Neighborhood management Lannesdorf/Mehlem - Guidelines for the allocation of funds from the Neighborhood Fund

These guidelines are intended to help improve housing conditions in the Lannesdorf/Mehlem district in the long term, create socially stable structures and maintain them in the long term. To this end, social support for residents is to be intensified and a neighborhood management team set up.

Within the neighbourhood fund provided for in the programme, unbureaucratic funds are to be made available to residents to implement self-contained ideas and campaigns on a smaller scale.

The neighborhood fund is intended to promote local commitment and involve residents. The aim is to create improvements in the structure and social interaction through small-scale measures. Participation is intended to strengthen identification with and understanding of the changes. In addition, the ability to self-organize and self-determination should be developed. The overall aim is to create sustainable, self-supporting structures and responsibility in and for the district.

A jury made up of residents will decide on the use of the funds in the district. This will create democratic structures that enable funds to be allocated transparently and for the common good directly on site. Particular attention will be paid to the participation and involvement of migrants. This also serves to build sustainable structures that serve the district and enable direct participation in shaping the district. Target group-related projects by and for children and young people, women, people with disabilities and migrants in the district enjoy a high priority. The guideline provides the formal framework that supports this process and provides key data that is valid for all participants.

Within the framework of the available funds, measures from the following areas are to be promoted:

• Integration
• social affairs
• culture
• Kita/school/education
• Employment and qualification in the district
• Sport
• Neighborhood beautification

The measures must be able to demonstrate a recognizable benefit in at least one of these areas and be in line with the objectives of the Lannesdorf/Mehlem neighbourhood management.

It is the applicant's responsibility to present this expected benefit in the application and to document it during the course of the project (e.g. by means of photos, lists of participants, etc.). The measures should focus on the integration and participation of the population. The inclusion of migrants and projects for children and young people, women and people with disabilities are of particular importance.

Above all, the measures should encourage the following:

• Participation and active involvement and participation (e.g. workshops)
• Activities with a wide range of participants
• Participation in topics in the district (e.g. competitions)

1. Applications for the measures must be submitted to the administration of the Neighborhood Fund (see section 7).
2. The resources of the Neighborhood Fund are used exclusively for measures with the purposes described above in the Lannesdorf/Mehlem Neighborhood Management area.
3. Where necessary, public law approvals must be obtained (e.g. special uses).
4. Not eligible for funding:
   - Measures that are clearly attributable to the mandatory tasks of the federal government, the state or the City of Bonn
   - Measures that serve to generate profit
   - open-ended measures
   - Measures already in progress
   - Personnel, operating and material costs that serve the ongoing operation of an existing facility
   - Measures for which funding from other funding bodies is to be used
5. Applicants are expected to make a recognizable, unpaid contribution to the project that is appropriate to the amount of funding and within their means. This can take the form, for example, of their own work, payment of travel costs, provision of work materials and equipment, provision of premises, etc.
6. The project must commence no later than six months after the grant has been awarded.

Fees, material and ancillary costs for the measures applied for and approved are eligible for funding.

Funding is only granted to cover the expenses of the respective recipient for individual, delimited projects (project funding). Institutional funding is excluded. If income is expected to be generated, this must be indicated in the application. The income will reduce the actual funding amount. Withheld and/or unreported income from the project will invalidate the entire funding decision. Funding should be granted for measures in regular stages so that the projects can be spread evenly over the year. It should be taken into account that projects for vacation periods and outdoor activities are funded in such a way that they can still be implemented.

Funding is granted for the specific purpose of the costs outlined in the application. The maximum funding amount per application is 3,000 euros. It must be ensured that the distribution of the available funds is balanced between smaller and larger projects.

The funding decision always refers to the submitted application and the information provided therein.

Any problems that arise that require a deviation from the project plan or generally call the project into question must be reported immediately to the administration of the Neighborhood Fund. The latter must check whether and to what extent funding can still be guaranteed in line with the objectives of the Neighborhood Fund.

If the costs of the measure applied for increase, the difference between the total costs and the approved amount must be offset by the applicant independently.

The measure applied for may be subject to conditions or only individual points of the application may be approved. The measure applied for is then only eligible for funding in the approved parts. The resources of the Neighborhood Fund must be used economically. Any dishonest behavior in connection with obtaining a grant must be refrained from.

For the basic eligibility of the application

• up to a funding amount of EUR 500 net, it is recommended that the applicant obtain comparative offers.
• Above a funding amount of EUR 500 net, the applicant is required to submit at least three written comparative offers based on a clear description of the procurement object.

If it does not appear possible to collect offers due to the special nature of the measure (e.g. in the case of artistic engagements), this must be justified in the application for funding. Compliance with the conditions will be checked by the administration of the Neighborhood Fund and taken into account at the jury meeting when deciding on eligibility for funding. The overall course of the project must be documented in a comprehensible manner and kept in an orderly manner with the offers for at least five years by the administration of the Neighborhood Fund.

In individual cases, exceptions may be granted for funding. Exceptions require special justification. Exceptions must be in line with the objectives of the Lannesdorf/Mehlem neighborhood management.

The Neighborhood Fund is administered by the Neighborhood Management, which is the contractor of the City of Bonn. If no neighborhood management is commissioned, the City of Bonn will take over the administration of the Neighborhood Fund.

The administration of the Neighborhood Fund ensures that the jury meets regularly and decides on the applications received for the measures. The administration of the Neighborhood Fund can decide independently on measures amounting to less than 200 euros and less than one fifth of the funds available each year. All decisions must be documented.

The administration of the Neighborhood Fund provides information on the funds available and the measures implemented at the scheduled meetings of the jury. In addition, the administration of the Neighborhood Fund is available to provide information on developments in the Lannesdorf/Mehlem neighborhood management.

In order to implement further projects from the Neighborhood Fund in addition to the resident-initiated measures, for which an application from the residents is not possible or disproportionate, the neighborhood management itself can draw down a share of up to 20 percent of the Neighborhood Fund.

The Neighborhood Fund jury decides on the allocation of Neighborhood Fund resources by at least a simple majority of its members after the measures applied for have been reviewed by the City of Bonn and the Neighborhood Fund administration. Conditional approval is possible if only individual points of the project application need to be amended or supplemented. In this case, the funding decision can be issued after the application has been amended or supplemented, even without resubmission to the jury.

The jury decides independently on the content aspects (such as the design, necessity, effectiveness and meaningfulness) of project funding from the Neighborhood Fund. The applicant can be consulted on this.

The jury is made up of seven residents of the Lannesdorf/Mehlem neighborhood management area. It should include migrants in accordance with the resident structure. In addition, a balanced proportion of women and men and intergenerational equity should be ensured.

The members of the jury will be drawn at random from the residents' register by the City of Bonn and contacted. The jury will be formed according to the order of responses. If there are more than seven responses, an order of alternates and successors will be formed. If a jury member is unable to attend, alternates will be fully accepted onto the jury for the period in which they are unable to attend. If a jury member resigns (e.g. by moving away or resigning), replacements are accepted as full jury members. Membership of the jury is not limited in time. The work of the jury is honorary and without entitlement to compensation.

The jury meets at least twice a year and decides on the funding of the measures applied for. A jury member cannot vote on their own application. The jury is quorate if two thirds of the jury members are present.

Re-admission to the jury or to the list of successors is possible once with the majority approval of the other jury members. Otherwise, the activity ends at the latest when the City of Bonn no longer provides funding for the Neighborhood Fund.

Natural and legal persons as well as groups of applicants are eligible to apply. The application must list the applicant, the measure and its planned duration as well as the expected benefit. The application must be submitted in full and in writing to the administration of the Neighborhood Fund no later than 14 days before the respective jury meeting. The administration of the Neighborhood Fund accompanies the application.

The application must contain a differentiated statement of costs, which must be made comprehensible and verifiable in accordance with the above requirements. The own contribution in cash, work or contributions in kind must be indicated on the application. Possible income must be estimated and stated.

It must be confirmed in advance on the application that the funding conditions are agreed to. The application must be signed with a legally valid signature. The application will be checked for eligibility by the City of Bonn. The administration of the Neighborhood Fund is responsible for providing information, support and assistance and for ensuring compliance with the funding guidelines when submitting applications. Applications that do not comply with this will be excluded from the further procedure.

The approved applications are submitted to the jury for a decision unless they have already been approved by the administration of the Neighborhood Fund. Approvals may not exceed the available funds and must be feasible within the period of time in which the funds are made available. The applicant can be heard at the jury meeting.

Following the last meeting of the jury, the applicant will receive written notification from the administration of the Neighborhood Fund about the status of their application. The project may only begin after written approval has been granted by the administration of the Neighborhood Fund. It is possible to apply for early commencement of measures without funding. There is no legal entitlement to a grant. The funds provided are voluntary benefits that are dependent on the budget situation of the City of Bonn and the grants from other funding bodies.

Independent measures by the neighborhood management(see Section 7.a) require an application in line with the guidelines for measures from the residents. This must be submitted by the neighborhood management to the City of Bonn and will be reviewed for eligibility. Approved applications are submitted to the jury for a decision.

The administration of the Neighborhood Fund decides on independent measures of the Neighborhood Management up to an amount of 50 euros and less than 500 euros per year. The measure must be directly related to activities by or for residents of the neighborhood and must not already be covered by the funded material costs of the neighborhood management. No application is required. Corresponding expenses are checked and settled by the City of Bonn on a quarterly basis after submission of receipts.

Furthermore, the guidelines for measures from the residents apply to independent measures of the neighborhood management above and below 50 euros.

The approved funds will be paid out by the City of Bonn after submission of a factual report on the funded measures and the original invoice documents following completion of the project. Advance payments are possible when funding measures that exceed the applicant's possibilities for pre-financing. Payments on account must be issued and submitted to the applicant as an invoice in accordance with the time schedule. The documents must be submitted to the administration of the Neighborhood Fund and will be forwarded to the City of Bonn after verification of use for approved measures. The project statement must be submitted no later than six months after completion. In the event of non-compliance, the funding commitment expires.

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
• the measures can no longer be implemented within the funding period
• the measure is not settled no later than six months after completion
• it turns out that the applicant is 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 calls for tenders have not been carried out
• an applicant withdraws from the measure or the application
• an applicant subsequently amends or supplements the application
• an applicant group has been dissolved

The jury must be informed of the withdrawal.
Funds disbursed must be reimbursed immediately if the funding is revoked or becomes ineffective.

All measures are promptly documented in an updated list, which can be viewed in the neighborhood management information office.

The administration of the Neighborhood Fund prepares a list of the approved and spent funds annually or at the request of the City of Bonn. The statement is audited by the City of Bonn's Office for Social Affairs and Housing to ensure that the funds have been disbursed and used in accordance with their intended purpose, and thus the discharge of the jury and administration of the Neighborhood Fund is established. The auditing rights of the City of Bonn's Audit Office also extend to the administration of the Neighborhood Fund.

Applications for funding from the Neighborhood Fund for residents' projects can be decided for the first time at the constituent meeting.

The fund for residents' projects (neighborhood fund) was set up by the City of Bonn as part of the Lannesdorf/Mehlem neighborhood management. It is administered by the Lannesdorf/Mehlem district management and is available to all residents, residents' groups, initiatives, associations, etc. for the implementation of projects and activities in and for the district. This information sheet provides a quick overview of the rules. Funding is based on the guidelines of the City of Bonn for the Neighborhood Fund.

As part of the neighbourhood fund, residents are provided with unbureaucratic funds to implement projects on a smaller scale. No ongoing personnel and/or operating costs or already existing/started projects are financed. The non-profit nature of the project must also be clearly in the foreground.

Applications can be submitted by natural and legal persons as well as applicant groups from the district, i.e. individuals, groups, initiatives, clubs and associations. Measures in the following areas are to be supported within the scope of the available funds:

• Integration
• social affairs
• culture
• education
• Employment and qualification
• sport
• Neighborhood beautification

The measures must have a recognizable benefit in at least one of these areas. Target group-related projects by and for children and young people, women, people with disabilities and migrants in the district are given high priority. The maximum funding amount per project is 3,000 euros. Applications must be submitted in writing, complete and signed to the neighborhood management.

Up-to-date information and application forms are available from the district office and can also be found online at  https://www.quartier-lannesdorf-obermehlem.de/ (opens in a new tab). For costs up to 500 euros, the inclusion of comparative offers is recommended, and from 500 euros, the inclusion of at least three written comparative offers is required. If you have any questions or require assistance with your application, please contact the staff at the neighborhood office (preferably Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 12 noon):

Neighborhood Management Lannesdorf/Mehlem
Ellesdorfer Street 44
Telephone: 0228 95 41 36 or 95 41 37 https://www.quartier-lannesdorf-obermehlem.de/ (opens in a new tab). For costs up to 500 euros, the inclusion of comparative offers is recommended, and from 500 euros, the inclusion of at least three written comparative offers is required. If you have any questions or require assistance with your application, please contact the staff at the neighborhood office (preferably Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 12 noon):

Neighborhood Management Lannesdorf/Mehlem
Ellesdorfer Street 44
Telephone: 0228 95 41 36 or 95 41 37
 quartiersmanagementfrauenhilfe-rheinlandde

An existing jury made up of seven residents of the district decides on the applications. This jury meets several times a year and decides on the allocation of funds from the Neighborhood Fund by at least a simple majority. The dates are announced well in advance and applications must be received by the neighborhood management at least 14 days before the respective jury meeting. The applications are processed in the order in which they are received and checked beforehand by the City of Bonn to ensure that the funds applied for are eligible for funding within the framework of the funding guidelines. Applicants will also be given the opportunity to present their project to the jury. The project may only be started once the approval has been received.

The approved funds will be paid out by the City of Bonn after submission of a brief factual report and the original receipts at the end of the project. The documents must be submitted to the Neighborhood Management. A short report - if possible with photos - on the implementation of the measure must be submitted with the statement of account. The project statement must be submitted no later than six months after completion of the project. Failure to do so will invalidate the funding commitment. The detailed guidelines of the Neighborhood Fund will be available in the Neighborhood Office and on the Internet as soon as possible.