Informationen für Geförderte - Stiftung Mercator

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

Wir verstehen unsere Förderung als eine partnerschaftliche Zusammenarbeit mit den Geförderten. Daher sprechen wir auch nicht von Bewilligungsempfänger*innen ...

Source: https://www.stiftung-mercator.de/de/wie-wir-foerdern/informationen-fuer-gefoerderte/

Funding Details

Funder: Stiftung Mercator
Funding Goal: Supporting projects aligned with the foundation's four thematic pillars: Digitalized Society, Europe in the World, Climate-Resilient Society, and Participation and Social Cohesion, through partnership-based grant funding.
Funding Amount: No specific amounts published. Grants up to €100,000 approved by management; larger grants require advisory committee approval. The foundation is one of Germany's major private foundations.
Deadline: Rolling (no fixed deadlines) (Rolling)
How to Apply: Two-stage process: (1) Submit a project sketch (Antragsskizze) of 1,000–3,000 characters via email to the relevant project manager at any time (rolling). The foundation reviews within ~6 weeks. (2) If positively reviewed, submit a full application (Vollantrag) with detailed project description, measurable objectives, financial plan using foundation template, timeline, milestones, and evaluation plan — via email and post. Grants up to €100,000 decided by management; larger grants by advisory committee.
Target Region: Germany, Europe (with offices in Essen, Berlin, Istanbul, Beijing)
Contact: Headquarters in Essen, Germany. Additional offices in Berlin, Istanbul, and Beijing. Contact via website contact form. Applications sent to individual project managers via email.
Last Checked: 2026-03-11 19:44

Application Checklist

Eligibility

Project must align with one of the four thematic areas: Digitalized Society, Europe in the World, Climate-Resilient Society, or Participation and Social Cohesion

Required Documents

Submit a project sketch (Antragsskizze) of 1,000–3,000 characters including applicant details, project title, description, alignment with funding criteria, and requested budget
If invited to stage 2, prepare a full application with detailed project description, measurable objectives, financial plan (using foundation template), timeline, milestones, and evaluation/sustainability plans

Constraints

Submit full application both via email and post to the responsible project manager
Allow up to 6 weeks for sketch review; do not send follow-up inquiries during this period
Be prepared for intensive project supervision and regular reporting obligations (interim reports by February each year for multi-year projects)

Summary

Stiftung Mercator is a major German private foundation established in the late 1990s by the Karl Schmidt merchant family from Duisburg. Named after the Flemish cartographer Gerhard Mercator, the foundation operates from offices in Essen (headquarters), Berlin, Istanbul, and Beijing. It provides project grants to organizations working across its four strategic focus areas: Digitalized Society, Europe in the World, Climate-Resilient Society, and Participation and Social Cohesion. The foundation uses a two-stage application process. First, applicants submit a brief project sketch (1,000–3,000 characters) via email to the relevant project manager — there are no fixed deadlines, and applications are accepted on a rolling basis. If the sketch is positively reviewed (within approximately 6 weeks), applicants are invited to submit a full application including a detailed project description, measurable objectives, financial plan, timeline, and evaluation strategy. Grants up to €100,000 are approved by management; larger grants require approval from the foundation's advisory committee. Stiftung Mercator positions itself as a strategic, partnership-oriented funder. It refers to grant recipients as "project partners" and provides intensive project supervision including guidance on project management, financial administration, event planning, and public relations. Partners must submit payment schedules, fund receipt confirmations, and regular progress reports. The foundation also offers a Fellowship program for outstanding individuals from academia and practice, and runs the "Meet!" program supporting youth exchange across Europe.

Historical Context

Founded in the late 1990s by the Karl Schmidt merchant family from Duisburg. Named after Gerhard Mercator. The foundation is a member of the German Association of Foundations and has signed the Charter of Diversity. It is one of Germany's larger private foundations with an ongoing, rolling grant-making program.

Sources

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