Marine Nature Conservation Fund - Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt

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Enriched family-office · Found: 2026-03-11 08:12

Projects are to be funded with around ten million euros annually from 2025. The basis for this is an endowment from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, ...

Source: https://www.dbu.de/en/promotion/project-funding/funding-topics/marine-nature-conservation-fund/

Funding Details

Funder: Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU)
Funding Goal: Protect and restore North Sea and Baltic Sea marine ecosystems through nature conservation projects, habitat restoration, and innovative offshore wind energy technologies that reduce environmental impacts.
Funding Amount: Approximately €10 million distributed annually across projects; no per-project cap stated
How to Apply: Applications are submitted online via the DBU project funding portal at https://www.dbu.de/en/promotion/project-funding/request-promotion/. No fixed deadline indicated — rolling submissions. A flyer with all key details is available for download. Applicants may also contact the relevant steering committee member for their topic area before applying.
Target Region: North Sea and Baltic Sea (Germany focus)
Contact: Dr. Maximilian Hempel (Management): +49 541 9633-300 | Dr. Sina Volz (Nature Conservation & Water): +49 541 9633-330 | Dr. Stefanie Moorthi (Marine Nature Conservation): +49 541 9633-320 | Dr. Klaus Michels (Offshore Wind & Marine Technology): +49 541 9633-230 | Dirk Schötz (Energy): +49 541 9633-240 | Ulf Jacob (Communication): +49 541 9633-960
Last Checked: 2026-03-11 16:40

Application Checklist

Eligibility

Project must focus on North Sea or Baltic Sea marine ecosystems
Fund established 2025; confirm current application round is open before submission

Project Scope

Eligible topics include endangered species protection, habitat restoration (reefs, seagrass), or offshore wind environmental technology

Required Documents

Submit application via DBU online portal (rolling basis)
Download and review the official Marine Nature Conservation Fund flyer for detailed requirements

Constraints

Green start-ups should apply through the separate DBU Green Start-up Programme rather than the standard project portal
Monitoring and communication projects only supported in individual cases — primary focus is conservation and technology R&D

Summary

The DBU Marine Nature Conservation Fund (Meeresnaturschutzfonds) is a dedicated funding stream established in November 2024 by the DBU Board of Trustees, with approximately €10 million available annually from 2025. The fund is capitalized through an endowment from the German Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMUV), financed by compensation payments from the expansion of offshore wind energy under the Offshore Wind Energy Act. The fund targets two primary areas: (1) nature conservation and habitat restoration — including protection of endangered species such as sturgeon, salmon, eel, sharks, and rays, as well as restoration of reefs and seagrass beds in the North and Baltic Seas; and (2) maritime infrastructure and technology — funding R&D and practical implementation of innovative, environmentally compatible approaches to offshore wind turbine construction, operation, and decommissioning. Monitoring, communication, and public participation projects can also be supported in individual cases. Applicants can submit proposals through DBU's standard online application portal. In addition to project grants, the DBU also offers Green Start-up funding, doctoral scholarships, and CEE fellowships for marine conservation topics, providing multiple entry points for organizations and individuals active in this field. The fund explicitly addresses the tension between Germany's offshore wind expansion goals and marine habitat protection, positioning itself as a mechanism to reinvest wind energy compensation funds back into ocean stewardship. This makes it one of the more significant dedicated marine conservation grant pools in the German-speaking region.

Historical Context

DBU has previously funded coastal and marine environmental protection projects. The dedicated Marine Nature Conservation Fund was formally established in November 2024 by the DBU Board of Trustees, with funding starting from 2025. The fund is endowed by the BMUV using compensation payments from the offshore wind energy expansion as mandated by the Offshore Wind Energy Act.

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