Stiftung Verbundenheit

What Stiftung Verbundenheit does

Stiftung Verbundenheit mit den Deutschen im Ausland is a privately held, federally chartered German foundation established in 2004, headquartered in Bayreuth with a Berlin representative office. It operates as an officially designated Mittlerorganisation (mediating organization) under the supervision of the Regierung von Oberfranken, Bayern, with funding and mandate from the Bundesministerium des Innern und für Heimat and the Auswärtiges Amt. The foundation's core function is to support German minorities in Central and Eastern Europe (Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia) and German-speaking communities abroad, particularly in Latin America, serving as a competence center and bridge for international cultural relations. Its programmatic portfolio includes the Johnny-Klein-Preis für deutsch-tschesische Verständigung (since 2016), the Helmut-Sauer-Preis für Jugendverständigung in Schlesien (from 2025), the Humanitäre Brücke Oberfranken-Transkarpatien humanitarian aid project in Western Ukraine (since 2022), Schönbornfranken historical-cultural project, Lieder der Heimat music initiative, #JungesNetzwerk youth network in Latin America, and the annual 'Tage der Verbundenheit' event in Bayreuth.

The foundation's business model is multi-stream: (1) government grants from the Federal Ministry of the Interior and the Federal Foreign Office as its mandated mediating role; (2) private donations through a supporter donor circle; (3) project-specific partner funding from entities such as the Kurt Linster Stiftung and Bayerischer Rundfunk's Sternstunden program; and (4) modest e-commerce revenue from an online shop selling the Humboldtcito handcrafted doll (€7.50 plus €5.95 domestic shipping, produced by the Las Tejedoras de Humboldt women's cooperative in El Alto, Bolivia) and children's books, with proceeds flowing to the Humboldt-Fond for Latin American social and ecological projects. Governance is led by Stiftungsratsvorsitzender Hartmut Koschyk (also Federal Government Commissioner for Resettler Affairs and National Minorities) and Stiftungsvorsitzender Prof. Dr. Oliver Junk. Technology infrastructure is a Webflow-built website with standard web analytics and social media integrations across YouTube, X, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook; no proprietary software, mobile app, or AI capabilities are disclosed. Customer/beneficiary concentration is mission-defined (German minorities and German-speaking communities abroad, plus Ukrainian humanitarian recipients), and revenue concentration is structurally high in the federal grantor base.

Name

Stiftung Verbundenheit

Legal name

Stiftung Verbundenheit mit den Deutschen im Ausland

Website

https://stiftung-verbundenheit.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stiftung Verbundenheit is a German federally chartered foundation that operates as a Mittlerorganisation supporting German minorities in Central and Eastern Europe and German-speaking communities abroad, funded by federal grants, donations, and a small shop, and recognized for cultural awards and Ukraine humanitarian aid.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Diplomacy Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

Keywords

• Cultural diplomacy
• Minority community support
• Humanitarian aid projects
• Cultural heritage preservation
• International cultural relations

Headquarters

HQ city

Bayreuth

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Support: The foundation receives donations from supporters worldwide to fund humanitarian and cultural projects. Donors can join a donor circle and receive exclusive insights and offers.
2. Shop Sales: Sale of publications and merchandise including the 'Humboldtcito' handcrafted doll (7.50 EUR) and children's books. Proceeds support the 'Humboldt-Fond' for social and ecological projects in Latin America.
3. Government Funding: As a mediating organization, the foundation receives funding from the Federal Ministry of the Interior and for Home Affairs (Bundesministerium des Innern und für Heimat) for supporting German minorities in Central and Eastern Europe.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Stiftung Verbundenheit is a German foundation operating as a competency center and mediating organization (Mittlerorganisation) that supports German minorities and German-speaking communities abroad through cultural, educational, networking, and humanitarian projects. The foundation delivers programs including the annual 'Tage der Verbundenheit' event, cultural prizes, humanitarian aid initiatives such as the Humanitäre Brücke Oberfranken-Transkarpatien in Western Ukraine, and runs an online shop selling publications and the Humboldtcito handcrafted doll. It is funded by German federal ministries, private donations, and partner foundations.

Product overview

Stiftung Verbundenheit is a German foundation acting as a competence center and mediating organization that supports German minorities and German-speaking communities abroad. The organization operates various projects including the Schönbornfranken historical project, Lieder der Heimat music project, Latin America programs, and the #JungesNetzwerk youth initiative. It runs the annual 'Tage der Verbundenheit' event and manages an online shop selling publications and merchandise. The foundation administers prestigious cultural awards including the 'Johnny'-Klein-Preis for German-Czech understanding and the Helmut-Sauer-Preis for youth understanding in Silesia. The organization also operates the 'Humanitäre Brücke Oberfranken-Transkarpatien' humanitarian aid project in Western Ukraine, along with cultural projects like the beedabei art installation series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Johnny-Klein-Preis: Cultural prize for journalistic and publishable contributions for German-Czech understanding, awarded since 2016
• Helmut-Sauer-Preis
• Humanitäre Brücke Oberfranken-Transkarpatien
• Schönbornfranken
• Lieder der Heimat
• Lateinamerika
• #JungesNetzwerk
• Humboldt-Fond
• Humboldtcito

Products and services

• Deutsche Minderheiten Support (German Minorities Support) Core mediating organization service supporting German minorities in Central and Eastern Europe in their project work, facilitating cultural preservation, youth exchange, and cross-border cooperation. Serves as the bridge between German minority organizations and the German Federal Ministry of the Interior.
• Deutschsprachige Gemeinschaften Support (German-Speaking Communities Support) Service supporting German-speaking communities abroad, particularly in Latin America, promoting cultural relations between Germany and these diaspora communities globally.
• Humanitäre und kulturelle Projekte (Humanitarian and Cultural Projects) Coordination of humanitarian and cultural projects supporting selected initiatives worldwide, including the Humanitäre Brücke Oberfranken-Transkarpatien humanitarian aid project in Western Ukraine.
• Schönbornfranken Historical and cultural project exploring connections between Oberfranken (Upper Franconia) and Transcarpathia through the Schönborn-Franconian emigration from approximately 300 years ago.
• Lieder der Heimat (Songs of Home) Music project for the preservation of traditional songs from the home regions of German minorities and German-speaking communities worldwide.
• Lateinamerika (Latin America) Program Program supporting German-speaking communities and persons interested in Germany in Latin America, including the #JungesNetzwerk youth initiative.
• Humboldtcito Handcrafted Doll Handcrafted Alexander von Humboldt doll made by the women's cooperative Las Tejedoras de Humboldt in El Alto, Bolivia, symbolizing the connection between Germany and Latin America. Price: €7.50 plus shipping. Proceeds support the Humboldt-Fond for social and ecological projects.
• Children's Book 'El pequeño Alexander von Humboldt. Los árboles' Children's book about Alexander von Humboldt, published in Spanish, available through the foundation's online shop with proceeds supporting Latin American projects.
• 'Johnny'-Klein-Preis für deutsch-tschechische Verständigung Cultural prize for journalistic and publishing contributions promoting German-Czech understanding, awarded annually in Mährisch Schönberg/Šumperk, Czech Republic. Prize amounts: 1st prize €5,000, 2nd prize €2,500, youth prize €1,500. Co-organized with Sudetendeutsche Stiftung and VDA.
• Humanitäre Brücke Oberfranken-Transkarpatien Donation-based aid and cultural project in Western Ukraine (Transcarpathia), providing humanitarian supplies including food, medical aid, generators, and essential goods, as well as cultural bridge-building initiatives. Supported by Bayerischer Rundfunk's Sternstunden program.
• beedabei (Bee-Feeding Art Project) European art project creating bee-feeding stations in cities, including installation in Uschgorod, Ukraine, as part of the cultural bridge between Oberfranken and Transcarpathia.
• Online Shop Online shop selling publications, children's books, and the handcrafted Humboldtcito doll, with proceeds supporting the Humboldt-Fond for social and ecological projects in Latin America. Shipping within Germany: €5.95 per order.

Quantifiable outcome

• Annual 'Tage der Verbundenheit' event bringing together German minorities from around the world
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Integration12 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• Bayerischer Rundfunk - SternstundensupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharitable program of Bavarian Broadcasting supporting humanitarian aid projects for children through the Humanitarian Bridge project in Ukraine.
• Sudetendeutsche StiftungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the Johnny-Klein-Preis for German-Czech understanding, sharing the foundation's mission of cultural reconciliation.
• Verein für deutsche Kulturbeziehungen im Ausland (VDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the Johnny-Klein-Preis and partner in international cultural relations work.
• Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (ifa)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in cultural exchange programs and joint project implementation, particularly for the Johnny-Klein-Preis.
• Landesversammlung der deutschen Vereine in der Tschechischen RepublikcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner representing German minorities in Czech Republic, co-organizing events and projects including the Johnny-Klein-Preis.
• Landsmannschaft SchlesiensupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting organization for Silesian projects and the Helmut-Sauer-Preis for youth understanding.
• Women's Cooperative 'Las Tejedoras de Humboldt', El Alto, BoliviasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCraft cooperative producing the Humboldtcito doll for the foundation's shop, with proceeds supporting social projects in Latin America.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung: Another major federally co-funded German political foundation with global programs in civic education and international dialogue. Comparable in foundation structure, federal funding model, and international cultural-relations scope.
• GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit): Germany's federal development agency, implementing international cooperation projects funded by German ministries. Comparable as a federally mandated implementing organization with government funding and international project delivery in regions overlapping with the foundation's geography (Ukraine, Latin America).
• Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung: Large, federally co-funded German political foundation with international programs in democracy support and cultural relations. Comparable structurally as a German Stiftung with federal ties and international project portfolio, though much larger and politically affiliated.
• Deutsche Welle: Germany's international public broadcaster, federally funded to project German language and culture abroad. Comparable in federal mandate and international cultural-diplomacy mission, though operating a much larger media platform.
• Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD): Larger, federally funded German organization promoting international academic exchange. Comparable as a federally mandated intermediary organization serving German-diaspora-related programming globally, though focused on academic rather than minority cultural work.

Direct peers

• Verein für deutsche Kulturbeziehungen im Ausland (VDA): Core partner of Stiftung Verbundenheit on the Johnny-Klein-Preis and a German association dedicated to international cultural relations and German communities abroad. Closely aligned in mission and partner network.
• Goethe-Institut: Germany's primary publicly funded cultural relations institute, operating worldwide to promote German language and culture. Highly comparable as a federally mandated Mittlerorganisation with global diaspora-facing programming, though focused more broadly on language/culture than specifically on German minorities.
• Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (ifa): ifa is an actual partner of Stiftung Verbundenheit on the Johnny-Klein-Preis and runs its own federal-mandated programs in international cultural relations, dialogue, and civil society. Directly comparable as a peer intermediary organization with overlapping mandate and partner network.
• Alexander von Humboldt Foundation: Federally funded German foundation supporting international academic and cultural cooperation in the Humboldt tradition. Comparable as a German Stiftung with federal mandate, international program portfolio, and brand affinity around Alexander von Humboldt (the same figure the foundation's Humboldtcito doll commemorates).
• Sudetendeutsche Stiftung: An actual co-organizer of the Johnny-Klein-Preis with Stiftung Verbundenheit, supporting German-Sudeten heritage, culture, and minority communities. Comparable in size, mission, and operating geography, with similar German minority focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/StiftungVerbund
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@stiftung_verbundenheit
• Facebookfacebook.com/stiftungverbundenheit
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stiftung-verbundenheit
• Instagraminstagram.com/stiftung_verbundenheit

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Verbundenheit