DVfR
DVfR (Deutsche Vereinigung für Rehabilitation e.V.) is a German non-profit association founded in 1909 and headquartered in Heidelberg, serving as the leading interdisciplinary forum convening disability organizations, professional associations, service providers, and policymakers to shape rehabilitation and participation law and policy in Germany.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1909
- HeadquartersHeidelberg, Germany
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What DVfR does
DVfR (Deutsche Vereinigung für Rehabilitation e.V.) is a registered German non-profit association headquartered in Heidelberg that has operated as an interdisciplinary forum for rehabilitation and participation since 1909. The organization convenes all German rehabilitation stakeholders — organizations of people with disabilities, professional and scientific associations (e.g., DVE, member since 1965), rehabilitation service providers, employers, and policymakers — in a consensus-oriented discourse to develop authoritative position papers and influence legislation including the BTHG, BGG, and National Action Plan 2.0. DVfR holds formal stakeholder status in the German Lobbyregister (R003507) and contributes to UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities monitoring.
DVfR operates a portfolio of information and community services rather than a unified software product. Core platforms include the primary website www.dvfr.de (built on TYPO3 CMS, hosted by nullacht15 GmbH), the specialized Reha-Recht.de online discussion forum for rehabilitation and participation law featuring the FMA (Fragen – Meinungen – Antworten) interactive forum, a monthly newsletter distributed via CleverReach, the 'Recht auf Teilhabe' podcast hosted on Podigee, and an accessible YouTube channel with audio description and sign language. The organization also produces publications, maintains a comprehensive event calendar, and hosts conferences including the REHA-Rechtstag.
Revenue is generated through annual membership dues (corporate Groups A-C/E and individual Group D), publication and event revenues, and government funding from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) pursuant to a German Bundestag resolution. DVfR is governed by a board chaired by Dr. Matthias Schmidt-Ohlemann (confirmed 2016) with Prof. Dr. Bernhard Greitemann and Andreas Bethke as deputy chairs, Gerd Kukla as secretary, Dr. Rolf Buschmann-Steinhage as treasurer, and managed day-to-day by Managing Director Sylvia Kurth. The association's highest honor is the Kurt-Alphons-Jochheim-Medaille, awarded periodically since at least 2012.
DVfR firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DVfR
- Legal name
- Deutsche Vereinigung für Rehabilitation e.V.
- Website
- https://dvfr.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1909
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- DVfR (Deutsche Vereinigung für Rehabilitation e.V.) is a German non-profit association founded in 1909 and headquartered in Heidelberg, serving as the leading interdisciplinary forum convening disability organizations, professional associations, service providers, and policymakers to shape rehabilitation and participation law and policy in Germany.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where DVfR is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Heidelberg
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
DVfR business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: DVfR generates revenue through membership fees from individual and corporate/organizational members. The organization categorizes members into groups: A-C and E for corporate members (e.g., associations, professional groups), and D for individual members.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Corporate membership (Groups A-C, E) |
| Subscription | Annual | Individual membership (Group D) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
DVfR product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DVfR operates as an interdisciplinary association serving as a consensus-oriented forum for all rehabilitation stakeholders in Germany. Its core offerings include professional exchange through expert committees and online discussions, publication of position papers and expert statements on rehabilitation and participation law, organization of congresses and specialist events, and formal participation in German legislative consultation processes on disability and rehabilitation policy.
Product overview
DVfR (Deutsche Vereinigung für Rehabilitation e.V.) is an interdisciplinary umbrella organization for all stakeholders in the field of rehabilitation and participation in Germany. The organization does not offer a unified software product but operates a portfolio of information and community services: its primary website (www.dvfr.de) serves as an information portal for news, position statements, and organizational resources; Reha-Recht.de provides an online discussion forum on rehabilitation and participation law; the DVfR Newsletter delivers monthly updates; the 'Recht auf Teilhabe' podcast covers inclusion topics; and the Veranstaltungskalender aggregates rehabilitation-related events across Germany. The Kurt-Alphons-Jochheim-Medaille is the organization's highest award for excellence in rehabilitation and inclusion.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Reha-Recht.de: Online portal for rehabilitation and participation law providing expert articles, discussions, and legal information.
- FMA (Fragen – Meinungen – Antworten)
- Recht auf Teilhabe (Podcast)
Products and services
- Reha-Recht.de Online Discussion Forum
- DVfR Newsletter (Monthly)
- Podcast 'Recht auf Teilhabe'
- Kurt-Alphons-Jochheim-Medaille
- Congresses and Specialist Conferences (including REHA-Rechtstag)
Companies that use DVfR
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
DVfR technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
DVfR partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Deutscher Verband Ergotherapie (DVE)coreThe German Association of Occupational Therapy (DVE) has been a member of DVfR since 1965, making it one of the longest-standing member organizations. For nearly 15 years, the DVE has also been represented in DVfR's Executive Board (Geschäftsführender Vorstand), providing direct strategic input into DVfR's policy direction and rehabilitation discourse.
- Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales (BMAS)coreDVfR receives government funding from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs based on a resolution of the German Bundestag. BMAS also collaborates with DVfR on specific initiatives, including the consultation process on disability participation during the COVID-19 pandemic. DVfR is a recognized stakeholder in legislative consultation processes initiated by BMAS.
- Rehabilitation InternationalminorDVfR maintains a connection with Rehabilitation International, the global umbrella organization for rehabilitation and disability rights. DVfR's work is guided by Article 26 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and DVfR references Rehabilitation International in suitable action fields of national action plans.
- Sozialverband VdK DeutschlandcoreDVfR co-organized the event 'Den Sozialstaat ökonomisch neu denken – Social Return on Investment' with the Sozialverband VdK Deutschland and the Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund (DGB) on June 12, 2026 in Berlin. This collaboration demonstrates joint advocacy for the economic and social value of social benefits and rehabilitation services.
- Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund (DGB)coreDVfR co-organized the event 'Den Sozialstaat ökonomisch neu denken – Social Return on Investment' with the DGB and Sozialverband VdK Deutschland on June 12, 2026 in Berlin, bringing together policy, economics, and disability advocacy perspectives.
- Universität KasselminorDVfR and the University of Kassel jointly hosted an online discussion on the topic of assistance dogs for people with disabilities (June 23 to July 14, 2026), combining legal and practical expertise on the subject of assistance dogs as aids and assistants.
- Verband Sonderpädagogik (vds)coreDVfR and the Association for Special Education (vds) co-host the online specialist event 'Inklusive Bildung gestalten: Professionen im Dialog' (Inclusive Education: Professions in Dialogue) scheduled for November 16, 2026, demonstrating joint commitment to inclusive education policy and practice.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
DVfR competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Rehabilitation International: Global umbrella organization for rehabilitation and disability rights, explicitly referenced by DVfR as a partner and cited in national action plan work — operates as DVfR's international counterpart at a global scale.
- Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft für Rehabilitation (BAR): The central German coordination body bringing together rehabilitation payers and providers (pension, health, accident insurances, etc.). Most direct German peer for rehabilitation policy coordination and consensus-building.
- BDH Bundesverband Rehabilitation: German advocacy and self-help organization for people with disabilities and chronic illness. Comparable to DVfR in member-driven advocacy structure and rehabilitation policy engagement.
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Rehabilitationswissenschaften (DGRW): German scientific society for rehabilitation sciences; co-author of joint position papers with DVfR (e.g., on SGB IX participation benefits). Operates in the same interdisciplinary rehabilitation discourse with overlapping scientific constituency.
- Verband Sonderpädagogik (vds): German professional association for special education; explicit co-host with DVfR on inclusive education events. Comparable in professional-association structure and overlapping rehabilitation/inclusion mandate.
- Bundesverband für körper- und mehrfachbehinderte Menschen (bvkm): Direct German disability advocacy organization for people with severe physical and multiple disabilities. Comparable to DVfR in mission-driven, member-based disability advocacy structure focused on participation rights.
Broad incumbents
- Sozialverband VdK Deutschland: Large German social advocacy association explicitly co-organizing events with DVfR. Broader scope covering social security, disability, and pension advocacy; overlaps DVfR on disability and rehabilitation but extends into wider social policy.
- Sozialverband Deutschland (SoVD): Major German social advocacy organization with parallel focus on disability rights and social policy. Operates as a broader incumbent with overlapping constituency but less specialized rehabilitation focus than DVfR.
- Aktion Mensch: Germany's largest private disability inclusion funder, financed by lottery proceeds. Broader incumbent with significant resources for disability and inclusion projects, operating adjacent to but not in DVfR's specialized rehabilitation policy niche.
- Caritas Deutschland: Germany's largest Catholic welfare organization with extensive disability and rehabilitation service operations. Operates overlapping capabilities as part of a much broader social welfare portfolio rather than specializing in rehabilitation policy.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
DVfR social profiles
Digital presenceDVfR financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DVfR leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
DVfR funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
DVfR M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about DVfR
What does DVfR do?
DVfR operates as an interdisciplinary association serving as a consensus-oriented forum for all rehabilitation stakeholders in Germany. Its core offerings include professional exchange through expert committees and online discussions, publication of position papers and expert statements on rehabilitation and participation law, organization of congresses and specialist events, and formal participation in German legislative consultation processes on disability and rehabilitation policy.
Is DVfR a public or private company?
DVfR is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was DVfR founded?
DVfR was founded in 1909.
Where is DVfR based?
DVfR is headquartered in Heidelberg, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does DVfR make money?
One revenue line is on record: membership Dues.
Who are DVfR's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Rehabilitation International, Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft für Rehabilitation (BAR), BDH Bundesverband Rehabilitation, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Rehabilitationswissenschaften (DGRW), Verband Sonderpädagogik (vds) and Bundesverband für körper- und mehrfachbehinderte Menschen (bvkm). Broad incumbents are Sozialverband VdK Deutschland, Sozialverband Deutschland (SoVD), Aktion Mensch and Caritas Deutschland.
Does DVfR have an API?
No public API is recorded for DVfR.