What Aktion Zivilcourage does

Aktion Zivilcourage e.V. is a registered German non-profit association founded in 1997 in Pirna, Saxony, specializing in civic and democratic education with a mission to strengthen democratic values, conflict-resolution skills, and civic courage, particularly among children and youth in rural East Germany. It operates a multi-layered portfolio anchored by the Couragierte Kinder programme for Kitas, Horte, and Grundschulen (reaching approximately 2,100 people across 15 facilities in 2025), the DemokratieCampus online learning platform hosted on the reteach infrastructure (Susell GmbH) for blended digital delivery, and modular workshop offerings spanning democracy learning, media education, global learning, remembrance culture, social cohesion, and civil courage. Beyond youth, the organization delivers moderation training, protection concepts, and participation-format consulting to municipal administrations in the Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge district and operates the cross-border German-Czech youth dialogue project (Interreg-funded) with partners including Goethe-Gymnasium Sebnitz, EDU KAMENICE, and The English College in Prague.

The organization's business model is grant- and donation-driven rather than commercial. The majority of revenue comes from publicly funded programmes — Bundesprogramm "Demokratie leben!", Bundesprogramm "Zusammenhalt durch Teilhabe", Interreg/EU, and allocations from the Sächsischer Landtag, Sächsisches Staatsministerium für Soziales, and the Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung — supplemented by foundation support from Dr.-Hans-Riegel-Stiftung, Fondation de Luxembourg, HuManS-Stiftung, Kurt und Maria Dohle Stiftung, Swiss Life Stiftung, and Ostsächsische Sparkasse Dresden. Donations flow through a FundraisingBox integration, and a minority of offerings are delivered as quote-based fee-for-service workshops booked through the Eveeno platform. The organization holds regulatory certifications as a nationwide Träger der politischen Bildung (bpb, 2023), a state-wide Träger der freien Jugendhilfe (§75 SGB VIII, 2021), and the PHINEO Wirkt-Siegel effectiveness certification (2013), and operates from three offices in Pirna (headquarters), Dresden, and Sebnitz with 11–50 employees.

Name

Aktion Zivilcourage

Legal name

Aktion Zivilcourage e.V.

Website

https://aktion-zivilcourage.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Aktion Zivilcourage e.V. is a German non-profit founded in 1997 in Pirna, Saxony, delivering civic and democratic education programs for children, youth, pedagogical staff, and municipal administrations in Saxony and cross-border into the Czech Republic.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Pirna

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Project-based public funding and grants: Majority of revenue comes from publicly funded programmes including Bundesprogramm 'Demokratie leben!', Bundesprogramm 'Zusammenhalt durch Teilhabe', Interreg (EU cross-border funding), and state-level grants from the Sächsischer Landtag, Sächsisches Staatsministerium für Soziales, and Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung. The organization also receives foundation support from Dr.-Hans-Riegel-Stiftung, Fondation de Luxembourg, HuManS-Stiftung, Kurt und Maria Dohle Stiftung, Swiss Life Stiftung, and Ostsächsische Sparkasse Dresden.
2. Donations and membership fees: The organization accepts donations (with a dedicated FundraisingBox integration on its website) and has both ordinary members and supporting (non-voting) members who pay membership fees. The association is recognized as a charitable non-profit organization by the tax office (Finanzamt Pirna, 25.09.2025).
3. Fee-for-service workshops and training: Some offerings are delivered as billable services to schools, municipal administrations, and other institutions. Workshop bookings are managed through Eveeno (event management platform). Prices are quoted upon request for certain offerings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Aktion Zivilcourage e.V. is a non-profit civic education association that delivers structured democratic education programmes, workshops, and training for children, youth, educators, and municipal administrations across Saxony and beyond. Its core offerings include the long-term 'Couragierte Kinder' institutional accompaniment programme for Kitas and elementary schools, the DemokratieCampus online learning platform, peer education projects, civic courage workshops, simulation games on democratic processes, and moderation training for municipal conflict situations. The organization is funded primarily through public grants, foundation support, donations, and fee-for-service workshop bookings.

Product overview

Aktion Zivilcourage operates a multi-layered educational portfolio centered on democracy pedagogy and civic education. The core offerings include: (1) Couragierte Kinder - a comprehensive long-term program for Kitas, Horte, and elementary schools comprising multiple modules (EFFEKT Training, IKPL, anti-bullying, self-assertion, fair play); (2) DemokratieCampus - an online learning platform delivering digital continuing education; (3) Youth programs covering democracy learning, media education, global learning, social cohesion, and remembrance culture; (4) Peer education initiatives like 'Ich bin wählerisch!' and 'Goodby Hate Speech'; (5) Zivilcourage workshops; and (6) municipal programs including moderation training for conflict resolution and cross-border Czech-German youth dialogue. The offerings are modular and can be combined in blended-learning approaches.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DemokratieCampus: Digital learning platform for online seminars and continuing education on democracy and civic engagement topics.
• Couragierte Kinder

Products and services

• Couragierte Kinder A comprehensive long-term educational programme for Kitas, Horte (after-school care), and Grundschulen that strengthens children's conflict resolution skills, empathy, and democratic competencies. Includes modules such as EFFEKT Training-IKPL, anti-bullying workshops, self-assertion training ('Starke Kinder sagen NEIN'), 'Mit Köpfchen gegen Mobbing', '#fairplaygewinnt', and 'Gemeinsam stark!'. Approximately 20 pedagogical hours on-site plus preparation and follow-up. Reached approximately 2,100 people in 2025 across 15 partner facilities.
• DemokratieCampus An online learning platform delivering digital continuing education for educators, pedagogical specialists, and institutions across Germany. Provides self-service training modules covering bullying prevention, appreciative communication, handling aggression, and other civic education topics. Accessible at aktion-zivilcourage.reteach.io.
• Demokratielernen (Democracy Learning)

Quantifiable outcome

• In 2017: 8,564 people reached across 440 educational events, with 2,000+ volunteer hours contributed.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EDU KAMENICE (Gymnázium, Česká Kamenice)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2025Czech partner school in the Interreg-funded 'Gemeinsame Geschichte – Gemeinsame Zukunft: Deutsch-Tschechische Jugend im Dialog' project, co-developing cross-border educational activities with young people from Sebnitz and Česká Kamenice.
• Goethe-Gymnasium SebnitzcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2025German partner school and host of the start conference for the German-Czech youth dialogue project. Acts as the primary German school partner in the Interreg programme.
• The English College in PragueminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2025Czech partner school in the German-Czech youth dialogue project, contributing to cross-border educational exchange and dialogue activities.
• Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung (bpb)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency for political education that officially certified Aktion Zivilcourage as a nationwide recognized Träger der politischen Bildung in 2023, enabling access to federal programmes and institutional recognition.
• Gegen Vergessen – Für Demokratie e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational association for democratic memory work. Aktion Zivilcourage is a member and participates in joint initiatives to strengthen democracy and civil courage.
• Bundesnetzwerk für ZivilcourageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal network of civic courage organizations. Aktion Zivilcourage is a member, enabling knowledge exchange and collaboration with similar organizations across Germany.
• Jugendring Sächsische Schweiz-OsterzgebirgeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional youth ring association. Aktion Zivilcourage is a member, enabling coordination with other youth organizations in the district.
• Kuratorium Gedenkstätte SonnensteinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCuratory of the Sonnenstein Memorial site. Aktion Zivilcourage participates in remembrance culture programming and educational activities linked to the memorial.
• Praxisforum RechtsextremismusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPractice forum on right-wing extremism. Aktion Zivilcourage participates as a member organization, contributing to and benefitting from expert exchange on extremism prevention.
• Bundesprogramm 'Demokratie leben!'coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal programme for democratic participation and extremism prevention. Previously funded the 'Couragierte Kinder' programme (until 2024) and supports Partnerschaften für Demokratie structures in which Aktion Zivilcourage participates.
• Bundesprogramm 'Zusammenhalt durch Teilhabe'coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal programme supporting civic participation and democratic culture. Aktion Zivilcourage participates in practice workshops and implementation activities as a programme partner.
• Sächsisches Staatsministerium für Soziales und gesellschaftlichen ZusammenhaltcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSaxon State Ministry for Social Affairs. Provides Trägerschaft der freien Jugendhilfe recognition (2009, 2021) and co-funds projects including 'Die Gläserne Stadt' through state parliament budget allocations.
• Phineo gAGminorOthersThird-party impact analysis organization that awarded Aktion Zivilcourage the 'Wirkt-Siegel' in 2013, certifying the organization's effectiveness. Also provides the transparency label 'WIRKT! geprüft & empfohlen' featured on the organization's website.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• PHINEO gAG: Impact analysis and rating organization for German non-profits. Aktion Zivilcourage holds the PHINEO Wirkt-Siegel since 2013. PHINEO serves as an ecosystem enabler and certifier for the German civic sector, providing a comparable institutional reference point for non-profit effectiveness benchmarking.

Direct peers

• Mehr Demokratie e.V. Germany-wide civic participation organization focused on direct democracy, citizen participation, and municipal referendum rights. Directly comparable in mission around strengthening democratic participation—particularly relevant to Aktion Zivilcourage's 'Planspiel Stadtrat' and Partnerschaft für Demokratie work with municipal administrations.
• Bundesnetzwerk für Zivilcourage: Federal network of civic courage organizations. Aktion Zivilcourage is a member, and the network aggregates similar local civic education providers across Germany—making it a federated peer in the same niche.
• Deutscher Kinderschutzbund Bundesverband e.V. Germany's largest child protection NGO with federal structure and local chapters. Aktion Zivilcourage's 'Couragierte Kinder' and child protection modules received the HanseMerkur Preis für Kinderschutz (2024), placing it in comparable terrain on children's rights, anti-bullying, and pedagogical support.
• Gegen Vergessen – Für Demokratie e.V. National German association for democratic memory work and civic courage. Aktion Zivilcourage is a member and received its 'Gegen Vergessen – Für Demokratie' prize in 2024. Both organizations operate in civic education, remembrance culture, and democratic engagement with overlapping institutional funders.

Broad incumbents

• Bildungswerk der Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung: The educational arm of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung (Greens-affiliated political foundation). Comparable as a Träger der politischen Bildung delivering civic education workshops, conferences, and training—though at much larger scale and with a national political-foundation footprint.
• Aktion Mensch e.V. Germany's largest social non-profit, funding inclusion and civic participation projects nationwide. Comparable in non-profit scale, fundraising model, and mission around participation, though operating from a much larger budget and broader thematic scope.
• Herbert Quandt Stiftung: Foundation supporting democratic education and civic engagement in Germany. Functions as both a comparable civic-education provider and a potential partner/funder pattern—a foundation-type model that could inspire Aktion Zivilcourage's institutional development.
• Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (Bildung und Politik): One of Germany's largest political foundations with extensive civic education programming. Aktion Zivilcourage competes for the same federal Träger funding and recognition; the FES represents a well-capitalized incumbent in shared civic/democratic education territory.

Regional players

• Stiftung Demokratie Saarland: State-level democracy foundation in Saarland supporting civic education and democratic participation. Comparable scope as a regional Träger der politischen Bildung, though anchored in a different German state with similar mission around counter-extremism and democratic culture.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/azpirna
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AktionZivilcourage/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/vereinaktionzivilcourage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aktion-zivilcourage-e-v
• Instagraminstagram.com/aktion_zivilcourage

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aktion Zivilcourage