Support Group

What Support Group does

Förderkreis für krebskranke Kinder und Jugendliche Bonn e.V. (doing business as Förderkreis Bonn e.V.) is a German charitable nonprofit association founded in 1982 and headquartered on the Venusberg-Campus of the University Hospital Bonn (UKB). Its sole purpose is to provide psychosocial support to children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer and their families from the point of diagnosis through aftercare. The organization addresses the existential family crisis accompanying pediatric cancer — approximately 2,200 children and adolescents are diagnosed annually in Germany with an 80% cure rate but a long, intensive, and psychologically devastating treatment journey.

The organization's service portfolio is delivered entirely free of charge and includes: psycho-oncological counseling, accommodation at the FAMILIENHAUS Bonn family house, therapeutic recreation (riding therapy, climbing, bouldering, cooking courses, creative arts), avatar-based remote schooling (Klassissimo 2.0), clinic clown visits, music therapy, a parent café, and Snoezelen relaxation rooms. Operationally, the Förderkreis runs through a small staff of 11–50 employees supplemented by an extensive volunteer network, and operates a wholly-owned subsidiary, FAMILIENHAUS Bonn gGmbH, which manages the family house facility.

The revenue model is entirely donation-based, with no fee-for-service component. Income is drawn from individual donors (online via betterplace.org and Amazon wishlist in-kind gifts), corporate sponsors, foundations, schools, sports and carnival associations, and a calendar of recurring fundraising events (Kronenkorkenfest bottle-cap festival, Dat Bönnnsche Hätz carnival, Stefans Bazar Christmas bazaar, Hilfsgruppe Eifel Oldienacht, Kronenkorkenfest Kausen, Twitch streaming, and benefit concerts). The go-to-market is community-led and grassroots, relying on decades-long donor relationships and word-of-mouth within the Bonn and broader North Rhine-Westphalia region. No equity funding, no venture capital, and no public listing exist; governance is provided by a volunteer board under chairperson Ursula Roos with managing director Meike Rüsing.

Name

Support Group

Legal name

Förderkreis für krebskranke Kinder und Jugendliche Bonn e.V.

Website

https://foerderkreis-bonn.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Förderkreis für krebskranke Kinder und Jugendliche Bonn e.V. is a Bonn-based nonprofit founded in 1982 providing free psycho-oncological counseling, FAMILIENHAUS accommodation, and therapeutic programs to children and adolescents with cancer and their families at University Hospital Bonn, financed entirely through donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pediatric Oncology Psychosocial Support Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Child and Youth Services (624110), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Outpatient Mental Health Clinics & Counseling Centers (HLAFACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Chronic Condition Lifestyle Coaching (Non-Clinical) (HSADAGAH)

Keywords

• Pediatric oncology support
• Psycho-oncological counseling
• Nonprofit family services
• Childhood cancer charity
• Therapeutic recreation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Bonn

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising Revenue: The organization is entirely financed through donations from individuals, companies, foundations, and community groups. Fundraising channels include charity events (concerts, carnival events, fairs, marathons), corporate donations, school fundraising projects, and online donations via betterplace.org. No fee-for-service revenue model exists — all support services are provided free of charge to families.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Förderkreis provides free psycho-oncological counseling to children and adolescents with cancer and their families, from diagnosis through aftercare, at the University Hospital Bonn (UKB). It operates the on-site FAMILIENHAUS Bonn accommodation facility and runs a portfolio of therapeutic and recreational programs including riding therapy, bouldering, cooking courses, creative arts, avatar-based schooling (Klassissimo 2.0), clinic clown visits, and a parent café. All services are offered at no cost to families and are funded entirely through donations and community fundraising.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FAMILIENHAUS Bonn: A family house facility providing accommodation and support services for families of children undergoing cancer treatment at the University Hospital Bonn.
• BÄRENSTARK
• Dat Bönnsche Hätz
• Kronenkorkenfest

Products and services

• FAMILIENHAUS Bonn Accommodation Free on-site accommodation facility on the Venusberg-Campus of UKB for families of children undergoing cancer treatment, allowing parents and siblings to remain close to the patient during the intensive and prolonged treatment period.
• Psycho-Oncological Counseling (Beratung & Betreuung) Free psycho-oncological counseling for children with cancer and their entire families, available from the moment of diagnosis and continuing through aftercare, helping families cope with the existential crisis triggered by a cancer diagnosis.
• Therapeutic Recreation Programs (Freizeiten) Therapeutic and recreational activities for children with cancer and their siblings, including riding therapy, bouldering, cooking courses, and holiday trips, designed to provide distraction and joy during long treatment periods.
• Klassissimo 2.0 - Avatar-Based Schooling An avatar-based remote schooling program that allows children with cancer to maintain educational continuity during extended treatment periods when they cannot physically attend school.
• Parent Café (Elterncafé) A peer support meeting point for parents of children with cancer, providing a relaxed setting for parents to connect, share experiences, and support one another during their child's treatment at UKB.
• Creative Offerings (Kreatives Angebot) Creative arts programs providing patients with craft, music, and artistic activities as a form of therapeutic expression and distraction during their hospital stay.
• Clinic Clown Visits (Klinikclowns) Weekly visits by two trained clinic clowns to the pediatric oncology ward at UKB, providing humor and emotional relief to children during treatment.
• BÄRENSTARK Magazine A regular magazine produced by the Förderkreis for affected families, providing information, community connection, and updates on the organization's programs and events.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% cure rate for childhood cancer in Germany
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hilfsgruppe Eifel e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024Annual donation of 50,000 EUR at the 24th Oldie-Nacht in Kall to fund salaries of the educator and social worker on the pediatric oncology ward.
• Schornsteinfeger Glückstour e.V.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Second donation from Schornsteinfeger Glückstour e.V. in 2024, with a 3,000 EUR donation at a stop in Nettersheim.
• Town & Country StiftungcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Multiple grants awarded to the Förderkreis including Stiftungspreis awards for the SchmökerHaus bookshelf project and clinic clowns, plus books valued at 150 EUR on the theme of forest and nature.
• Hilfsgruppe Eifel e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2023The Hilfsgruppe Eifel has supported the Förderkreis for over 30 years. In 2023, they donated 100,000 EUR at the Oldienacht in Kall to fund two part-time positions in pedagogical and therapeutic support for pediatric oncology patients and siblings. In 2024, they donated an additional 50,000 EUR for educator and social worker salaries.
• Sparkasse KölnBonncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Through the PS-Lotterie (prize savings lottery) of Sparkassen in the Rhineland, the Sparkasse KölnBonn donated 6,000 EUR in 2023 to finance weekly clinic clown visits — two specially trained clowns visit the pediatric oncology ward weekly.
• Schornsteinfeger Glückstour e.V. (Chimney Sweeps Good Luck Tour)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Annual cycling tour by chimney sweeps raising funds for seriously ill children. In 2023, the 18th Glückstour concluded at the Bundesverbandstag der Schornsteinfeger in Bonn with a 3,000 EUR donation.
• Felix Reichert (Tippspiel Organizer)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Felix Reichert organized a charity football World Cup prediction game, raising 977 EUR for the Förderkreis through participant fees and supplementary donations.
• Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) – Eiko Emrich and Ron LauberminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Soldiers organized the third year of the 'Support a Warrior' campaign, with Café Viereck from Berlin designing a special Förderkreis patch that sold for 19,000 EUR. The campaign has raised funds for different pediatric oncology parent organizations each year.
• 7 Days to Charity (Jens Duczmal and Marco Erdmann)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 September 2022An annual Twitch streaming event where 16 channels stream the game '7 Days' live to raise funds for charity. In 2022, the event raised 25,000 EUR for the Förderkreis.
• CharityBustersminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 2 July 2022A Ghostbusters-themed charity group that organized a family event with Nerf gun target practice, bouncy castle, cotton candy, and popcorn at the 'Tag der kleinen Godesberger' in Bad Godesberg, raising 600 EUR.
• Beethoven Orchester BonnminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 June 2022Musicians of the Beethoven Orchester performed a benefit chamber concert at Trinitatiskirche in Bonn-Endenich, raising 1,120.90 EUR for the Förderkreis.
• FRIEDAkomplett (Freies Schauspielensemble)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 May 2022A free theater ensemble that performed a benefit reading 'SWITAJE, KRAJE NEBA PLAJE' (Ukrainian literature) at Rheinbühne, raising 475 EUR for the two Ukrainian pediatric oncology patients the Förderkreis was supporting.
• Melbtal-CombominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022A musical group from Bonn-Ippendorf that performed a pre-Christmas concert at a senior home on the Venusberg, with 200 EUR donated to the broader 1,360.95 EUR benefit concert total raised by longtime member Alfons Besseler.
• Trimolo – Förderkreis für Musik in TrinitatisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTrimolo provided the venue and support for the Beethoven Orchester benefit chamber concert at the Trinitatiskirche in Bonn-Endenich.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Wünschewagen – ASB Deutschland: ASB Germany's program fulfilling last wishes of terminally ill patients, including children. Comparable as a donation-funded support service for seriously ill children and families, but with a different specific mission (wish fulfillment vs. ongoing psychosocial care).
• KlinikClowns Bayern e.V. Regional nonprofit deploying trained hospital clowns to pediatric wards. Directly comparable to the clinic clown program funded by Sparkasse KölnBonn at the Förderkreis, with a similar donation-funded, volunteer-professional operating model.
• Stiftung KinderHerz: German foundation supporting children with congenital heart disease through research funding and family support. Comparable in mission (chronic pediatric illness support), donation model, and family-centered program design, though focused on cardiology rather than oncology.

Others

• Psychosoziale Arbeitsgemeinschaft in der Pädiatrischen Onkologie und Hämatologie (PSAPOH): German professional association coordinating psychosocial care standards in pediatric oncology. Comparable in focus on psycho-oncological service delivery for children with cancer; functions as a coordinating/sector body rather than a direct service provider, and an adjacent ecosystem participant for the Förderkreis.

Direct peers

• Nachsorgeklinik Tannheim: German rehabilitation clinic offering family-oriented aftercare programs for children with cancer, heart disease, and cystic fibrosis. Comparable in providing free psycho-social aftercare and family accommodation services to pediatric cancer patients, donation-funded via Elternhilfekrebs.
• Kinderkrebshilfe Mainz e.V. Regional nonprofit at University Hospital Mainz offering psycho-social support, family housing, and therapeutic programs for pediatric oncology families. Highly comparable in service portfolio, funding model (donation-based), and operating structure.
• Elternhilfe für krebskranke Kinder und Jugendliche e.V. (Köln): Regional nonprofit in Cologne providing psychosocial and financial support to families of children with cancer at the University Hospital Cologne. Operates a comparable service mix (counseling, family accommodation, therapeutic activities) and is funded via donations, making it the closest geographic and programmatic peer to the Förderkreis Bonn.

Broad incumbents

• Deutsche Kinderkrebsstiftung: National German foundation funding pediatric oncology research and supporting affected families. Comparable as a donation-funded nonprofit addressing the same childhood cancer population, but operating at a national scale with a research-funding focus rather than single-hospital psychosocial service delivery.
• Ronald McDonald House Charities Germany: German arm of RMHC operating family accommodation houses adjacent to pediatric hospitals nationally. Directly comparable in providing free family housing (akin to FAMILIENHAUS Bonn) for families of seriously ill children, supported by donations and corporate partnerships.

Regional players

• Hilfsgruppe Eifel e.V. Regional nonprofit primarily supporting children and adults with cancer and other serious illnesses in the Eifel region. Comparable in mission and donation-funded model, and is itself a major donor/strategic partner of the Förderkreis (100k EUR in 2023, 50k EUR in 2024).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/dichtungsding
• Facebookfacebook.com/foerderkreisbonn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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