BAG Wohnungslosenhilfe e.V.

What BAG Wohnungslosenhilfe e.V. does

BAG Wohnungslosenhilfe e.V. (BAG W) is a German federal non-profit association (eingetragener Verein) headquartered in Berlin-Reinickendorf and founded in 1954. It functions as the national umbrella organization (Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft) for the housing emergency assistance sector, bringing together regional welfare associations, municipal social services, and charitable institutions — including major Träger such as AWO, Caritas, and Diakonie — to coordinate professional standards, statistics, advocacy, and policy across Germany. Its core outputs are knowledge products rather than technology: the quarterly professional journal 'Wohnungslos', annual Statistikberichte on homelessness dating back to 2003, Positionspapiere (policy position papers), practical guides (Arbeitshilfen), and systematic Kältetod-Dokumentation of cold-related deaths. The organization also runs national conferences (Bundestagungen), the 'Wo + Wie' online directory of local assistance services, and public awareness campaigns such as the annual 'Tag der wohnungslosen Menschen'.

The business model is membership-based and grant-funded rather than commercial. Revenue streams consist of membership fees from member organizations, public subsidies and project funding (notably from the Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building, BMWSB), subscription income from publications, and event participation fees. BAG W is the formal consultative partner to BMWSB on the National Action Plan and the National Strategy to overcome homelessness by 2030, and participates in European-level work through its membership in FEANTSA. The association operates with a small staff of 8 employees, and reports persistently high homelessness levels in Germany — 452,900 people accommodated as of January 2026, with more than one million people estimated to be in housing emergencies.

There is no proprietary technology stack or AI/ML capability in the offering; the association's value lies in its convening role, multi-decade content library, and regulatory position as the recognized federal voice on homelessness policy in Germany.

Name

BAG Wohnungslosenhilfe e.V.

Legal name

Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Wohnungslosenhilfe e.V.

Website

https://bagw.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BAG Wohnungslosenhilfe e.V. is the German federal umbrella association for homelessness assistance, coordinating member organizations, publishing statistics and position papers, and advising federal policy on overcoming homelessness by 2030.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homelessness Assistance Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

Keywords

• Homelessness assistance services
• Housing policy advocacy
• Social welfare association
• Professional journal publications
• Homelessness statistics reporting

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: BAG W operates as a non-profit association (e.V.) primarily funded through membership fees from its member organizations, which include regional and local social welfare organizations, municipal services, and charitable institutions working in homelessness assistance.
2. Public Funding and Subsidies: As a federal-level umbrella organization, BAG W receives support and subsidies from public bodies, including the Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building (BMWSB), as evidenced by their logo placement on the website indicating sponsorship and cooperation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BAG W is the federal umbrella association for homelessness assistance in Germany, coordinating and representing member organizations active in housing emergency services. It produces the 'Wohnungslos' professional journal, annual statistics reports on homelessness since 2003, policy position papers, and reference materials. The association organizes national conferences (Bundestagungen), operates the Wo + Wie online portal for locating local assistance, and documents cold-related deaths among homeless people.

Product overview

BAG Wohnungslosenhilfe e.V. is a national advocacy and specialist association for housing emergency services in Germany. The organization does not offer a technology product in the traditional sense, but provides a portfolio of publications, data services, and professional events. Its core offerings include the 'Wohnungslos' journal (67th volume), annual statistics reports on homelessness in Germany, policy position papers on various social topics, and national conferences (Bundestagungen). Additional services include the 'Wo + Wie' search portal for local assistance and systematic documentation of cold-related deaths. The organization functions as a coordinating body for member organizations and publishes educational materials, handbooks, and research documentation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Zeitschrift 'Wohnungslos' (Professional Journal) Quarterly professional journal available by subscription, covering homelessness, housing policy, and social work topics for sector professionals, member organizations, and public subscribers.
• Statistikberichte (Annual Statistics Reports) Annual statistical reports on homelessness in Germany, providing data on housing emergency statistics; reports available from 2003 onward for member organizations, policymakers, and researchers.
• Positionspapiere (Position Papers) Policy position papers on diverse topics including work, diversity, families, women, health, housing, migration, and social law — for policymakers, member organizations, and the broader public.
• Materialien zur Wohnungslosenhilfe (Materials on Homeless Assistance) Numbered series of reference materials and publications (MzW) covering homelessness assistance topics, intended for professionals and member organizations.
• Bundestagungen (National Conferences) Annual national conferences for professionals from the housing and homelessness sector, featuring presentations, forums, and workshops for networking and continuing education.
• Wo + Wie Suchportal: Hilfe vor Ort (Local Assistance Search Portal) Online search portal (woundwie.de) that helps individuals find local assistance and support services for people experiencing housing emergencies or homelessness across Germany.
• Kältetod-Dokumentation (Cold Death Documentation) Systematic annual documentation of cold-related deaths among homeless people in Germany based on press monitoring, providing evidence for advocacy and policy on cold-protection measures.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• FEANTSA (Fédération Européenne d'Associations Nationales Travaillant avec les Sans-Abri)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFEANTSA is the European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless. BAG W is a member and active participant in FEANTSA, cooperating on European-level homelessness policy, research, and best practice exchange. The Fachausschuss Migration (Migration Committee) of BAG W specifically cooperates with FEANTSA on migration-related issues.
• BMWSB (Bundesministerium für Wohnen, Stadtentwicklung und Bauwesen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building is the key governmental partner for BAG W. The association cooperates with BMWSB on national housing policy, the development of the National Action Plan to overcome homelessness, and the National Strategy to overcome homelessness by 2030. BAG W serves as a consultative partner in federal policy development.
• Überörtliche Träger der SozialhilfecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level (überörtliche) social welfare organizations that provide funding and support to BAG W. These include large welfare associations such as the Arbeiterwohlfahrt, Caritas, Diakonie, and other organizations that operate homeless shelters and social services across multiple municipalities.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• FEANTSA: European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless. Direct peer as BAG W is a member and active participant; FEANTSA operates at the pan-European level performing the same umbrella, advocacy, and knowledge-exchange role across member federations.
• European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN): European umbrella network of anti-poverty NGOs and federations. Comparable as a federated advocacy structure coordinating national member organizations on social policy at the European level, addressing overlapping poverty and housing-insecurity themes.
• Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft der Freien Wohlfahrtspflege: German federal umbrella of the six major welfare associations (including Caritas, Diakonie, AWO, Paritätischer, DRK, ZWST). Comparable as a German Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft functioning as a sector-wide advocacy umbrella with overlapping federal policy influence and member-driven coordination.

Others

• Diakonie Deutschland: German Protestant welfare federation and a BAG W member. Comparable in operating homelessness services and engaging federal housing policy but functions as a direct service federation rather than a dedicated homelessness umbrella.
• Deutscher Caritasverband: Germany's largest Catholic welfare organization and a BAG W member. Comparable in operating homelessness and housing-emergency services across Germany but operates as a direct service provider rather than an umbrella association.
• Arbeiterwohlfahrt (AWO): Major German welfare organization and BAG W member. Comparable in running shelters and housing-emergency services nationally but delivers services directly rather than coordinating member advocacy.

Broad incumbents

• Habitat for Humanity International: Global nonprofit addressing housing need. Comparable in the housing/homelessness mission space but operates internationally, focuses on housing construction and homeownership, and does not specialize in the homelessness-policy umbrella role that defines BAG W.

Regional players

• National Coalition for the Homeless: US-based national advocacy organization for homelessness. Comparable as a national-level civil society umbrella advancing policy, research, and public awareness on homelessness, but operating in the United States rather than Germany.
• Homeless Link: UK national membership organization for homelessness services. Comparable as a sector umbrella providing training, resources, and policy advocacy to homelessness service providers in the UK context.
• Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness: Canadian national umbrella focused on ending homelessness. Comparable in mission scope (national strategy coordination, data, member-driven advocacy) and operates a parallel convening model across Canada.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• TikToktiktok.com/de
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bag-wohnungslosenhilfe

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 BAG Wohnungslosenhilfe e.V.