it applies to be approved as a weltwärts implementing organisation. To this end, the organisation’s last three annual reports on finances and activities must be submitted with the application. Since the funding from the BMZ is government money, it must be used and accounted for in accordance with the legislation concerning governmental funding.

weltwärts is a development volunteer service. It promotes global learning in its participants and encourages them to play a long-term role in development. As such, it requires the sending and host organisations to have a clear development focus in their objectives and activities.

The application must include a description of the objectives and activities, particularly the development-related objectives and the development activities they perform in their country. The organisations‘ statutes must also be submitted.

Important:

The propagation of a specific faith or ideology is not permitted on the weltwärts programme. Religious organisations or organisations based on a particular ideology can be approved as weltwärts implementing organisations but measures in the area of religious propagation are not eligible for funding.

The weltwärts volunteer service is only possible in cooperation with partners in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and Oceania. They perform key tasks both in the North-South and the South-North component and are involved in the implementation of the programme’s objectives and concept. weltwärts implementing organisations in Germany and their partners thus collaborate closely - on the basis of clear agreements and aims and a written agreement. The volunteer service can only succeed if sending and host organisations work together as partners and maintain close contact.

The cooperation and partner structures must be described in the application.