The Musikfonds’ regular project funding consists of 2 programs:

For large projects, applications can range from 3.001 to a maximum of 50.000 Euro (large project funding). There are three application deadlines per year: end of January, May, and September. 
Approximately two months after the deadline, the Board of Trustees announces its funding decisions.

Applications for small projects of up to 3.000 Euro (small project funding) can be submitted at relatively short notice. There are six deadlines per year: end of February, April, June, August, October, and December. 
Approximately two weeks after the deadline, the 2-person jury will announce its funding decisions.

All applications must be submitted online. There is no right to funding.

Applications for projects requesting between 3.001 and max. 50.000 Euro can be submitted at three fixed deadlines per year.

The Board of Trustees decides on the funding of these applications.

Eligible expenses for a project include, but are not limited to

• Artist fees in an appropriate amount (minimum fee for concerts: 300 Euro)
• Other project-related personnel costs 
• Event and production costs; and
• Travel and accommodation costs in accordance with the German Federal Travel Expense Act (BRKG). 

For applications of 25.000 Euro or more, co-financing in the form of third-party funds from other funding institutions or foundations is mandatory. 

In the case of co-funding, proof of third-party funding must be submitted at the latest when the contract is signed.

Projects funded by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) or an institution permanently funded by the BKM cannot receive additional support from Musikfonds (e.g. Kulturstiftung des Bundes, Hauptstadtkulturfonds, Deutscher Musikrat, Initiative Musik, Fonds Darstellende Künste, Fonds Soziokultur, etc.).

The following event formats are not eligible for funding:

• Charity events
• audio- or video-only productions
• Educational and international trips
• Projects taking place outside of Germany
• Applications from musicians or applicants not residing in Germany
• Purely educational projects, university projects or competitions

Purchases (e.g., instruments or electronic equipment) are generally not eligible.

Decisions will be announced approximately two months after each deadline.

In 2024, small project funding will focus on projects in rural areas and structurally weak regions. Applications for projects planned in larger cities - or metropolitan regions - will only be funded in exceptional cases and have correspondingly low chances of receiving funding.

The first submission deadline for 2024 is 29.02.2024. Projects that take place in April, May or June can be submitted by this deadline. The further submission deadlines for projects in 2024 are listed in the information sheet.

For projects with total costs less than 10.000 Euro, applications may be submitted for funding up to 3.000 Euro.  
These applications can be submitted at short notice, depending on the planned start of the project, at six fixed deadlines per year.

Funding decisions will be made by the Executive Director of the Musikfonds and one representative of the Board of Trustees. A maximum of 50 applications for 3.000 Euro each can be approved each year.

Eligible expenses for a project include, but are not limited to

• Artist fees in an appropriate amount (minimum fee for concerts: 300 Euro)
• Other project-related personnel costs 
• Event and production costs; and
• Travel and accommodation costs in accordance with the German Federal Travel Expense Act (BRKG). 

In the case of co-funding, proof of third-party funding must be submitted at the latest when the contract is signed.

Projects funded by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) or an institution permanently funded by the BKM cannot receive additional support from Musikfonds (e.g. Kulturstiftung des Bundes, Hauptstadtkulturfonds, Deutscher Musikrat, Initiative Musik, Fonds Darstellende Künste, Fonds Soziokultur, etc.).

The following event formats are not eligible for funding:

• Charity events
• audio- or video-only productions
• Educational and international trips
• Projects taking place outside of Germany
• Applications from musicians or applicants not residing in Germany
• Purely educational projects, university projects or competitions

Purchases (e.g., instruments or electronic equipment) are generally not eligible.

Decisions will be announced approximately two weeks after each deadline.

Important change from 2024

Starting with the first funding round in 2024, the small project funding programme will focus on projects in rural areas and structurally weak regions. Applications for projects planned in larger cities - or metropolitan regions - will only be funded in exceptional cases and therefore have little chance of receiving funding.

More detailed information and the new application deadlines are expected to be communicated at the end of November 2023.

For the year 2023, the special program muh[sic] was announced in March, promoting contemporary music projects in rural regions of Germany. 
In a two-step selection process, 40 projects were selected from 203 applications to be implemented by the end of the year.

Funding wasprovided for projects that are experimental, contemporary, and non-commercial, in accordance with the funding principles of Musikfonds. The special program muh[sic] aimed to strengthen the production, presentation, mediation and reception of current music formats in rural regions.

Grants ranging from 15.000 to a maximum of 25.000 Euro per project were awarded. Funding was generally contingent on an appropriate personal contribution of at least 25 percent of the total eligible expenses.

Within the framework of NEUSTART KULTUR (NSK), the Musikfonds was provided with additional 41 million Euro for the period from August 2020 to June 2023. These funds have been used to increase project support and to launch 2 new temporary programs: 

• Fellowship Program for musicians, composers and sound artists: In 3 funding rounds, nearly 3.300 grants were awarded with a total volume of approximately 22.5 million Euro
• Fellowship-type funding for ensembles and bands: In 3 funding rounds, more than 900 grants were awarded with a total volume of approximately 12.4 million Euro
• Project funding: For the third funding round in 2020 and all funding rounds in 2021, an increase of approximately 4.5 million euros was made available to fund approximately 270 projects selected by the Board of Trustees

The grants provided professional freelance artists in the contemporary music scene with the opportunity to realize new work projects. These could include compositional projects, the development of concepts and/or alternative or digital formats, or the further development of individual tonal language.
The grants rewarded outstanding artistic achievements that contribute to the preservation of musical diversity. They gave artists the opportunity to develop and remain active in their profession, despite very limited professional opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The last round of grants (STIP-III) expired at the end of May 2023. There are currently no plans to continue the scholarship program.

The fellowship-type funding for ensembles and bands (FEB) was designed for professional ensembles in the independent, experimental music scene. 

The severe restrictions on concert activities in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic put ensembles and bands to a severe test. The goal of the funding program was to enable the ensembles and bands to work together on new projects and to secure their artistic future.

The last round of fellowship-type funding (FEB-III) expired at the end of April 2023. There are currently no plans to continue the fellowship-type funding.