Stiftung Leben & Umwelt / Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Niedersachsen

What Stiftung Leben & Umwelt / Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Niedersachsen does

Stiftung Leben & Umwelt / Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Niedersachsen (SLU) is a registered non-profit political education foundation (gemeinnützige Körperschaft) headquartered in Hannover, Germany, founded in 1983 by Bündnis 90/Die Grünen Lower Saxony and the VNB (Verein Niedersächsischer Bildungsinitiativen). The foundation is one of 16 state-level foundations in the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Verbund, operating under the brand and intellectual umbrella of the federal Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung based in Berlin. Its mission is to deliver political education on democracy, climate, gender equality, sustainability, and civil society across the German state of Lower Saxony.

The foundation's product portfolio includes free in-person workshops (Fit for Politics, KI-Kompass, Demokratie-Fitness, media literacy workshops), educational materials (Wasseratlas 2025, Genderleitfaden, AI & Climate Protection handbook), five traveling exhibitions (Alles im Fluss?!, Schlaflos, Strahlende Zukunft?, the comic exhibition WIE GEHT ES DIR?, and Pack aus!), interactive educational games (Klimadilemma), and three podcast series (Aktuelle Stunde, Atommüll und seine Endlagerung, Es geht auch anders!). Content is distributed through a website with event calendar, monthly newsletter, and social media channels on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, Mastodon, SoundCloud, and YouTube, plus syndication across the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung network (heimatkunde.boell.de, KommunalWiki).

The foundation operates as a free, grant-funded entity with no commercial revenue model. All workshops, seminars, exhibition loans, and most publications are provided at no charge, with the operating budget sourced from contributions by its two founding organizations (VNB and B90/Die Grünen Lower Saxony), public political education funding, and project-based grants. Pricing for the few commercial items (e.g., the Spitzenkräfte book at €24) is incidental. Customer segments are the general public of Lower Saxony, school students from year 9 upward and their teachers, civil society organizations and NGOs, and municipalities/public institutions — all served free of charge via direct program delivery and partner-led cooperation.

Name

Stiftung Leben & Umwelt / Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Niedersachsen

Legal name

Stiftung Leben & Umwelt / Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Niedersachsen

Website

https://slu-boell.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Stiftung Leben & Umwelt / Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Niedersachsen is a Hannover-based non-profit political education foundation, one of 16 state foundations in the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung network, delivering free workshops, exhibitions, podcasts, and educational materials on democracy, climate, and gender equality to civil society, schools, and the public across Lower Saxony, Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Political Education and Civic Engagement Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Social Advocacy Organizations (81331), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAKAA

Private Foundations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

SECONDARYBPAGAKAM

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

SECONDARYBPAGAKAN

Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

SECONDARYBPAGAKAK

Education Grantmaking Foundations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

Keywords

• Political education programs
• Civic engagement workshops
• Democracy training services
• Nonprofit educational foundation
• Sustainability education

Headquarters

HQ city

Hannover

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants and Public Funding for Political Education: The foundation receives funding from its two founders — the VNB (Verein Niedersächsischer Bildungsinitiativen) and BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN Lower Saxony — as well as public/federal funding for political education activities. It operates as a nonprofit registered charity (gemeinnützige Körperschaft) exempt from corporate tax. The foundation's initial endowment was 50,000 DM. All revenue is reinvested into educational programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The foundation provides free political education programs to citizens, schools, and civil society organizations across Lower Saxony, including workshops (Fit for Politics, KI-Kompass, Demokratie-Fitness, media literacy), traveling exhibitions on climate, water, nuclear waste, and antisemitism, educational games (Klimadilemma), podcasts, and publications (Wasseratlas, handbooks, guidelines). All offerings are delivered free of charge and funded through grants from its two co-founders (VNB and B90/Die Grünen Lower Saxony) and public political education funding.

Product overview

Stiftung Leben & Umwelt / Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Niedersachsen operates as a political education foundation offering a diverse portfolio of workshops, educational materials, exhibitions, and media content. The core offerings include Fit for Politics workshops for political engagement, the KI-Kompass workshop on AI and sustainability, and Demokratie-Fitness train-the-trainer programs. The foundation provides educational games like Klimadilemma, free loanable exhibitions on topics including water crisis and nuclear waste, and operates three podcast series (Aktuelle Stunde, Atommüll und seine Endlagerung, and Es geht auch anders!). Additional offerings include publications such as the Wasseratlas, gender guidelines, and teaching materials on AI and digital disinformation. The Feministische Werkstatt provides a mobile discussion format on feminist topics across Lower Saxony.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fit for Politics Workshops Workshop series providing tools and networking for political engagement on democracy, climate, and gender equality, including Trainingslager Demokratie, Diskriminierung verstehen & Ally sein, and Kontern statt Schweigen. Free for participants.
• KI-Kompass-Workshop (AI Compass Workshop) Workshop on artificial intelligence and sustainability for school students, exploring AI applications in environmental contexts. Delivered in schools (e.g., Otto-Hahn-Gymnasium Göttingen) by trained student facilitators.
• Demokratie-Fitness (Democracy Fitness) Train-the-trainer program certifying participants as Democracy Fitness trainers for workshops on democratic participation. Includes Trainingscamp and Masterclass formats in Hannover.
• Klimadilemma-Spiel Interactive educational game for understanding climate change dilemmas and decision-making processes. Available as a free download or for workshop delivery.
• Medien-Kurse zur Kommunalwahl Critical media literacy workshops for school classes covering journalism, news production, and media's role in democracy ahead of local elections in Lower Saxony.
• Leih-Ausstellungen (Traveling Exhibitions) Free loanable exhibitions on topics including water crisis ('Alles im Fluss?!'), nuclear waste ('Strahlende Zukunft?'), Ukrainian war illustrations ('Schlaflos'), and a comic exhibition on antisemitism and racism ('WIE GEHT ES DIR?') for venues in Lower Saxony.
• Podcast: Aktuelle Stunde Irregular podcast featuring digital dialogues with experts on current Lower Saxony political topics. Distributed via SoundCloud and YouTube.
• Podcast: Atommüll und seine Endlagerung Podcast accompanying the nuclear waste repository search process from a Lower Saxony perspective. Distributed via SoundCloud and YouTube.
• Podcast: Es geht auch anders! Podcast presenting visions and practical examples for human rights-oriented migration and asylum policy. Distributed via SoundCloud and YouTube.
• Feministische Werkstatt Mobile discussion format bringing together different generations and experiences on feminist topics, co-organized with the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung network and Gunda-Werner-Institute.
• Bildungsmaterialien (Educational Materials) Educational materials including games, learning journeys, atlases, posters, handbooks, and video explanations available for download or order.
• Wasseratlas 2025 Comprehensive publication on water resources, water crisis, and water policy in Germany and Lower Saxony.
• Genderleitfaden (Gender Guidelines) Guidelines for applicants to address participation, anti-discrimination, and gender democracy in project planning for cooperation projects with the foundation.
• Qualifizierungsreihe: Feministisch. Solidarisch. Intersektional. Qualification series on stance-taking against anti-feminism, racism, and queer hostility, delivered in cooperation with VNB e.V.

Quantifiable outcome

• All workshops, seminars, exhibitions, and most publications are provided free of charge, lowering barriers to civic education access across Lower Saxony.
• +1 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

Integration8 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Landesfrauenrat Sachsen-Anhalt e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 November 2025Partner in the Feministische Werkstatt event hosted by Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Sachsen-Anhalt. The SLU contributed a participant and shared expertise on feminist political education.
• Green Campus (Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Network)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 August 2025The foundation cooperates with Green Campus (greencampus.boell.de), the further education platform of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung network, for joint programs such as the Klassismus-Workshop series.
• Understanding Europe Germany e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 August 2025Cooperation partner for media literacy workshops. Understanding Europe provides student facilitators for the foundation's critical media competency workshops for school classes ahead of local elections in Lower Saxony.
• Frauenzentrum LaatzenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 August 2025Partner in the social-political event series. The foundation visited the Frauenzentrum Laatzen's digital.Kioak facility for women* as part of the event series addressing digital inclusion.
• pro familia Niedersachsen & pro familia BremenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 June 2025Cooperation partners for the Feministische Werkstatt event in Oldenburg (June 2025) on the topic of abortion rights. pro familia provided expert speakers and logistical support alongside the foundation.
• Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung BremenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 June 2025Cooperation partner for the Feministische Werkstatt in Oldenburg, hosted jointly with Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Bremen, pro familia, and other partners.
• Klimanetzwerk Bad Pyrmont/LügdeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Local climate network that hosted the foundation's 'Alles im Fluss?!' water exhibition at STADT:RAUM Bad Pyrmont during a water festival, extending the foundation's reach into local civil society.
• Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung e.V. (Federal Foundation, Berlin)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025The foundation is one of 16 state-level foundations (Landesstiftungen) forming the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftungsverbund. The federal foundation in Berlin provides intellectual resources, shared publications, network-wide campaigns, and thematic expertise. The foundation also receives joint funding and shares in the network's brand and reputation.
• Heinrich-Böll-Landesstiftungen (Fachstelle Bildungsallianzen gegen rechte Ideologien)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Joint initiative across all Heinrich-Böll state foundations to create a Fachstelle (expert center) on education against right-wing ideologies, providing information, networking, and action guidance for civil society.
• VNB – Verein Niedersächsischer Bildungsinitiativen e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1983Co-founding partner and ongoing supporter of the foundation. VNB is one of two founding entities (alongside B90/DIE GRÜNEN Lower Saxony) that established the foundation in 1983. VNB appoints 5 of 10 Stiftungsrat members and provides institutional support for the foundation's educational work. The cooperation is formalized through the foundation's governance structure.
• BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN, Landesverband NiedersachsencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1983Co-founding political party and ongoing supporter. B90/DIE GRÜNEN Lower Saxony is one of two founding entities that established the foundation in 1983. The party appoints 5 of 10 Stiftungsrat members and provides political and institutional support.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung e.V. (Federal): The federal Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung in Berlin is the parent foundation and network hub for the 16 state foundations including SLU. It shares thematic focus on political education, democracy, climate, and gender equality, providing intellectual resources, publications, and joint programs that SLU participates in and adapts locally.
• Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Bremen: A peer state foundation within the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung network, jointly hosting cross-state formats such as the Feministische Werkstatt with SLU. Operates the same political education mission in Bremen with overlapping content, exhibitions, and partner ecosystem.
• Verein Niedersächsischer Bildungsinitiativen e.V. (VNB): Co-founding partner of SLU and one of two founding entities. VNB is an umbrella of educational initiatives across Lower Saxony and co-develops programs such as the Klassismus-Workshop series and the Qualifizierungsreihe 'Feministisch. Solidarisch. Intersektional.' with the foundation.
• Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Sachsen-Anhalt: Another state foundation in the same Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung network, co-hosting the Feministische Werkstatt with SLU and the Gunda-Werner-Institute. Operates comparable programs in political education, feminism, and democracy at the state level.

Broad incumbents

• Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung: Major SPD-affiliated political foundation providing political education, conferences, and publications across Germany. Comparable offering to SLU in political education and civic engagement, but with national/international reach and significantly larger scale.
• Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung: Germany's largest political foundation affiliated with the CDU, offering nationwide political education programs, scholarships, and civic events. Comparable in mission (political education, civic engagement, democracy) but operates at a much larger national scale and with a different party-political alignment.
• Hanns-Seidel-Stiftung: CSU-affiliated political foundation running political education programs, civic academies, and youth initiatives across Bavaria and Germany. Comparable in offering political education and civic training but with regional anchoring in Bavaria and a conservative ideological orientation.
• Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung: Die Linke-affiliated political foundation offering political education programs, analysis, and events on social justice, democracy, and progressive causes. Comparable to SLU in thematic focus (democracy, social justice, feminism) and target audiences but with national scope.
• Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung: FDP-affiliated political foundation with nationwide civic education, liberal political training, and youth programs. Competes with SLU for the same school, civil society, and adult learner audiences on political education content but from a different ideological perspective.

Regional players

• Bildungswerk der Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Sachsen-Anhalt: Regional education arm of a peer state foundation offering political education workshops, training, and events in Sachsen-Anhalt. Comparable in operating model (state-level political education) but serves a different geographic region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCnuKy5BduhR8b84DiCr05HA
• Facebookfacebook.com/SLU.Boell
• Instagraminstagram.com/stiftunglebenumwelt/?hl=de
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stiftung-leben-&-umwelt-heinrich-b%C3%B6ll-stiftung-niedersachsen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Stiftung Leben & Umwelt / Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Niedersachsen