Austausch e.V.

What Austausch e.V. does

Austausch e.V. is a Berlin-headquartered non-governmental non-profit organization (eingetragener Verein, registered VR12005, Amtsgericht Charlottenburg) founded in 1992 that operates as an international civil society exchange platform focused on connecting Germany with Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. The organization runs a portfolio of thematic programmes across four core pillars: support for Ukraine, conflict mitigation, civil society networks, and environment/climate, with current flagship initiatives including the INKuLtur Programme (disability inclusion for Ukrainian refugees), GreenRoots Hub (a physical civil society space opened in Dnipro, Ukraine in March 2026 supporting environmental activists in frontline regions), Transition Dialogue (educational programming on 1990s transformation), the It's Ability! project (cross-national research on caregivers of persons with disabilities across Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia), and Systematic Fight Against Impunity (human rights monitoring documenting 8,221 cases of illegal detention of Ukrainian civilians). It does not operate proprietary technology, relying instead on standard web platforms (WordPress), YouTube, Vimeo, social media, and Google Maps for operations and dissemination.

The organization's business model is grant-dependent and non-commercial. Revenue streams consist of restricted project grants from institutional donors (European Union Social Innovation+ Initiative, ESF+, AMIF; German Federal Foreign Office Civil Society Cooperation; Brot für die Welt; Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung; Stiftung für deutsch-polnische Zusammenarbeit; Federal Ministry of Family Affairs KJP), private individual donations (bank transfer/SEPA), and membership dues (base and annual tiers). No fees are charged to beneficiaries for programmes, trainings, events, or participation. The 20-person professional staff is supported by a network of 250+ partner organizations across 15+ countries and has engaged 250,000+ lifetime participants across 300+ completed projects. A Dnipro operational office (12 Sviatoslava Khorobroho Street) anchors Ukraine-focused environmental and civic work, while the Berlin HQ (Greifswalder Str. 4, relocated from a prior address) houses the Executive Director, programme managers, communications, and finance functions.

Name

Austausch e.V.

Legal name

Austausch e.V.

Website

https://austausch.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Austausch e.V. is a Berlin-based non-profit NGO founded in 1992 that runs international civil society exchange programmes connecting Germany with Eastern Europe, operating disability inclusion, environmental, and human rights projects across 15+ countries through a 250+ partner network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Civil Society Exchange Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International Development & Donor-Funded Education Programs (EDADALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refugee, Crisis & Humanitarian Education Partnerships (EiE) (EDADALAG), Climate, Environment & Natural Resource Management Aid Programs (BPADABAI), Intergovernmental Education Cooperation & Bilateral/Multilateral Programs (EDADALAA)

Keywords

• Civil society exchange
• International NGO programmes
• Disability inclusion projects
• Environmental civil society
• Cross-border dialogue facilitation

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Project Grants: Major funding from institutional donors including European Union (Social Innovation+ Initiative, ESF+, AMIF), German Federal Foreign Office (Civil Society Cooperation), Brot für die Welt, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, and Stiftung für deutsch-polnische Zusammenarbeit for specific projects.
2. Donations: Private donations from individuals supporting civil society work in Eastern Europe. One-time donations accepted via bank transfer or SEPA direct debit.
3. Membership Fees: Organizational membership program providing access to internal events and network for members and volunteers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Austausch e.V. is a non-governmental non-profit organisation that designs and delivers international civil society exchange programmes between Germany, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. Its offerings combine project-based cooperation with NGOs, training workshops, expert dialogues, policy events, research publications, and grant programmes across themes including support for Ukraine, disability inclusion, environmental recovery, conflict mitigation, and historical-political education. Programmes, trainings, events, and participation are provided free of charge to beneficiaries and are funded by institutional grants, donations, and membership fees.

Product overview

Austausch e.V. is a non-governmental non-profit organisation (not a technology product company) offering civil society programmes focused on four main thematic areas: Support of Ukraine, Conflict Mitigation, Civil Society Networks, and Environment/Climate. Its core programmes include the INKuLtur Programme (disability inclusion for Ukrainian refugees), GreenRoots Hub (environmental civil society space in Dnipro, Ukraine), Transition Dialogue (international education on 1990s transformations), and It's Ability! (caregiver support research and training). Additional offerings include inclusive work culture trainings, subgrant competitions (Resilient Roots), and research publications on human rights monitoring. The organisation does not operate a software product platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• INKuLtur Programme A programme focused on disability inclusion and integration of Ukrainian refugees with disabilities in Germany, Poland, and Lithuania, offering research, training, and workplace inclusion initiatives.
• GreenRoots Hub A civil society space in Dnipro, Ukraine dedicated to supporting and strengthening environmental initiatives in frontline regions, offering free thematic meetings, mentoring, and networking for eco-activists and civil society organisations.
• Transition Dialogue An international education project exploring Germany's and specifically East Germany's experience of the 1990s in dialogue with Central and Eastern European perspectives, developing educational tools for dialogic remembrance in schools, museums, and non-formal education.
• It's Ability! A project fostering the integration of caregivers for persons with disabilities among Ukrainian refugees in Germany, Poland, and Lithuania, including cross-national research, subgrants, and policy dialogue.
• Inclusive Work Culture Trainings Hands-on training workshops for companies and organisations on diversity, inclusion, disability inclusion, and accessible workplace practices, with limited participant groups (max 15 per session).
• Systematic Fight Against Impunity Analytical monitoring project documenting illegal detention of Ukrainian and foreign civilians by Russian occupying forces, producing reports on war crimes and human rights violations, in cooperation with 'Sova' Expert Group NGO, Center for Civil Liberties, and 'War Archive'.
• Resilient Roots Subgrant Competition Subgrant competition supporting environmental initiatives in war-affected regions of Ukraine, offering up to €16,000 for civil society organisations to implement environmental projects.
• Environmental Recovery Support

Quantifiable outcome

• 32+ years of continuous operation and 300+ projects completed since 1992
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (Warsaw)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2026Joint organizer of German-Polish dialogue events on disability and refugee support. Co-organized the two-day event 'Displacement, Disability and Care' in Berlin with panel discussion and expert exchange.
• 'Sova' Expert Group NGOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Ukrainian human rights organization cooperating on 'Systematic Fight Against Impunity' monitoring project on illegal detentions.
• Center for Civil LibertiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Ukrainian human rights organization (Nobel Peace Prize 2022) cooperating on monitoring project for illegal detention documentation.
• 'War Archive'coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Ukrainian organization cooperating on 'Systematic Fight Against Impunity' project for documenting war crimes and illegal detentions.
• Lithuanian Disability ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024International research collaboration partner for 'It's Ability!' project studying Ukrainian caregivers of persons with disabilities across EU countries.
• Polish Forum for People with DisabilitiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024International research collaboration partner for 'It's Ability!' project. Co-organized events in Poland and contributed to cross-national study on caregivers.
• Sustento (Latvia)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner organization in 'It's Ability!' project consortium studying situation of Ukrainian caregivers of persons with disabilities in the EU.
• Berliner SparkasseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting organization for 'Work in Dialogue' employer-professional exchange events in Berlin.
• Stiftung Neue LänderminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting organization for 'Work in Dialogue' employer-professional exchange events in Berlin.
• Independent Experts from NorwayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational experts contributing to analytical report on illegal detention of Ukrainian civilians.
• GreenRoots Hub (Dnipro)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAustausch-implemented hub in Dnipro dedicated to supporting environmental initiatives and civic activists in Ukraine's frontline regions. Managed by Diana Shevelova.
• GIZ (Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint panel organizer at Café Kyiv 2026 on 'Building Climate Resilience in Ukraine' alongside Ukrainian Climate Office and Frankfurt School.
• Ukrainian Climate OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational platform coordinating climate adaptation efforts. Partner in panel on climate resilience and environmental monitoring in Ukraine.
• Frankfurt School of Finance and ManagementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner presenting flood risk study for Southern Ukraine at Café Kyiv 2026 panel.
• InsuResilience Solutions FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Café Kyiv 2026 climate resilience panel discussion.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Erste Stiftung: Austrian foundation supporting civil society, democratic participation, and education in Central and Eastern Europe — directly comparable as a regional civil society grantmaker and convener in neighboring countries.
• European Stability Initiative: Think-and-do tank producing policy research on South-East Europe, Ukraine, and Eastern Europe, with thematic overlap on cross-border civil society and reform — a peer in producing research-driven advocacy in the same regions.
• Deutsch-Ukrainisches Forum e.V. Berlin-based non-profit similarly bridging German civil society with Ukraine through dialogue, exchange, and civil society support. Directly comparable in mission, geographic focus, and Berlin-headquartered NGO structure.
• Democracy Reporting International: Berlin-headquartered NGO supporting democratic governance and civil society in transition countries, with active programming in Ukraine and the Eastern Partnership. Comparable as a Berlin-based civil society strengthening peer focused on similar geographies.
• International Renaissance Foundation: Major Ukrainian civil society foundation supporting civic initiatives, human rights, and reform in Ukraine — directly comparable as a subgrant-maker and civil society capacity builder operating in Austausch's core geography.
• European Endowment for Democracy: Brussels-based fund that supports civil society, independent media, and democracy actors across the EU neighbourhood and Eastern Partnership — a direct functional peer in disbursing small grants and convening civic actors in the same geographies Austausch serves.
• n-ost (Network for Eastern European Reporting): Berlin-based network connecting journalists, civil society, and media actors across Eastern Europe — closely comparable in geographic remit, convening role, and cross-border civil society exchange function.

Emerging players

• Zentrum für Liberale Moderne: Berlin-based think-and-do tank supporting democracy, civil society, and progressive forces in Eastern Europe — emerging peer with thematic overlap on East-West civil society exchange from a Berlin base.

Broad incumbents

• Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung: German political foundation with extensive programming in Eastern Europe, Ukraine, and on democratic civil society — broader incumbent with overlapping thematic coverage but significantly larger scale and mandate.
• Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung: German political foundation running civil society and dialogue programs across Eastern Europe and Ukraine — broader incumbent with overlapping civil society strengthening agenda and significantly larger institutional footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCSIUbDuoJdhVUV4nME5tHpg
• Facebookfacebook.com/austauschorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/austauschorg
• Instagraminstagram.com/austauschorg/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Austausch e.V.