Kick-Off of the initiative „Absorptionsfähigkeit von Fördermitteln in strukturschwachen Räumen stärken”
A digital kick-off event on June 5th, 2024, launched the initiative Absorptionsfähigkeit von Fördermitteln in strukturschwachen Räumen stärken. The aim is to establish viable funding structures in model regions, support them in concrete funding applications and consolidate funding management. This approach aims to empower structurally weak regions to apply for and utilize funding more effectively.
The initiative is implemented as part of the programme Region gestalten (financed by the Federal Rural Development Regional Value Creation Programme – BULEplus) by the Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Building (BMWSB) and the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development. Five model regions are currently involved: Oberzentrum Südthüringen, Altenburger Land, the municipalities Wiesenburg and Kronach, and the Kali region. A second call for funding is underway to identify additional model regions for the project.
REM Consult is part of the research assistance, which is composed of the Institut Raum & Energie, as well as Prof. Dr. Peter Dehne and Prof. Dr. Jens Hoffmann (Steinbeis-Transferzentrum Kooperative Regionalentwicklung) and Prof. Dr. Christian Diller (Justus Liebig University of Giessen). The aid is supporting the model regions with content expertise for funding advice, concrete joint project applications in the sense of strategically oriented regional development and the creation of training modules.
During the kick-off event, each region had the chance to introduce themselves, outline the initiative’s anticipated impact and discuss the offer in detail with the research assistance. The exchange will continue with bilateral digital discussions in the summer of 2024, during which the individual model projects of the regions will be further developed. The strategic regional development concepts (SREKs) of each region will be discussed, and further actions will be planned. Starting in September REM Consult and members of the research assistance team will conduct on site workshops with key stakeholders in the regions. The goal is to advance the implementation of strategic project approaches of the SREKs in each region and to jointly enhance funding competency.