Marine Nature Conservation Fund (Meeresnaturschutzfonds)

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Enriched Foundation · Found: 2026-03-10 12:34

DBU fund dedicated to protecting endangered marine species and restoring habitats like reefs and seagrass meadows. Annual budget of approx. 10 million EUR. Applications can be submitted online at any time.

Source: https://dbu.de/foerderung/projektfoerderung/foerderthemen/meeresnaturschutzfonds

Funding Details

Funder: Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU)
Funding Goal: Protect endangered marine species and restore marine habitats — including reefs, seagrass meadows, and sandbanks — in the North Sea and Baltic Sea, funded from offshore wind energy revenues in the German EEZ.
Funding Amount: Annual budget of approximately 10 million EUR distributed across projects; individual project amounts not publicly specified
Deadline: Rolling — applications accepted at any time (Rolling)
How to Apply: Applications are submitted online at any time via the DBU project funding portal. The DBU follows a standard two-stage review process: initial concept submission followed by a full proposal if invited. Applicants must register on the DBU portal and provide project descriptions, ecological justification, cost plans, and organizational credentials.
Target Region: Germany — North Sea and Baltic Sea (German EEZ and coastal waters)
Contact: Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU), An der Bornau 2, 49090 Osnabrück, Germany. Tel: +49 541 9633-0. Online contact via: https://dbu.de/kontakt
Last Checked: 2026-03-11 17:46

Application Checklist

Eligibility

Applicant must be a registered non-profit organization, research institution, university, or public body based in Germany

Project Scope

Project must focus on marine nature conservation in German North Sea or Baltic Sea waters (EEZ or coastal zones)
Project must target protection of endangered marine species or restoration of marine habitats (reefs, seagrass meadows, sandbanks)

Required Documents

Submit application online via DBU project funding portal — rolling submissions accepted at any time
Include detailed ecological justification and measurable conservation outcomes in proposal
Provide a cost and financing plan as part of the full application

Constraints

Commercial or for-profit entities are generally not eligible for DBU project grants
Projects must be implemented primarily within German marine territory; international components require strong justification

Summary

The Marine Nature Conservation Fund (Meeresnaturschutzfonds) is a dedicated grant program of the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU), Germany's largest environmental foundation. The fund was established using revenues generated from offshore wind energy installations in the German Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), creating a permanent financing mechanism for marine conservation. With an annual budget of approximately 10 million EUR, it is one of the most significant domestic funding sources for marine biodiversity and habitat protection in German waters. The program focuses on protecting endangered marine species and restoring key habitats such as reefs, seagrass meadows, and sandbanks, primarily in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. Priority is given to projects that deliver measurable ecological improvements in German coastal and offshore waters. Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations, research institutions, universities, and municipalities, with NGOs being a core target group. Applications can be submitted on a rolling basis at any time via the DBU online portal, making it a flexible and accessible funding opportunity for organizations with active projects in German marine environments. Projects typically run for one to three years and receive support for personnel, equipment, and fieldwork costs. The fund is expected to be a recurring annual program given its statutory revenue basis from offshore wind compensation payments.

Historical Context

The Meeresnaturschutzfonds is funded through statutory compensation payments from offshore wind energy operators in the German EEZ, creating a recurring annual budget of ~10 million EUR. This makes it a structurally embedded, ongoing program rather than a time-limited initiative.

Why it was added

Directly targets marine conservation, seagrass restoration, reef protection. High funding volume, rolling applications. Perfect fit for marine NGOs.

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