Introduction
In the following, we have provided frequently asked questions and answers to help you apply to our funding programme WAYS - Towards Fair and Sustainable International Partnerships. (Please note: The submission deadline for the Initiation Fund was 1 October 2025.) Use the translation function in your browser to display the FAQs in your language.
The FAQs supplement the complete and legally binding Funding Guidelines (opens in a new window) for the Initiation Fund where you will find all the important information together in one place. In cases of ambiguity or discrepancy, the exact wording of the funding guidelines apply.
To learn more about the WAYS programme in its entirety and the follow-up Fellows-at-Large Fund and Tandem Fund, please visit our website.
If you have any other questions, you can send us an email at ways(at)kulturstiftung-bund.de.
General questions
What does the Initiation Fund support?
The Initiation Fund supports research and exploratory measures to help you find and become acquainted with a suitable partner for longer artistic collaboration. The funding allows the partners to conduct visits, discussions and workshops on site, enabling them to develop artistic goals and forms for their collaboration based on fairness and sustainability. The Initiation Fund does not award institutional or production funding.
How much time do I have to complete the Initiation project?
The funding period is 9.5 months.
Do I have to have a partner already lined up?
No. The point of the Initiation Fund is to enable the funding recipient to find a partner, cultivate new contacts, or intensify existing ones which have not yet resulted in years of collaboration.
Can I team up with more than one partner?
No. The programme specifically finances a single partnership consisting of two partners. One of the partners must be based in Germany.
Do I have to develop an artistic project to apply for funding through the Initiation Fund?
No. The Initiation Fund is only about initiating a long-term partnership. Artistic projects are not eligible for funding through the Initiation Fund.
FAQs about eligibility in the Initiation Fund
Who is eligible to apply to the Initiation Fund?
Cultural organisations (cultural institutions or independent groups) in Germany or a non-European country may apply for Initiation funding, especially those from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, Oceania, and Central, South and Southeastern Asia. For further details, please see the funding guidelines (opens in a new window) for the Initiation Fund.
Who isn’t eligible to apply?
Institutions which are exclusively focused on education, professional training and scientific research, as well as cultural associations, solo artists and individual researchers are not eligible to apply. Furthermore, joint applications submitted by multiple cultural organisations are not permitted. Cultural organisations that comprise several institutions are permitted to submit a maximum of two Initiation Fund applications for consideration.
May non-European-based organisations apply?
Yes. Cultural organisations in non-European countries are invited to apply, especially those from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, Oceania, and Central-, South- and Southeastern Asia. Cultural organisations from the Russian Federation and Turkey are not eligible to apply or may not be partners of a German cultural organisation.
Is participation in the Initiation Fund a prerequisite for funding through the Fellows-at-Large Fund and Tandem Fund?
Yes. Follow-up funding is absolutely contingent on securing funding through the Initiation Fund.
After initiating my project, can I apply for subsequent funding through the Fellows-at-Large and Tandem Funds at the same time?
No. After receiving funding through the Initiation Fund, it is only possible to apply to either one or the other fund for subsequent funding. Please note that only the German partner may formally apply for subsequent funding through the Fellows-at-Large Fund or Tandem Fund. Applicants are obliged to contribute at least 20% of the total funding amount with secured monetary resources of their own or third-party financing. For further details, please see the funding guidelines for the Fellows-at-Large Fund and the Tandem Fund at our website.
FAQs about application modalities in the Initiation Fund
How do I apply?
You may only apply digitally using the online application form. Here you can find the link to the online application form.
What is especially important to mention when describing my Initiation project?
Explain why you wanted to initiate a partnership in the country you selected (or for foreign applicants, why you are interested in seeking a partner in Germany). Which local contacts and/or institutions would you like to engage with during your visit? Make sure to specify their name/s, institution/s and function/s, and explain why you chose them. For more on this, see the Funding Guidelines (opens in a new window), no. 7.
How can I best prepare my application?
Read the funding guidelines carefully and take advantage of our online application service (German/English). The dates are posted on our website.
When is the application deadline?
The application deadline for the Initiation Fund is 1 October 2025.
Why can’t the Initiation projects be extended beyond 30 November 2026?
The Initiation projects formally conclude upon applying for funding through one of the subsequent funds. The application deadline for the Fellows-at-Large Fund and the Tandem Fund is 30 November 2026.
I’m an applicant from a non-European country. Who can I contact for help with tax-relevant legal matters?
Please send your questions to ways(at)kulturstiftung-bund.de no later than six weeks before the application deadline so that we can answer them in a timely manner.
FAQs about project financing
How much funding can I apply for?
Applicants can be awarded up to EUR 27,000 per research and Initiation project. The minimum amount for which you may apply is EUR 20,000.
What expenses are eligible for funding?
Funding is primarily intended to cover travel expenses in both directions (Germany or non-European countries), accommodation, workshops, fees (for independent groups), charges (e.g. visa application fees), possible advice services provided by our cooperation partner, the Goethe-Institut, and measures for compensating air travel emissions.
How much of my own resources do I have to contribute to apply for the Initiation Fund?
You have to secure at least 10% of the applied funding amount with monetary resources of your own or third-party financing.
FAQs on the Roadmap of Collaboration
What is the Roadmap of Collaboration (RoC)?
The Roadmap of Collaboration (RoC) is a written declaration issued jointly by both partners on their goals, interests and values with respect to a fair and sustainable partnership. It represents an important cornerstone for all future collaboration.
Where do I find the key questions for the Roadmap of Collaboration?
In the Funding Guidelines (opens in a new window), starting on page 8.
When does the Roadmap of Collaboration have to be finished?
The Roadmap has to be submitted together with the application for subsequent funding (through the Fellows-at-Large Fund or Tandem Fund), i.e. at the end of the Initiation Fund implementation period. It is a mandatory component of the application for follow-up funding. (The application deadline for both the Fellows-at-Large Fund and the Tandem Fund is 30 November 2026.)