Diakonisches Werk Bayern

What Diakonisches Werk Bayern does

Diakonisches Werk Bayern, formally 'Diakonisches Werk Bayern – Landesverband der Inneren Mission der Evangelisch-Lutherischen Kirche in Bayern e.V.', is the Bavarian state-level welfare association of the Protestant Church and the second-largest freie Wohlfahrtsverband in Bavaria. Founded in its current organizational form in 1948 (with Diakonie roots in Bavaria dating to 1824), it is headquartered in Nürnberg at Pirckheimerstraße 6 and operates as a registered non-profit association (eingetragener Verein). The organization is the social-services arm of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria (ELKB) and serves as an umbrella federation for approximately 1,220 member organizations operating 3,186 facilities across Bavaria, coordinated through 35 Bezirksstellen (district offices) covering nearly every Bavarian deanery. Service delivery is decentralized: member organizations provide elderly care, disability support, refugee and migration counseling, family and youth services, debt counseling, housing support, hospice care, and social-psychiatric services, employing roughly 100,812 people and supported by approximately 28,000 volunteers.

The organization's product portfolio is service-oriented rather than technology-based. Core programs include the Diakonie.Kolleg continuing education platform (covering 100+ work areas including digitalization, AI, leadership, and theology), the Bavarian coordination office for Brot für die Welt (international development, 11M+ EUR collected in 2024), and the Bavarian coordination for Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (disaster relief, 5M+ EUR in 2024). Member organizations operate 1,432 kindergartens with 105,944 places, 201 stationary elder-care facilities with 16,147 beds, 95 residential disability facilities with ~9,000 places, 44 disability workshops employing ~5,200 people, 71 KASA social-work service points, and numerous counseling and crisis-intervention centers. Technology infrastructure is limited to standard IT, a website, online donation platforms, and the Diakonie.Kolleg training portal — there are no proprietary technology products, AI/ML capabilities, or commercial software offerings.

The revenue model is a multi-stream public-sector and donation-based welfare structure. Diakonie Bayern receives the bulk of its network funding through social insurance payments (Krankenkassen, Pflegekassen), public subsidies from Bavarian municipalities, districts, and the Free State of Bavaria under the principle of subsidiarity, and church funds (approximately 29 million EUR, equivalent to about 3% of the ELKB's 971 million EUR church budget). Donations supplement this through twice-yearly collection campaigns (Frühjahrs- and Herbstsammlung, totaling over 700,000 EUR in 2024), the Brot für die Welt campaign, and disaster relief contributions. Some services carry client co-payments. Network-wide annual turnover exceeds 3 billion EUR across the member facilities, though the standalone Landesverband turnover is not separately disclosed. Governance rests with the member organizations through a Diakonischer Rat and a Vorstand led by the President, currently Dr. Sabine Weingärtner (in office since 2022).

Name

Diakonisches Werk Bayern

Legal name

Diakonisches Werk Bayern - Landesverband der Inneren Mission der Evangelisch-Lutherischen Kirche in Bayern e.V.

Website

https://diakonie-bayern.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Diakonisches Werk Bayern is the Bavarian state welfare association of the Protestant Church, serving as an umbrella federation for 1,220 member organizations operating 3,186 social-services facilities across Bavaria with 100,000+ employees and 28,000 volunteers, delivering elderly care, disability support, refugee services, and family counseling funded by social insurance, public subsidies, church funds, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Welfare Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Community Housing Services (62422), Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee, Migration & Displacement Support (BPAGABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB), Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC), Refugee & Migrant Integration Enterprises (Livelihoods, Services) (BPAGALAN)

Keywords

• Social welfare services
• Elderly care services
• Disability support services
• Refugee counseling
• Family counseling services

Headquarters

HQ city

Nürnberg, Bavaria

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Social Insurance Funding: Primary revenue source from social security providers including health insurance, nursing care insurance, and pension funds. These statutory insurers fund medical and nursing services delivered by Diakonie member organizations.
2. Government Subsidies: Public funding from municipalities, districts (Bezirke), the Free State of Bavaria, and employment agencies. Diakonie receives this funding because it performs state-mandated tasks under the principle of subsidiarity.
3. Donations and Collections: Twice-yearly statewide collection campaigns (Frühjahrs- and Herbstsammlung), with donations exceeding 700,000 EUR in 2024. Additional donations for specific purposes like Brot für die Welt, disaster relief, and refugee work.
4. Church Funds: Approximately 3% of the Bavarian State Church budget (971 million EUR) supports Diakonie tasks, representing about 29 million EUR in church funding for charitable work.
5. Client Co-payments: In certain service areas, clients contribute co-payments for services, particularly in long-term care and housing services.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Diakonisches Werk Bayern is a non-profit welfare association that coordinates and delivers a broad portfolio of social services across Bavaria, including elderly care, disability services, refugee and migration counseling, family and youth services, debt counseling, housing assistance, mental health and addiction treatment, hospice care, and crisis intervention. It operates through more than 1,220 member organizations and 3,186 facilities, and runs Bavarian arms of international programs such as Brot für die Welt (development) and Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (disaster relief).

Product overview

Diakonisches Werk Bayern operates as a social welfare federation offering a diverse portfolio of social services rather than a technology product company. The organization provides over 100 different social service areas spanning counseling, care, migration support, youth and family services, housing assistance, and international aid programs. Key offerings include Diakonie.Kolleg (continuing education), Brot für die Welt (international development), Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (disaster relief), 35 regional district offices (Bezirksstellen) providing local coordination and KASA counseling services, and online donation platforms. The organization manages approximately 3,186 facilities with over 100,000 employees serving Bavarians across all life stages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Diakonie.Kolleg Continuing education and professional development platform for employees of Diakonie Bayern member organizations, covering topics including agility, digitalization and AI, communication, conflict resolution, life balance, management and leadership, resilience, team building, and spirituality.
• Brot für die Welt International development program of the Protestant churches working for global justice, peace, education, and against poverty and hunger, collaborating with over 1,600 partner organizations in 81 countries. Diakonie Bayern serves as the Bavarian state office coordinating 32 deaconry representatives and 1,405 participating churches.
• Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH) Emergency disaster relief service providing humanitarian aid worldwide following natural disasters, wars, and displacement, averaging 150 relief measures annually and operating as part of ACT (Churches help together). Bavaria received over 5 million EUR in donations for DKH in 2024.
• Bezirksstellen (District Offices) 35 district offices of Diakonie Bayern coordinating local services across Bavarian deaneries and districts, implementing local support networks and Kirchliche Allgemeine Sozialarbeit (KASA) counseling services at 71 service locations.
• Online Donation Platform (Twingle) Online donation system enabling secure contributions to Diakonie Bayern's work or specific projects, featuring encrypted SSL data transmission. Donations exceeding 700,000 EUR were collected in 2024 across twice-yearly statewide collection campaigns.

Quantifiable outcome

• 73,254 full-time positions, 100,812 employees, and 27,951 volunteers across Bavaria
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Brot für die WeltcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrot für die Welt is a non-governmental development organization and agency of the Protestant churches. Diakonie Bayern serves as the Bavarian state office (Landesstelle), coordinating donations and activities with 32 deaconry representatives and 1,405 participating churches. Bavaria consistently leads all German Protestant churches in donations, with over 11 million EUR collected in 2024.
• Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiakonie Katastrophenhilfe performs disaster relief worldwide, including domestic disaster response. Bavaria received over 5 million EUR in donations for DKH in 2024. The organization aids victims regardless of religion, skin color, or nationality and is a member of ACT (Churches Helping Together).
• Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Ungarn (Hungarian Evangelical Lutheran Church)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiakonie Bayern maintains partnership with Hungarian Diakonie through a partnership agreement between the Bavarian State Church and Hungarian church. Activities include joint Diakonie seminars, staff exchanges, internships, and mutual support in vocational training. Total partnership expenditure was approximately 32,740 EUR in 2024.
• Freie Wohlfahrtspflege Bayern (Free Welfare Association Bavaria)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBavarian umbrella organization of six major welfare associations: Arbeiterwohlfahrt, Bayerisches Rotes Kreuz, Deutscher Caritasverband, Diakonisches Werk Bayern, Landesverband der Israelitischen Kultusgemeinden Bayern, and PARITÄTISCHER Wohlfahrtsverband Bayern. Coordinates advocacy and joint action on social policy.
• Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern (ELKB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiakonie is part of the Protestant Church in Bavaria, serving as its 'Lebens- und Wesenäußerung' (life and nature expression). Joint initiatives include 'Mut gegen Armut', refugee protection memorandum, and joint advocacy for social causes.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Deutschland: Federal-level Caritas association coordinating the Catholic welfare network across Germany. Provides national advocacy, training, and program frameworks that benefit state-level Caritas entities competing directly with Diakonie Bayern.

Direct peers

• Diakonie Deutschland: Federal-level umbrella of the same Diakonie brand across all 16 German states. Diakonie Bayern operates under this national federation, sharing governance, advocacy, and federal programs (e.g., Brot für die Welt, Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe) while competing with peer state associations for federal resources.
• Deutscher Caritasverband - Landesverband Bayern: Catholic counterpart and the largest Freie Wohlfahrtsverband in Bavaria, delivering the same breadth of elderly care, family services, refugee counseling, and social welfare programs through parish-rooted member organizations. It is the most direct head-to-head competitor for public contracts and donor share in the region.
• PARITÄTISCHER Wohlfahrtsverband Bayern: Umbrella organization for non-confessional social service providers in Bavaria and one of the six Freie Wohlfahrtsverbände. Coordinates advocacy and contract allocation with Diakonie Bayern under the same subsidiarity framework.
• Zentralwohlfahrtsstelle der Juden in Deutschland: Central welfare office of the Jewish communities in Germany, the sixth recognized Freie Wohlfahrtsverband alongside Diakonie, Caritas, Red Cross, AWO, and PARITÄTISCHER. Smaller scale but same statutory recognition for public contract access.
• Bayerisches Rotes Kreuz: One of the six recognized Freie Wohlfahrtsverbände in Bavaria, the Bavarian Red Cross delivers comparable social services including elderly care, disaster response, refugee assistance, and ambulance services. Direct competitor under the same subsidiarity funding framework.
• Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe: Protestant-affiliated aid society (part of the German Order of St. John) delivering social services, hospice care, refugee programs, and disaster response. Comparable delivery model and donor base to Diakonie Bayern in several service lines.
• Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Deutschland: Workers' Samaritan Federation delivering elderly care, social services, refugee support, and civil protection across Germany. Member of the broader welfare ecosystem and direct competitor for service contracts and donor share.
• Malteser Deutschland: Catholic aid organization delivering social services, refugee assistance, and disaster relief across Germany. Operates as part of the broader Freie Wohlfahrtspflege network and competes for similar public contracts and donor share.
• Arbeiterwohlfahrt Landesverband Bayern: Workers' Welfare Association in Bavaria, one of the six Freie Wohlfahrtsverbände providing elderly care, family support, refugee counseling, and youth services. Direct public-sector-contract competitor with a distinct social-democratic heritage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCPvawUur1pApBjQdvueJSMQ
• Facebookde-de.facebook.com/DiakonieBayern
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/diakonisches-werk-bayern
• Instagraminstagram.com/diakoniebayern

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Diakonisches Werk Bayern