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50-20 Guidelines for the promotion of civic engagement
Guideline for the promotion of meeting opportunities through civic engagement in the neighborhood
At its meeting on March 23, 2023, the Bonn City Council adopted the "Guideline for the promotion of meeting places through civic engagement in the neighborhood".
The guideline serves to create, maintain or upgrade meeting places offered by civic engagement in the City of Bonn.
The budget is provided exclusively for the temporary financing of material resources (material expenses) for neighborhood, low-threshold and local meeting places.
The aim is to create and support meeting places in the districts that are open to as many generations as possible and help to strengthen cohesion and the quality of life in the neighborhood.
The guideline basically allows for the following funding:
Start-up funding for residents who are committed to low-threshold meeting places in the neighborhood and have founded an association, club or initiative for this purpose.
Funding for existing facilities in order to reach new target groups. This includes, for example, structural qualification and equipment as well as an expansion of the range of services.
Applications should be submitted to the Office for Social Affairs and Housing, Social Planning and Neighborhood Development (Amt 50-33), Friedrich-Breuer-Str. 65, 53225 Bonn, contact: quartiersmanagementbonnde.
The City of Bonn promotes the voluntary commitment of Bonn's citizens as part of sustainable neighborhood development.
This guideline is primarily intended to promote the civic engagement of residents, clubs, associations and initiatives that have formed as registered citizens' associations or local (party) committees with the aim of supporting neighborhood work by providing start-up funding. The aim is to create and promote neighborhood structures, primarily in the form of low-threshold, local meeting places.
In addition, existing facilities can be supported in order to provide new target groups with easier access and new services. This includes, for example, the structural upgrading and equipping of existing facilities as well as an expansion of the range of services on offer.
This funding is intended to initiate and support local civic engagement and to consolidate and expand the range of existing decentralized meeting facilities. For example, barrier-free meeting places are to be created in the districts that are open to all generations and help residents to remain in their neighborhoods and lead as independent a life as possible.
The funding supports existing civic engagement in accordance with the "bottom-up" principle (suggestions and applications from citizens) with the aim of strengthening cohesion in the neighborhood.
The guiding principle is to give priority to the utilization of existing and city-funded facilities. Cooperation with existing facilities should therefore be examined as a priority. Established structures and networks can thus be strengthened and parallel structures and competing offers avoided.
There is no legal entitlement to the granting of subsidies.
This guideline represents a module of sustainable overall urban neighborhood development in Bonn(DS 221069 (opens in a new tab)).
1. purpose of the promotion
The funding is intended to strengthen local volunteering and promote social encounters in the neighborhood and thus complements the neighborhood work of the City of Bonn.
Existing and city-funded facilities are to be utilized as a priority. Cooperation with existing facilities should be examined as a matter of priority.
2. requirements for funding
2.1 Application
Applications for funding must be submitted in writing to the Office for Social Affairs and Housing (Social Planning and Neighborhood Development - Office 50-33) using the current application form.
The application must be accompanied by a concept which
a description of the planned measure (objective, purpose, services, target group, etc.)
a comprehensible calculation of the financial resources required to implement the measures
a calculation of the financing of the measures for at least two years after the end of the funding (e.g. costs for rent, maintenance and servicing)
the association's own contribution and
the amount of funding requested.
The following documents must also be enclosed:
Articles of association,
Extract from the register of associations and proof of non-profit status,
for citizens' initiatives, if applicable: Confession/ mission statement of the political, social or ecological purpose of the citizens' initiative,
List of members,
Conclusion of a child protection agreement with the Office for Children, Youth and Family.
Depending on the object of support, further documents may be required, such as
Rental agreement,
change of use, if applicable, and approval of misappropriation of living space,
Cost estimate, e.g. for renovation work or barrier-free conversion,
Quotation and specifications for fee-based contracts,
Necessary maintenance contracts and any expected maintenance costs,
Proof of insurance cover for space and people.
2.2 Authorized applicants
Citizens' associations, local committees and, under certain conditions, citizens' initiatives and existing institutions are eligible to apply.
They should be particularly dedicated to promoting a social, sustainable and identity-forming neighborhood.
At least one of the following social issues must be promoted by the eligible applicant:
Integration
Social issues and encounters
culture
education
Employment and qualification in the district
sport
Beautification of the district, identification with the district
Environment
3. object of funding
The budget is provided exclusively for the temporary financing of material resources (material expenditure) that are required for the creation and establishment of the services.
Material expenses include all expenses of the grant recipient directly attributable to a service that are directly necessary for the provision of the service and do not constitute personnel or administrative overhead expenses. This includes, for example, rents, energy costs, printing costs, but also fees for typically freelance workers (e.g. expansion of the range of courses).
4. type and amount of funding
Funding is granted within the framework of shortfall financing only to cover specifically described expenses. Profits may not be made. Institutional funding is excluded. The expenditure expected to be incurred in the financing and cost plan as well as all income to be generated must be estimated by the applicant in a comprehensible and realistic manner, if not yet fully known. Funding is granted for the specific purpose of the project described in the application.
4.1 The duration of the funding is limited in time and is intended as start-up funding. The continuation of funding should be ensured independently in the long term. Efforts to ensure continuity must be demonstrated.
4.2 The measure must begin no later than six months after the funding approval has been granted.
4.3 Funding is approved by means of a notification. The approved funding amount may not be exceeded. This means that additional expenditure and cost increases must be borne by the applicant. Significant changes in the course of the project must be agreed with the funding provider.
4.4 In principle - up to a funding amount of EUR 500 net, it is recommended that applicants obtain comparative offers. - Above a funding amount of EUR 500 net, applicants are required to submit at least three written comparative offers based on a clear description of the procurement/service object. In all other respects, the municipal procurement regulations apply.
4.5 Movable items with a net purchase value of EUR 200 or more that are procured via the guideline must be inventoried by the funding recipient. In the interests of sustainability and economic efficiency, it must be checked before investments are made whether renting or leasing (e.g. loanable in the Macke-Viertel neighborhood management) is sensible and possible.
4.6 It must be ensured that the distribution of available funds is balanced between smaller and larger projects.
5. opening up to the neighborhood, networking, evaluation and public relations work
5.1 The measure applied for is intended to promote the opening of the facility to the neighborhood. This presupposes that the facility and its services are largely barrier-free. In addition to the structural requirements, this includes the removal of language barriers and the consideration of cognitive limitations (keyword: easy language, pictograms, etc.). The focus of the offer should be on the general public. It should be avoided to concentrate exclusively on specific target groups. The following principle of participation is decisive: "All Bonn citizens* can participate in social life, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, physical and mental condition or social status".
5.2 The facility must be low-threshold and open to the public within an appropriate time frame. Citizens must be addressed through an active welcoming culture.
5.3 The facility should participate in the annual evaluation of the funding body (City of Bonn).
5.4 Participation in networking committee work is generally expected. Festivities taking place in the neighborhood should be supported by own activities.
5.5 The offer is to be advertised in the neighborhood. The City of Bonn is to be referred to as the funding body in an appropriate form.
6. participation of the expert committee
From an amount of EUR 5,000, the Committee for Social Affairs, Migration and Health decides on the individual measure. If this is not possible due to the particular urgency of the funding commitment (e.g. commitment to cover the rental costs), the urgency must be justified in writing and the committee must be informed subsequently.
If the funding amount is less than EUR 5,000, the Office for Social Affairs and Housing will decide.
7. payment of the subsidy amount
The approved funds are paid out after submission of the original invoices, rental agreements, etc. If the measures exceed the applicant's financial means, payments on account are possible.
8. requirements, conditions and ancillary agreements
Requirements and conditions can be imposed on applicants.
In particular, individual standards or consequences for "poor performance" or lack of performance can be agreed for quality assurance purposes.
9. subordination of municipal funding
Possible income in relation to the object of funding will be offset against the funding. In principle, offers are to be made available free of charge.
External funding should be prioritized (crowdfunding, foundations, donations, membership fees, etc.).
10 General municipal agreements
The City of Bonn is committed to sustainability in the sense of the Local Agenda (see City of Bonn Sustainability Report ).
The principles of climate protection (climate-neutral Bonn 2035), regionality, waste avoidance, fair trade and biodiversity must be given special consideration in the planning and implementation of the measure applied for.
In addition, special regulations (e.g. hygiene concepts etc.) may be required during times of crisis.
The administrative principles of efficiency, economy and proportionality must be observed.
The applicants are aware of the municipal regulations and will take them into account when planning and implementing the measure specified in the application. Any approvals and permits (e.g. building or special use permits) required for the object of support must be obtained independently.
11. exceptions
In individual cases, exceptions may be granted for funding. The exceptions require special justification.
The exceptions are in line with the objectives of the neighborhood development strategy.
12. revocation options for funding and reimbursement
Funding can be revoked before the start, during and after completion of the measures if
the measures are not implemented in accordance with the application in terms of time and content,
it turns out that the applicants are not in a position to implement the measure properly,
the use of the funds is not properly documented,
it is not possible to disburse the funds properly
necessary offers have not been obtained,
requirements or conditions contained in the approval notice have not been met,
the applicants withdraw from the measure or the application or subsequently amend or supplement the application,
an applicant group has dissolved or changes its commitment to the political, social or ecological purpose of the citizens' initiative.
13. discharge, audit
The recipient of the grant must, in accordance with the provisions set out in the approval notice
submit an auditable proof of use of funds,
permit an on-site inspection of the use of funds by the City of Bonn,
to grant access to the cash management,
to keep the evidence on which the approval is based for five years after the proof of use has been drawn up.
The examination of the proof of use and a possible reclaim are based on the funding guidelines for voluntary social grants of the City of Bonn as well as the statutory provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act for the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the State Budget Code for the State of North Rhine-Westphalia in analogous application.
14. funding guideline for voluntary social grants of the City of Bonn