Munich Refugee Council

What Munich Refugee Council does

Münchner Flüchtlingsrat e.V. (Munich Refugee Council) is a registered charitable nonprofit association (eingetragener Verein) founded in 1992 in Munich, Germany, dedicated to independent counseling, advocacy, and support for refugees and migrants in Bavaria. The organization delivers a portfolio of specialized services that includes authority-independent asylum procedure counseling, residence law advice, housing search assistance, deportation detention counseling at Munich airport, family reunification and humanitarian admission program guidance, and volunteer mediation through its "Gemeinsam Aktiv" program. It also operates the "Infobus" project — a mobile, multilingual, appointment-free counseling service deployed directly at AnkER (arrival, decision, return) reception facilities in Munich and, since 2017, in Ingolstadt in partnership with Amnesty International. Additional offerings include professional training (Fortbildungen) for staff and volunteers, information evenings, the annual "Open hearts - open minds" cultural festival around World Refugee Day, plus digital communications via website, newsletter, and podcast.

The organization's technology footprint is conventional: a WordPress.com-hosted website (muenchner-fluechtlingsrat.de) functions as the primary information and donation hub, with no proprietary platforms, mobile applications, or AI/ML systems disclosed. It is funded through a mix of individual donations, supporting memberships (Fördermitgliedschaft), and project-based public grants from municipal and regional authorities (including the Landeshauptstadt München Kulturreferat and church-affiliated partners such as the Erzdiözese München und Freising). All services are delivered free of charge to refugees and migrants. As of 2024 the organization is led by a four-person management team — 1st Chair Matthias Weinzierl, 2nd Chair Lia Möckel, Treasurer Patrycja Szewczyk, and Managing Director Loulou Kinski — supported by approximately 8 employees.

The GTM motion is community-led: reach is built through word-of-mouth referrals, a coalition of 12+ partner organizations in Munich's refugee support ecosystem, multilingual information events, and physical presence at AnkER facilities. The model combines direct service delivery (office counseling by appointment, mobile Infobus counseling without appointment) with political advocacy and public relations (press releases, podcast, social media). Geographic reach is regional, limited to Munich and Ingolstadt in Bavaria, with no global footprint claim and no indication of franchise, licensing, or commercial expansion.

Name

Munich Refugee Council

Legal name

Münchner Flüchtlingsrat e.V.

Website

https://muenchner-fluechtlingsrat.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Münchner Flüchtlingsrat e.V. is a Munich-based charitable nonprofit founded in 1992 that provides independent legal counseling, multilingual mobile outreach, and advocacy services for refugees and migrants across Munich and Ingolstadt, funded by donations, public grants, and supporting memberships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refugee and Migrant Support Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services (BPADAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Integration & Inclusion Services (Housing, Education, Employment) (BPADAHAI), Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI), Immigrant & Refugee Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAG)

Keywords

• Asylum counseling services
• Refugee support programs
• Immigration legal advice
• Migrant advocacy services
• Volunteer coordination programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Munich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The Munich Refugee Council relies on public donations and fundraising campaigns to fund its operations and specific projects such as the Infobus counseling service.
2. Supporting Membership (Fördermitgliedschaft): The organization offers long-term supporting membership programs for donors who wish to provide ongoing financial support to the organization.
3. Public Funding and Grants: The organization receives support through public funding and grants, including partnerships with municipal and regional government bodies for various projects and initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Munich Refugee Council provides free, independent legal and procedural counseling to refugees and migrants in Munich and Bavaria, covering asylum procedures, residence law, housing search support, deportation detention, and family reunification. It complements direct counseling with mobile multilingual outreach (Infobus at AnkER reception facilities), volunteer coordination (Gemeinsam Aktiv), humanitarian admission advocacy (Safe Ways), and professional training (Fortbildungen). All services are delivered free of charge and financed through donations, supporting memberships, and public grants.

Product overview

Munich Refugee Council is a non-profit organization providing a comprehensive suite of counseling and support services for refugees and migrants in Munich. The organization operates a multi-service model centered around specialized counseling (asylum procedures, residence law, housing assistance, deportation detention support), community integration programs (volunteer coordination, Safe Ways campaign), and mobile outreach (Infobus providing multilingual support near reception facilities). Additional services include professional training, educational programs, multilingual information events, and digital communication channels (podcast, newsletter, press releases). The portfolio functions as an integrated support ecosystem addressing refugees' legal, social, and practical needs from arrival through integration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fachstelle Asyl: Specialist information, training, and advice on residence law for refugees and professionals.
• Infobus
• Gemeinsam Aktiv
• safe ways / Save Me
• Asylverfahrensberatung

Products and services

• Fachstelle Asyl (Asylum Advice Center) Specialist information, training, and counseling on German residence and immigration law for refugees, asylum seekers, and professionals working with refugees.
• Infobus (Mobile Multilingual Counseling) Multilingual initial counseling service deployed via a mobile unit at AnkER (arrival, decision, return) reception facilities in Munich and Ingolstadt, providing low-threshold support in refugees' native languages without prior appointments.
• Gemeinsam Aktiv (Volunteer Matching and Support) Mediation and support service connecting volunteers with refugees, facilitating volunteer engagement, training, and coordination for refugee assistance programs.
• Safe Ways (Humanitarian Reception Campaign) Advocacy campaign promoting safe and legal pathways for refugee resettlement and humanitarian reception of refugees in Munich.
• Asylverfahrensberatung (Authority-Independent Asylum Procedure Counseling) Authority-independent counseling for individuals in ongoing asylum procedures, providing free legal guidance and procedural support independent of government agencies.
• Housing Search Assistance and Information Evenings Counseling and structured information events supporting refugees in finding housing in Munich, including monthly housing information evenings and guidance on the local housing market and required documentation.
• Deportation Detention Counseling Legal support and counseling for individuals held in deportation detention facilities at Munich airport.
• Reception Programs and Family Reunification Counseling Counseling on humanitarian reception programs and family reunification procedures for refugees in Germany.
• Fortbildungen und Schulungen (Training and Education) Professional development programs, training sessions, specialist days, and conferences for paid staff and volunteers working with refugees.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Amnesty InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Amnesty International co-operates with the Munich Refugee Council on the Infobus Ingolstadt project, which provides mobile native-language first consultation services for asylum seekers directly at reception facilities. The project has been operating since 2017, offering low-threshold counseling support for refugees in and around Ingolstadt.
• Bellevue di Monaco eGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the 'Open hearts - open minds' cultural festival around World Refugee Day, working with the Munich Refugee Council as part of a broad coalition of Munich organizations.
• Diakonie München und OberbayernminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the 'Open hearts - open minds' cultural festival around World Refugee Day, working with the Munich Refugee Council as part of a broad coalition of Munich organizations.
• Refugio MünchenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the 'Open hearts - open minds' cultural festival around World Refugee Day, working with the Munich Refugee Council as part of a broad coalition of Munich organizations.
• Willkommen in MünchenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization co-organizing the 'Open hearts - open minds' cultural festival and supporting the semi-annual training series (Fortbildungsreihe) of the Munich Refugee Council.
• KJR München Stadt (Kreisjugendring)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the 'Open hearts - open minds' cultural festival around World Refugee Day as part of a broad coalition of Munich organizations.
• Landeshauptstadt München KulturreferatminorOthersSupporting body for the 'Open hearts - open minds' cultural festival, providing cultural funding and support.
• Erzdiözese München und Freising (Fachbereich Migration und Integration)minorOthersSupporting body for the 'Open hearts - open minds' cultural festival as part of the church's migration and integration department.
• Jugendinformationszentrum (JIZ) MünchenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for monthly housing information evenings (Infoabend zur Wohnberatung) organized by the Munich Refugee Council at Sendlinger Str. 7.
• EineWeltHaus MünchenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for multilingual information events for refugees organized by the Munich Refugee Council and partners, located at Schwanthalerstr. 80.
• SchlaU Werkstatt für Migrationspädagogik gGmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting organization for the 'Open hearts - open minds' cultural festival as part of a broad coalition of Munich organizations.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• ProAsyl: Germany's leading national refugee rights advocacy organization. Comparable to the Munich Refugee Council in its authority-independent counseling, political advocacy, and focus on asylum procedure support, but operating at federal scale across all German states.
• Caritas München: Large Catholic welfare organization operating refugee counseling, housing, and integration services across Munich and Upper Bavaria. Comparable in service breadth and gemeinnützig status, though operating at larger scale and as part of a national federation.
• Bayerisches Rotes Kreuz (BRK): Bavaria's Red Cross chapter, operating large-scale refugee accommodation, counseling, and integration services across the state. Comparable as a major regional service provider in the refugee ecosystem, though operating at vastly larger scale and as part of a national federation.
• Diakonie München und Oberbayern: Large regional welfare organization of the Protestant church in Munich/Upper Bavaria offering refugee and migration services including counseling, housing support, and integration programs. Comparable in service mix but operating at significantly larger scale across broader social services.

Direct peers

• SchlaU Werkstatt für Migrationspädagogik: Munich-based nonprofit offering migration pedagogy, youth support, and refugee integration programs. Direct peer in the Munich coalition, co-organizing the 'Open hearts - open minds' festival and aligned on educational and advocacy work with refugees.
• Refugio München: Munich-based nonprofit providing psychosocial and therapeutic support for refugees and victims of political persecution. Direct peer in the Munich refugee support ecosystem, with which the Munich Refugee Council co-organizes events and shares referral pathways.
• Bayerischer Flüchtlingsrat: State-level refugee council for Bavaria. Most directly comparable peer - provides parallel refugee counseling, advocacy, and political work across Bavaria, with overlapping partner networks and a shared gemeinnützig nonprofit structure.
• Willkommen in München: Munich-based volunteer coordination program supporting refugee integration. Direct operational partner co-organizing the semi-annual Fortbildungsreihe training series and the 'Open hearts - open minds' festival, with overlapping volunteer-mediation activities (parallel to Münchner Flüchtlingsrat's Gemeinsam Aktiv project).

Emerging players

• Amnesty International Germany: National section of Amnesty International with an active refugee rights program. Direct operational partner on the Infobus Ingolstadt project since 2017 and co-advocate on asylum policy; comparable in its authority-independent stance and human-rights framing of refugee work.

Regional players

• Jesuit Refugee Service Germany: German branch of the international Jesuit Refugee Service providing legal counseling, accompaniment, and advocacy for refugees. Comparable as a faith-inspired but authority-independent refugee service provider with similar counseling and advocacy offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/m%C3%BCnchner-fl%C3%BCchtlingsrat

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Munich Refugee Council