Bundeszuwanderungs- und Integrationsrat (BZI)

What Bundeszuwanderungs- und Integrationsrat (BZI) does

The Bundeszuwanderungs- und Integrationsrat (BZI) is a registered non-profit association (e.V.) founded circa 1999 and headquartered in Berlin. It is the nationwide umbrella federation for Germany's municipal integration, migration, and foreigner advisory councils (Integrations-, Migrations- und Ausländerbeiräte), representing approximately 450 democratically legitimized municipal councils and more than 6,500 politically active volunteers across nearly all 16 German federal states. BZI operates cross-religiously, cross-ethnically, and cross-party, advocating for the political, legal, and social equality of people with immigration histories and campaigning notably for municipal voting rights for third-country nationals.

BZI's "products" are a portfolio of federally funded model projects rather than commercial offerings. Flagship programs include Pass[t] Genau (a nationwide citizenship counseling network with regional advisors and volunteer counselors, active since July 2023), YoungUP! (engagement of young BIPoC in political participation), Klimapolitik – kommunal und vielfältig! (municipal climate policy participation, funded by Stiftung Mercator), and the BAMF Strukturförderung Phase 3 (structural capacity-building for integration councils). The organization does not develop proprietary technology; its technology footprint consists of a public website, project subsites (e.g., passtgenau-bzi.de), and a Facebook page.

BZI is funded almost entirely through project-based grants from German federal bodies, including the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI), the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), the Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration, and the Federal Government Commissioner for Anti-Racism. Additional support comes from Stiftung Mercator and the Bundesnetzwerk Bürgerschaftliches Engagement, with secondary member contributions. The organization has a small staff (9 employees) and a separate Förderverein des BZI e.V. as a supporting legal entity. Leadership is provided by a dual chair (Doppelspitze) of Didem Laçin Karabulut and Krzysztof Blau, elected in July 2024.

Name

Bundeszuwanderungs- und Integrationsrat (BZI)

Legal name

Bundeszuwanderungs- und Integrationsrat e.V.

Website

https://bzi-bundesintegrationsrat.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Bundeszuwanderungs- und Integrationsrat (BZI) is a Berlin-based non-profit federation serving as the nationwide umbrella for Germany's 450+ municipal integration and migration councils, representing 6,500+ volunteers across nearly all federal states through federally funded advocacy and model projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Migration and Integration Advocacy Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Immigrant & Refugee Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refugee, Migration & Displacement Support (BPAGABAH), Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)

Keywords

• Migration council federation
• Citizenship counseling
• Political participation advocacy
• Integration policy
• Civic engagement programs

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. Government Grants and Project Funding: BZI operates primarily through government funding from the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI), the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), the Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration, and the Federal Government Commissioner for Anti-Racism. Additional project-based funding is received from bodies such as the Stiftung Mercator (for climate policy projects) and the German Federal Network Agency for Civic Engagement (for integration projects). Revenue is used to fund operational activities, staff positions (regional coordinators), and project delivery.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The BZI functions as the nationwide federation of state umbrella organizations of municipal integration, migration, and foreigner advisory councils, coordinating roughly 450 municipal councils with more than 6,500 volunteers in nearly all German states. It delivers federally funded model projects — including Pass[t] Genau (citizenship counseling), YoungUP! (youth political engagement for BIPoC), Klimapolitik – kommunal und vielfältig! (municipal climate participation), and Strukturförderung des BAMF Phase 3 (capacity building for integration structures) — and conducts federal-level policy advocacy for political, legal, and social equality of people with immigration histories.

Product overview

Bundeszuwanderungs- und Integrationsrat (BZI) is a federal association that functions as a coordination and advocacy body rather than a traditional product company. Its offerings consist of several funded projects and programs focused on political participation, integration, and civic engagement. The core project portfolio includes Pass[t] Genau (a citizenship counseling network), YoungUP! (youth political engagement), and Klimapolitik – kommunal und vielfältig! (municipal climate policy). These projects operate as independent programs with distinct funding periods and regional focus areas, supported by the BZI's umbrella coordination structure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pass[t] Genau: Beratungsnetzwerk für Einbürgerungsinteressierte – ein Modellprojekt des BZI zur Unterstützung von Menschen beim Einbürgerungsprozess
• YoungUP!
• Klimapolitik – kommunal und vielfältig!

Products and services

• Pass[t] Genau – Beratungsnetzwerk für Einbürgerungsinteressierte (Citizenship Counseling Network) A nationwide model project providing multi-lingual, low-threshold counseling and support for individuals interested in German citizenship, with regional coordinators in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Rheinland-Pfalz and municipal volunteer counselors (Einbürgerungslots*innen) assisting applicants before and during the naturalization process.
• YoungUP! – Politische Teilhabe junger BIPoC (Youth Political Participation for BIPoC) A project engaging young Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in Germany in political participation, providing encouragement, inspiration, and activation activities to support democratic civic engagement.
• Klimapolitik – kommunal und vielfältig! (Municipal Climate Policy Participation) A project strengthening participation of people with migration or refugee backgrounds in municipal climate protection processes through seminars, excursions, and workshops, networking with local environmental and climate actors.
• Strukturförderung des BAMF (Phase 3) – Capacity Building for Integration Structures A BAMF-funded structural promotion project supporting capacity building and coordination of integration structures in Germany, operated by BZI under BAMF's structural funding program.

Quantifiable outcome

• Pass[t] Genau project conducted ~2,500 citizenship counseling sessions and published a citizenship counseling handbook (as of November 2025).
• +1 more outcomes

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

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Türkische Gemeinde in Deutschland (TGD)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 May 2023TGD participated in the BZI-initiated coalition for citizenship reform (alongside VDSH and Statefree), coordinated with support from Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and DGB. The coalition submitted a collective position statement on the draft citizenship law reform.
• Verband Deutsch-syrischer Hilfsvereine (VDSH)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 May 2023VDSH joined the BZI-led coalition for citizenship reform alongside TGD and Statefree, contributing to a collective civil society position statement on the draft modernization of German citizenship law.
• Friedrich-Ebert-StiftungminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 May 2023Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung provided logistical and substantive support for the BZI-initiated coalition on citizenship reform, helping to coordinate the joint position statement submitted by BZI, TGD, VDSH, and Statefree.
• Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund (DGB)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 May 2023DGB co-supported the BZI-initiated coalition for citizenship reform, contributing to the collective civil society position on the draft citizenship law modernization alongside TGD, VDSH, and BZI.
• StatefreeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 May 2023Statefree participated in the BZI-initiated coalition for citizenship reform alongside TGD and VDSH, contributing civil society expertise to the collective statement on the draft German citizenship law.
• Bremer Rat für IntegrationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Bremen Integration Council is a project partner in the 'Klimapolitik – kommunal und vielfältig!' project implemented by BZI in the model region of Bremen, contributing local integration expertise to climate policy engagement activities.
• BUND BremenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBUND Bremen (Friends of the Earth Germany, Bremen chapter) is a partner in the climate policy project, contributing environmental and climate protection expertise and facilitating connections between migration organizations and the local climate action community.
• globale° LiteraturfestivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe globale° Literaturfestival (Bremen) collaborates as a project partner on the climate policy initiative, contributing cultural programming and engagement expertise to broaden the reach of diversity-aware climate policy activities.
• House of Resources Bremen (TJV e.V.)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHouse of Resources (Hor) Bremen, operated by TJV e.V., is a project partner providing organizational resources and network support for the implementation of the climate policy project activities.
• VisionskulturminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVisionskultur is a Bremen-based civil society organization collaborating as a project partner in the climate policy initiative, supporting inclusive and diverse approaches to municipal climate engagement.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Deutscher Caritasverband: Germany's largest Catholic welfare organization with extensive migration and integration services. Comparable as a federally funded social services provider to immigrants, but operates across a much broader welfare portfolio rather than focusing specifically on integration council coordination.
• Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft der Freien Wohlfahrtspflege (BAGFW): Umbrella of Germany's six major welfare associations. Comparable as a federated advocacy and service-delivery structure with federal funding relationships; differs by operating as a meta-umbrella of welfare giants rather than as a community-organizing federation for immigrants.
• Diakonie Deutschland: National umbrella of Protestant welfare agencies, a major provider of integration and refugee services. Comparable as a federally active non-profit in the integration space, though its scope spans the full social welfare spectrum rather than immigrant political participation specifically.

Others

• Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF): Federal Office for Migration and Refugees — a primary funder and structural partner of BZI (Strukturförderung Phase 3). Comparable as a key institution in Germany's integration ecosystem but is a government agency rather than an independent civil-society organization.
• Deutscher Städtetag: German Association of Cities, the federal umbrella of municipal governments. Comparable as a nationally federated municipal-level organization that interacts with federal policy and funding — a potential counterpart institution for BZI in the municipal governance space.
• Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Migration, Flüchtlinge und Integration: Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration — a primary funder of BZI's Pass[t] Genau project. Comparable as a federal-level integration institution and key policy counterpart, but a government office rather than a membership organization.

Direct peers

• Pro Asyl: Germany's leading refugee and asylum rights advocacy organization. Directly comparable to BZI as a federally active non-profit advocating for migrant rights, though focused more narrowly on asylum/refugees rather than the broader municipal integration council constituency.
• Türkische Gemeinde in Deutschland (TGD): National umbrella of Turkish-origin associations in Germany. Comparable as a community-led advocacy federation engaged in citizenship reform coalition work alongside BZI; differs in that it is organized by community of origin rather than by municipal council structure.
• Neue Deutsche Organisationen (NDO): Network of post-migrant and migrant-led organizations across Germany. Comparable to BZI as a federation-style advocacy body targeting immigrant political participation; differs in representing individual member organizations rather than municipal councils.
• Sachverständigenrat für Integration und Migration (SVR): Independent expert council on integration and migration policy in Germany. Comparable as a federally recognized institution producing evidence-based advocacy; differs by being a research/policy advisory body rather than a community-organizing federation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Bundesintegrationsrat
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bundesintegrationsrat

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Bundeszuwanderungs- und Integrationsrat (BZI)