The basic idea of the Danube Small Project Fund is to provide an uncomplicated funding platform for Danube-wide collaboration that can disburse even small amounts (<5,000 €) for the most important costs (travel expenses, organisation etc.) without major administrative hurdles. Such an uncomplicated small project funding scheme has been a long-term desire of the cultural sector in the Danube region since the very beginning of the EUSDR activities.

The intention of such funding is also confirmed by the fact that it has found its way into the new "Action Plan" of the EUSDR: "C) Examples of projects/activities (past, present or future): Small Project Fund" (p. 34). The Covid-19 crisis has once again clearly underlined the importance – indeed the necessity – of such a funding tool.

The Ministry of Science, Research and Arts Baden-Württemberg initiated a pilot action for the DSPF which is to elaborate the final structure and to test the long-term function of this innovative funding platform. The Partners followed the initiative of the Ministry of Science, Research and Arts Baden-Württemberg and agreed to jointly establish a DSPF pilot implementation phase from 2021-2023.

European Danube Academy, involving all Partners. For the elaboration of the DSPF structure the international translation network Traduki was used as a role model. The concrete preparation of the fund was strongly supported by the long-standing experiences of the Working Community of the Danube Regions (ARGE Donauländer). The final structures and procedures have been discussed and confirmed by all Partners. 

The pilot phase is based on simple online calls at least once per year (depending on funding possibilities). Cultural actors in the Danube region can describe their concepts and enter them into an online form to apply for funding.

The DSPF is funded by financial contributions from various partners throughout the Danube area. The Sides agree to provide an annual financial contribution to the fund. The Ministry of Science, Research and Arts Baden-Württemberg and the Province of Lower Austria/Working Community of the Danube Regions (ARGE Donauländer) offered to contribute a higher annual lump sum which builds the fundament of this pilot initiative.

The following partners have established a new alliance for culture and creativity in the Danube region. They are the institutional founders of the DSPF:

- Ministry of Science, Research and Arts Baden-Württemberg as initiator

- Province of Lower Austria/Working Community of the Danube Regions (ARGE Donauländer)

- City of Regensburg

- "Kulturreferentin" for the Danube region at the Museum of the Danube Swabians (DZM) Ulm

The first private partner and co-founder of the DSPF:

- Volksbank Ulm-Biberach eG

Associated partners:

- Danube Cultural Cluster

- Deutsches Kulturforum östliches Europa Potsdam

The DSPF project is coordinated by the European Danube Academy (EDA)

You can find all financing partners of the Danube Small Project Fund here. The possibility of participation in this funding scheme programme is not exclusively limited to public entities such as ministries for cultures. We invite foundations, institutions, companies and also individuals to contribute to the fund as a PPP-construction.