Verband der Kolpinghäuser eV

What Verband der Kolpinghäuser eV does

Verband der Kolpinghäuser e.V. (VKH) is a registered non-profit association (eingetragener Verein) headquartered in Köln, Germany, that functions as the umbrella organization for approximately 220 Kolpinghäuser across Germany. The association coordinates four operational pillars: KOLPING Jugendwohnen (~40 socially-pedagogically supervised youth and apprentice dormitories), KOLPING Familienferienstätten (7–8 family vacation facilities), KOLPING Hotels (member-operated hotels and conference venues), and KOLPING Vereinshäuser (community clubhouses). VKH also administers the nationwide Auswärts Zuhause initiative, which promotes youth mobility for apprentices, and operates the Kolping-Netzwerk für Geflüchtete for refugee integration. The organization is part of the broader Kolpingwerk Deutschland network, founded on the legacy of Catholic social reformer Adolph Kolping (1813–1865).

VKH's business model is two-sided. As an association, it collects membership fees from the ~220 member facilities and provides them with advocacy, framework purchasing agreements (WeWash, hotelkit, Nexi, JobRad, Ladegrün!), a website builder (Internet-Baukasten), and a job/tenant exchange (Job-/Pächterbörse). Concurrently, VKH acts as Zentralstelle for federal programs — most prominently the BMFSFJ 'Corona-Auszeit für Familien' vacation subsidy and the Erasmus+ YouMo youth mobility project (started October 2025) — administering funding flows to member and non-member facilities. End-customer revenue at hotels, family vacation homes, and youth housing is generated and retained by the individual member entities (e.g., Kolping-Hotel GmbH, Kolping-Gastro GmbH, Kolping-Stiftung Augsburg), not by VKH itself. Pricing at the facility level is set independently and not centrally disclosed.

The technology stack supporting VKH's operations is light and non-differentiated: self-hosted Matomo analytics, OpenStreetMap integration, the sinntun-based website builder, and standard framework-vendor SaaS contracts for hotel operations, payments, EV charging, and employee benefits. No proprietary technology, AI/ML capabilities, or APIs are disclosed. Governance is led by 1. Vorsitzende Maria Kraft and Geschäftsführerin Christina Borchert, supported by a Vorstand and Verwaltungsrat elected from the member assembly. Capital-intensive expansions are funded at the member-entity level rather than centrally, including the €24M Augsburg Kolpinghaus renovation (2020), €2.5M Kolpinghotel Schweinfurt extension (2022), and the new Stella Maris family vacation facility in Cuxhaven (2023).

Name

Verband der Kolpinghäuser eV

Legal name

Verband der Kolpinghäuser e.V.

Website

https://kolpinghaeuser.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Verband der Kolpinghäuser e.V. is the German non-profit umbrella association coordinating ~220 Kolping member facilities across four pillars — youth/apprentice housing, family vacation homes, hotels, and community houses — providing member services, federal-program administration, and advocacy rooted in the Catholic Kolpingwerk tradition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Housing and Social Welfare Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (813990), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Youth housing services
• Family vacation facilities
• Hotel hospitality services
• Non-profit association membership
• Social welfare housing

Headquarters

HQ city

Köln

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Member facilities (Kolpinghäuser) pay membership fees to the association. The association provides services including framework agreements, political advocacy, and program administration.
2. Hotel and Hospitality Services: Member Kolping hotels generate revenue from overnight stays, conferences, events, and restaurant services. Examples include Kolpinghotel Schweinfurt and Stadthotel am Römerturm.
3. Youth Housing / Apprenticeship Dormitories: Youth housing facilities generate revenue from housing apprentices and vocational training students, often with public subsidies or funding through programs like 'Junges Wohnen'.
4. Family Vacation Facilities: Family vacation homes generate revenue from family holiday bookings, sometimes supplemented by government subsidy programs.
5. Zentralstelle Administration (Federal Programs): VKH acts as Zentralstelle (central office) for the BMFSFJ 'Corona-Auszeit für Familien' program, administering applications and disbursing federal funds to member facilities.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Verband der Kolpinghäuser e.V. is a registered non-profit umbrella association that coordinates approximately 220 Kolpinghäuser member facilities across Germany. Its core offerings span four pillars: KOLPING Jugendwohnen (socially-pedagogically supported housing for apprentices and vocational trainees at ~40 youth dormitories), KOLPING Familienferienstätten (subsidized family vacation facilities in scenic German regions), KOLPING Hotels (hospitality and conference venues), and Vereinshäuser (community clubhouses). The association also administers federal family-vacation subsidy programs as Zentralstelle and provides members with framework contracts and support services.

Product overview

Verband der Kolpinghäuser eV operates a diversified portfolio of Catholic social welfare facilities across Germany, comprising four core pillars: KOLPING Jugendwohnen (youth/apprentice housing with ~40 socially-pedagogically supervised facilities), KOLPING Familienferienstätten (8 family vacation centers), KOLPING Hotels (hotel and conference operations), and Vereinshäuser (community clubhouses). The association also coordinates the nationwide AUSWÄRTS ZUHAUSE initiative for apprentice housing, supports refugee integration through dedicated networks, and provides members with cost-saving framework contracts for operational services (WeWash, hotelkit, Nexi, JobRad, Ladegrün!). Member services include an Internet-Baukasten website builder and a Job-/Pächterbörse for employment and tenant matching. The portfolio is unified by the mission of Adolph Kolping to provide housing, education, and community for young people in vocational training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KOLPING Jugendwohnen: Youth housing services for apprentices and young people in training, providing accommodation, meals, and pedagogical support
• KOLPING Familienferienstätten
• KOLPING Hotels
• KOLPING Vereinshäuser
• AUSWÄRTS ZUHAUSE

Products and services

• KOLPING Jugendwohnen

Quantifiable outcome

• Training drop-out rate of ~5% in Kolping youth housing vs. ~26.7% national average for apprentices (Berufsbildungsbericht 2023)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ösb Social Innovation (Austria)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025VKH is a partner in the Erasmus+ KA 2 project 'YouMo – Unlocking Opportunities by Supporting Youth Mobility', led by ösb Social Innovation in Austria. Other partners include Ballymun Job Centre Cooperative Society Limited (Ireland) and Andragoski zavod Ljudska univerza Velenje (Slovenia). The project started 01 October 2025 and aims to promote youth mobility across Europe.
• Ballymun Job Centre Cooperative Society Limited (Ireland)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Partner in the Erasmus+ KA 2 project 'YouMo' alongside VKH, ösb Social Innovation (AT), and Andragoski zavod Ljudska univerza Velenje (SI). The project supports youth mobility across Europe.
• Andragoski zavod Ljudska univerza Velenje (Slovenia)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Partner in the Erasmus+ KA 2 project 'YouMo' alongside VKH, ösb Social Innovation (AT), and Ballymun Job Centre Cooperative Society Limited (IE). The project started 01 October 2025.
• JobRadminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 February 2023JobRad (bicycle/e-bike leasing for employees) became a VKH framework agreement partner. Employees of member facilities can lease bicycles or e-bikes through salary sacrifice schemes, saving up to 40% compared to conventional purchase.
• Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Katholische Jugendsozialarbeit (BAG KJS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVKH is a member and active participant in BAG KJS, collaborating on advocacy for youth social work, youth housing policy, and joint positions on federal legislation (SGB VIII, KJSG, training guarantee). BAG KJS includes VKH's initiatives such as the 'Aktion Arbeitsminister*innen' campaign.
• Kolping Diözesanverband MünsterminorOthersKolping Diözesanverband Münster is a member of the VKH network, posting job vacancies through the VKH job board. The Diözesanverband has approximately 33,000 members and operates associated facilities and services.
• Kolping Diözesanverband KölnminorOthersKolping Diözesanverband Köln supported the VKH team during the Corona pandemic by sewing and donating face masks for staff.
• AUSWÄRTS ZUHAUSE (Initiative)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAUSWÄRTS ZUHAUSE is an initiative under VKH's legal trusteeship that promotes youth housing and mobility for apprentices nationwide. It has written to over 10,000 secondary schools and advocates for improved funding of youth housing through the 'Junges Wohnen' program. Celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2024.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kolpingwerk Deutschland: The broader Kolping Catholic social association in Germany, of which VKH is a specialized sub-network. Operates with similar Catholic-social mission across vocational training, housing, and family services, and shares the Adolph Kolping heritage.
• Kolping International: International Kolping society operating development cooperation, vocational training, and microfinance projects across 60+ countries. Comparable as the global extension of the Kolping social mission, including youth housing and apprentice support programs.
• Deutsches Jugendherbergswerk (DJH): German Youth Hostel Association, a member-based association operating ~500 youth hostels across Germany. Comparable as a federation coordinating youth-focused accommodation facilities under a unified brand and quality framework.
• IN VIA Katholische Mädchensozialarbeit: Catholic association for girls' and young women's social work, active in youth mobility, vocational training support, and housing. Directly comparable in mission and advocacy focus on young people in vocational training.
• BAG KJS (Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Katholische Jugendsozialarbeit): Federal association of Catholic youth social work organizations in Germany, of which VKH is itself a member. Coordinates advocacy on youth housing, SGB VIII/KJSG legislation, and training guarantee policies — directly overlapping VKH's advocacy mission.
• Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Evangelische Jugendsozialarbeit (BAG EJSA): Protestant counterpart to BAG KJS, coordinating evangelical youth social work and housing advocacy in Germany. Closely mirrors VKH's advocacy and federation model in the youth housing and vocational training space.

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Deutschland: Germany's largest Catholic welfare association, offering a much broader portfolio of social services including housing, family support, and refugee aid. Highly comparable faith-based social welfare mission and member/association structure.
• Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband: Non-denominational umbrella welfare association coordinating over 10,000 member organizations in social services, healthcare, and youth/family work. Comparable as a coordinated federated social welfare structure.
• Arbeiterwohlfahrt (AWO): Major German welfare association operating youth housing, family services, and member facilities nationwide. Comparable as a federally organized, member-based association working in social welfare and family services.
• Diakonie Deutschland: The Protestant counterpart to Caritas, operating youth housing, family services, and welfare programs nationally. Compares directly to VKH as a faith-based umbrella social welfare organization with member-facility structures.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/VerbandDerKolpinghaeuser
• Instagraminstagram.com/kolpinghaeuser
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/verband-der-kolpingh%C3%A4user-ev

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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