The ZEISS Site Fund currently provides funding at eight ZEISS sites in Germany:

• Oberkochen/Aalen
• Jena
• Göttingen
• Wetzlar
• Berlin
• Braunschweig
• Dresden
• Munich
  

Neighboring communities connected to the main sites of Oberkochen/Aalen and Jena can be included in the funding.

The ZEISS Education and Science Fund, on the other hand, provides funding regardless of site, i.e. it is not restricted to the ZEISS sites. For requests to the Education and Science Fund, the "Transregional" field must always be ticked on the application form.

2.1 General

Funding is usually earmarked for specific projects that are limited in time and self-contained. Preferential treatment will be given to start-up funding and pilot projects of an exemplary nature. In addition to donations, funding in the form of sponsorship is also permissible. Co-financing arrangements are also possible.

2.2 ZEISS Site Fund

Projects from the following areas are eligible for funding via the ZEISS Site Fund:

Education and training
Projects for the education and personal development of children and young people from pre-school age until the completion of their school years can be sponsored. The focus of the funding is on projects that promote STEM qualifications (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

Society and social affairs
Projects which enable socially disadvantaged children and young people who do not have any personal means to participate in age-appropriate leisure activities, contribute to personal development or promote integration can be sponsored.

Art and culture
Projects which make art and culture accessible to broad sectors of the population can be sponsored.

Amateur sports
Projects which enable young people to play sports can be sponsored. Projects relating to amateur sports are given preference over those for professional sports.

2.3 ZEISS Education and Science Fund

Projects and initiatives for the promotion of young people and their scientific skills, primarily following their graduation, as well as projects and initiatives at universities and research institutes are eligible for funding. These may be work groups or student research projects. The focus is on the fields of natural science and engineering, particularly optics and photonics.

Recipients of funding are usually non-profit associations, institutions, organizations and initiatives.

Political parties and organizations and people close to them, religious purposes and professional sport are not eligible for funding.

Individuals are generally excluded from funding. Similarly, no loans, credits or guarantees are granted.

Only in exceptional cases can student groups and also individuals be funded by the ZEISS Education and Science Fund – provided that the funding request is accompanied by a corresponding recommendation from a university or school sponsor or the funding is provided in the form of a sponsorship.

Funding applications are only accepted online via www.zeiss.de/foerderfonds. The ZEISS site in Berlin, Braunschweig, Dresden and Munich are exceptions. At these sites, the measures and projects are proposed for funding with the ZEISS Site Fund by the respective ZEISS site management. In this context, the applicants declare that they have taken note of the data protection information.

The description of the project should not exceed the scope of an A4 page. In addition to the project description, this should contain a schedule and a cost and finance plan including details on the applicants own means and co-financing on the part of other donors.

Applications can be submitted throughout the year.

In the event that funding is granted, by submitting the application, the applicant is obliged to provide representatives of ZEISS with information about the funded project in a brief report and to explain the funded project and the allocation of resources.

First, the application is checked for completeness and fulfillment of the eligibility requirements. If the application is approved, the applicant is informed and the funds are made available promptly – usually immediately and in the full amount. For co-financing, the sponsorship amount is only paid out if total funding is ensured. After receiving the funding resources as a donation, a corresponding funding receipt is issued.

Usually, decisions will be made regarding applications within three months.