DKJS

What DKJS does

DKJS (Deutsche Kinder- und Jugendstiftung) is an independent German foundation established in 1994 and headquartered in Berlin, operating programs across all 16 federal states with regional offices in Berlin, Dresden, and Stuttgart. The foundation targets children, youth, and education professionals in Germany, with a stated focus on reducing educational inequality and strengthening youth participation. Its work spans early childhood education (Kita), school and full-day schooling development, digital education, cultural education, democracy education, and youth participation in vocational transitions.

DKJS's product portfolio includes commissioned model projects (Kulturkita Hessen, Kooperation Schule und Hort in Sachsen-Anhalt), qualification programs (Starke Leitung – starke Kita in Baden-Württemberg, offering 30+ courses and the Toolbox für Kita-Leitungen), digital learning offerings (Starke Kita MOOC on the oncampus platform, Kompass Kulturkita quality tool), the Deutscher Kita-Preis award program with prizes up to 25,000 EUR, the proRespekt violence-prevention program in Berlin, and convening networks such as Bundesforum Familienzentren. The foundation also publishes thematic journals, studies, whitepapers, and position papers (e.g., on digital-education quality, Kita quality from children's perspective, and full-day schooling). All participant-facing programs are delivered free of charge.

The foundation's business model is grant- and commission-based: revenue is generated through government-commissioned program implementation (funded via instruments such as the Kita-Qualitäts- und Teilhabeverbesserungsgesetz, KiQuTG), partnerships with private foundations (e.g., Crespo Foundation for Kulturkita Hessen), and donations via spendenbildet.de. End users (Kitas, educators, families, children) are not paying customers but program recipients. With 101–250 employees and nationwide policy reach, DKJS functions as an implementation intermediary between educational science, public-sector funders, and on-the-ground practice rather than as a commercial vendor.

Name

DKJS

Legal name

Deutsche Kinder- und Jugendstiftung

Website

https://dkjs.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

DKJS (Deutsche Kinder- und Jugendstiftung) is an independent German foundation, founded 1994, that designs and implements free education programs for children, youth, and educators across all 16 German federal states, funded by government commissions, partner foundations, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth and Education Foundation Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (6117), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Early Childhood Development (ECD) & Pre-Primary Education (BPADAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Early Literacy & Pre-Reading (Phonics, Letter Knowledge) (EDAGACAA), Head Start & Public Pre-K Programs (EDACABAK)

Keywords

• Youth education programs
• Early childhood education
• School development initiatives
• Cultural education projects
• Nonprofit educational foundation

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Commissioned Programs: DKJS receives commissions and funding from government ministries (federal and state) to implement educational programs. Programs like Starke Leitung – starke Kita are commissioned by the Ministry of Education Baden-Württemberg.
2. Foundation Funding: Kulturkita Hessen is funded by the Crespo Foundation as initiator and funder, with additional support from Hessisches Ministerium für Arbeit, Integration, Jugend und Soziales.
3. Donations: The foundation accepts donations through spendenbildet.de for supporting its mission of education and youth participation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

DKJS implements commissioned and foundation-funded educational programs for children and youth in Germany, including early childhood education (Kita), full-day schooling, democracy and cultural education, digital education, and youth participation. The foundation runs model projects, qualification programs, professional development for educators, networks for family centers, and the Deutscher Kita-Preis award, supplemented by digital learning platforms such as the Starke Kita MOOC.

Product overview

DKJS (Deutsche Kinder- und Jugendstiftung) operates a portfolio of educational programs, publications, and digital learning offerings focused on children and youth development in Germany. The organization runs model projects like Kulturkita Hessen (early childhood cultural education) and qualification programs such as Starke Leitung – starke Kita for kindergarten leadership. Key digital offerings include the Starke Kita MOOC on the oncampus platform and the Toolbox for Kita-Leitungen. The foundation also manages the Deutscher Kita-Preis award, networks like Bundesforum Familienzentren, and publishes research through thematic journals, studies, whitepapers, and position papers covering topics including democracy education, digital education, Kita quality, and whole-day schooling development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Deutscher Kita-Preis: Award program recognizing outstanding daycare centers in Germany with prize money up to 25,000 euros
• Starke Leitung – starke Kita
• Kulturkita Hessen
• proRespekt
• Bundesforum Familienzentren

Products and services

• Kulturkita Hessen A statewide model project promoting early childhood cultural education and participation in Hessen, supporting participating Kitas in integrating cultural activities into daily routines through cooperation, qualification, and networking; each Kulturkita receives an annual budget of €6,000. Target audience: Kitas and their pedagogical teams in Hessen, funded by the Crespo Foundation with co-funding from the Hessisches Ministerium für Arbeit, Integration, Jugend und Soziales.
• Starke Leitung – starke Kita A free qualification program for kindergarten leadership in Baden-Württemberg offering online courses, coaching, networking meetings, and digital expert inputs to strengthen Kita management skills. Target audience: Kita-Leitungen in Baden-Württemberg; commissioned by the Ministerium für Kultus Baden-Württemberg and coordinated by DKJS as Koordinierungsstelle.
• Starke Kita MOOC A free Massive Open Online Course providing digital learning for Kita leadership and teams, covering leadership role, teamwork, Kita concept, organizational development, social space orientation, complaint management, health and resilience, with video interviews, badges for module completion, and certificates. Target audience: Kita-Leitungen and pedagogical teams nationwide.
• KITA-Rat Advisory service that informs interested parents about child day care topics and supports cooperation between parents, specialist staff, and parent representatives. Target audience: parents, Kita staff, and parent representatives in the Dresden/Saxony area.
• Deutscher Kita-Preis An annual award program recognizing outstanding work in early childhood education, with prizes of up to €25,000 for Kitas and local alliances. Target audience: German Kindertageseinrichtungen (Kitas) and local alliances applying for recognition.
• proRespekt – gewaltfreie Schulen demokratisch gestalten Program supporting schools in Berlin to create an atmosphere of safety and respect, helping children and youth develop opportunities for learning and personal development through projects on violence prevention, democracy, and school connection. Target audience: schools in Berlin; jointly implemented with Gangway and Violence Prevention Network.
• Bundesforum Familienzentren A national network connecting actors relevant to family centers in early childhood education, including stakeholders from state and municipal levels, science, providers, and management to advance family centers across Germany. Target audience: operators, funders, and policymakers in the German family-center ecosystem.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 500 recommendations received for Deutscher Kita-Preis 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Crespo FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Crespo Foundation is the initiator and primary funder of the Kulturkita Hessen program, a model project for early childhood cultural education implemented by DKJS.
• Hessisches Ministerium für Arbeit, Integration, Jugend und Soziales (HMSI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024HMSI serves as a funding partner for Kulturkita Hessen, supporting the model project for early childhood cultural education in Hessen.
• Netzwerk Frühkindliche Kulturelle Bildung (NFKB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024NFKB is a cooperation partner for Kulturkita Hessen, providing expertise in early childhood cultural education and facilitating participation in network events and working groups.
• Auridis StiftungminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Auridis Stiftung is mentioned as a founding partner for the Bundesforum Familienzentren network, working with DKJS to build a network on family centers.
• Bundesverband der FamilienzentrencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Bundesverband der Familienzentren is a key partner in the Bundesforum Familienzentren network, which connects stakeholders from state and municipal levels, science, providers and management to advance family centers in early childhood education.
• Ministerium für Kultus Baden-WürttembergcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2021The Ministry for Education Baden-Württemberg commissioned DKJS as coordination body (Koordinierungsstelle) to implement the Starke Leitung – starke Kita program, funded through the Kita-Qualitäts- und Teilhabeverbesserungsgesetz (KiQuTG).
• Berliner Senatsverwaltung für Bildung, Jugend und FamiliecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Berlin Senate Department for Education, Youth and Family funds the proRespekt program, implemented by DKJS together with Gangway and Violence Prevention Network.
• Gangway – Straßensozialarbeit in Berlin e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGangway is a joint trustee (gemeinsame Trägerschaft) of the proRespekt program along with DKJS and Violence Prevention Network, focusing on violence prevention and democratic school development.
• Violence Prevention Network gGmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerViolence Prevention Network is a joint trustee (gemeinsame Trägerschaft) of the proRespekt program, contributing expertise in violence prevention for the school program.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Auridis Stiftung: Foundation focused on early childhood education and family support, named as a founding partner of Bundesforum Familienzentren with DKJS. Directly comparable as a thematic peer in the ECD/family-center space and an active collaborator.
• Bildung & Begabung: Non-profit competence center for talent development and gifted education in Germany, running national programs and competitions. Comparable as a national education foundation using commissioned programs and award-based recognition (similar mechanic to Deutscher Kita-Preis).
• Stiftung SPI: Berlin-based non-profit operating in education, youth, and family policy programs, frequently commissioned by Berlin and Brandenburg ministries. Comparable in model and scope to DKJS's regional programs, particularly in the Berlin/Brandenburg geography.
• Crespo Foundation: Frankfurt-based foundation funding cultural education programs for children and youth, including the Kulturkita Hessen program that DKJS implements. Comparable as a partner/funder with overlapping thematic focus on cultural early childhood education.
• Bundesvereinigung Kulturelle Kinder- und Jugendbildung: Federal association for cultural children and youth education in Germany, closely aligned with DKJS's cultural education work (NFKB partner). Comparable as a coordinator of cultural-education programs and networks across German states.
• Stiftung Lesen: German foundation dedicated to promoting literacy and reading, including early childhood literacy. Highly comparable as a national education foundation running commissioned programs with federal/state ministries and producing publications and digital learning resources.

Broad incumbents

• Bertelsmann Stiftung: One of Germany's largest private foundations, with significant activity in education, early childhood, and social policy. Comparable as a non-profit operating large-scale commissioned education programs in Germany, though with a much broader thematic mandate.
• Robert Bosch Stiftung: Major German foundation operating programs in education, democracy, and social cohesion — including work on Kita quality and civic education. Comparable in funding model (commissioned programs + foundations) and in serving as a national implementation partner for education initiatives.
• Heinz Nixdorf Stiftung: Large German foundation supporting education, science, and youth programs. Comparable as a national foundation using commissioned-program delivery in education, though with a broader thematic portfolio.

Emerging players

• Pädagogische Hochschulen (e.g., PH Heidelberg): German universities of education that deliver professional development for Kita-Leitungen and educators. Comparable as an alternative delivery channel for the same target segment (education professionals) that DKJS serves through Starke Leitung.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dkjs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about DKJS