ERDF Brandenburg 2021-2027

€1.6 billion for Brandenburg's future: innovation, climate, structural change.

The ERDF Brandenburg 2021-2027 programme is the state of Brandenburg's operational programme for the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Just Transition Fund (JTF). The total volume is around €1.6bn: €846m ERDF and €786m JTF. It funds projects in innovation and research, SME competitiveness, digitalisation, climate protection, the energy transition, climate adaptation and urban development. The JTF share is aimed exclusively at companies and institutions in the Lusatian coal region (the districts of Spree-Neiße, Oberspreewald-Lausitz, Elbe-Elster and the city of Cottbus) and in the Uckermark, the regions affected by the coal phase-out and by the transformation of the PCK refinery at Schwedt. Funding runs through time-limited calls; the exact terms (funding rate, maximum amount, deadlines, who may apply) have to be checked per call at ilb.de.

Eligibility

A registered office or operating site in the state of Brandenburg where the funded project is carried out (the ERDF place-of-effect principle under Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 Art. 63)
For JTF calls additionally: a registered office or place of effect within the JTF area — the Brandenburg part of the Lusatian coal region (the districts of Spree-Neiße, Oberspreewald-Lausitz, Elbe-Elster and the city of Cottbus) or the Uckermark (Uckermark district)
Membership of the group eligible to apply under the relevant call (SME, large company, university, research institution, municipality or consortium, varying by call)
No early start: orders, contracts and investment only after the approval notice (Art. 6 GBER incentive effect; ANBest-P Brandenburg)
The company must not be an 'undertaking in difficulty' within the meaning of Art. 2 no. 18 GBER
No outstanding EU recovery order against the applicant (Art. 1 (4) (a) GBER)
No double funding: the same costs may not be funded in parallel from another EU fund or federal programme (Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 Art. 63 (9))
Total financing of the project is demonstrably secured (own contribution, where relevant a bank confirmation, proof of creditworthiness)
An impact indicator plan with baseline, targets and collection method (Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 Art. 16, 22; Annex I Regulation (EU) 2021/1058)
Compliance with the DNSH principle (do no significant harm) for all six EU environmental objectives (Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 Art. 9 (4))
Acceptance of the EU publicity obligations (the EU emblem, a funding reference, where relevant a sign at the project site, the list of beneficiaries — Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 Art. 47–50)

Eligible costs

Staff costs: wages and salaries including social security contributions for employees working directly on the project
Investment costs: acquiring or producing machinery, plant, IT hardware, buildings and other assets
Material costs: raw materials, operating supplies and goods that go directly into the project
Consultancy and service costs: external specialist advice, expert opinions, testing and specific services within the project
Other material costs: travel, rent, leasing, insurance and other direct project expenditure
Flat-rate overheads: indirect costs (administration, rent, energy) where the relevant call permits an overhead flat rate (25% of eligible staff costs, for instance)

Common pitfalls

Starting the work early

Any order, contract or investment before the approval notice leads to complete exclusion from funding or to clawback. Planning and preparatory steps are harmless, engagements are not.

The JTF area not checked

JTF calls are only open to projects with a registered office or place of effect in the Lusatian coal region (the districts of Spree-Neiße, Oberspreewald-Lausitz, Elbe-Elster, the city of Cottbus) or in the Uckermark district. Applicants outside that area receive no JTF funding.

Missing the call deadline

ERDF and JTF calls have hard deadlines. Once the deadline passes, submission in that round is no longer possible. Check the deadlines regularly at ilb.de.

A missing or unrealistic indicator plan

The ERDF and the JTF require measurable output and result indicators with a baseline and a target. If the plan is missing or the targets are obviously unrealistic, the application is downgraded or rejected.

Ignoring the EU publicity obligations

The EU emblem, the wording 'Co-funded by the European Union' and a reference to the ERDF or JTF have to be visible in all communication material, on the website and, for investments above the threshold, on a sign at the project site. Breaches lead to financial corrections of typically 2–25% of the grant.

Double funding of the same costs

Identical cost items may not be financed simultaneously from the ERDF or JTF and another EU fund, a federal programme (ZIM, STARK, the coal regions investment act) or state funding. A clear delimitation of the parts of the project is mandatory and has to be documented.

The wrong programme logic: ERDF isn't a single funding programme

ERDF Brandenburg isn't a single programme with fixed terms but an operational programme with many time-limited calls. Statements about 'the terms of ERDF Brandenburg' aren't reliable without reference to a specific call.

Procurement breaches on external contracts

Contracts above the thresholds have to be awarded under UVgO, VOB/A or VgV; municipalities and public contracting authorities are subject to the BbgVergG. Procurement records and comparative quotes have to be documented for the statement of use. Breaches lead to financial corrections of typically 5–25% of the contract value concerned.

The application process

1. Identify the call. Research the matching call at ilb.de and efre.brandenburg.de: clarify the thematic field (innovation, SMEs, climate protection, urban development, JTF Lusatia Brandenburg, JTF Uckermark), the approving body, the application deadline and the aid framework. ILB funding advice: 0331 660-2211.
2. Submit an outline or expression of interest (stage 1). For competitive calls, first submit a project outline in the ILB customer portal or the approving body's portal. Content: the link to the policy objective, work packages, indicator targets, an outline financial plan. For the JTF: set out the structural change link concretely. Then wait for the invitation to submit a full application.
3. Prepare and submit the full application (stage 2). Submit a complete project description, the indicator plan (baseline plus targets), a cost and financing plan with proof of creditworthiness, SME/GBER/de minimis declarations, the DNSH self-assessment, where relevant a consortium agreement, and a publicity concept in the ILB's online portal (or that of the responsible approving body).
4. Wait for the assessment and approval. The ILB (or the responsible approving body) assesses the application substantively and under state aid law. No early start: no orders, contracts or investments before the approval notice.
5. Deliver the project. After approval: start the project, award and document external contracts under UVgO/VgV/VOB/BbgVergG, collect indicators continuously, implement the EU publicity obligations (EU emblem, sign, website reference), keep records carefully.
6. Submit the statement of use. Submit on time a substantive report with an indicator balance, a complete list of receipts (invoices, proof of payment), procurement records and evidence of publicity. Records have to be kept for at least 5 years after programme closure (CPR Art. 82).

How upsmart helps

ERDF Brandenburg runs through dozens of time-limited calls. We match your project against the current calls and assign the thematic field, the JTF area and the aid framework (a GBER article or de minimis). We check cumulation conflicts with ZIM, KfW or STARK as we go. We keep an eye on the deadlines and work out the draft application including the indicator plan with your team. Fixed terms, independent of the grant amount.

Combining it with other programmes

ERDF and JTF Brandenburg can be combined with other funding sources as long as the same costs aren't funded twice. Common combinations: ERDF plus a KfW loan (different cost blocks), ERDF plus ZIM (different parts of the project), ERDF/JTF plus ILB's own programmes. JTF calls in the Lusatian coal region have to be clearly delimited from STARK and the federal coal regions investment act; in the Uckermark from federal programmes for the PCK transformation. Horizon Europe and the ERDF can be combined where the cost items are clearly separated per funding source.

Frequently asked questions

Who may apply varies by call. Typically SMEs, large companies, universities, research institutions, municipalities and consortia with a registered office or operating site in Brandenburg. JTF calls are additionally limited to applicants in the Lusatian coal region (the districts of Spree-Neiße, Oberspreewald-Lausitz, Elbe-Elster, the city of Cottbus) or the Uckermark district. Always check the specific group in the relevant call document at ilb.de.

The base rate is 40% (large companies) to 50% (SMEs, municipalities, research) of eligible costs. Uplifts for innovation, climate protection or JTF structural change can raise the rate to up to 85%. Grants run from a minimum of €10,000 to a maximum of €5,000,000 per project. The exact figures are in the relevant call.

First choose the matching call at ilb.de. For competitive calls, submit an outline first. Only once the ILB invites you do you file the full application in the ILB customer portal. Important: no work may begin before the approval notice. ILB funding advice: 0331 660-2211.

ERDF calls are open to all applicants in Brandenburg and cover topics such as innovation, digitalisation, climate protection and urban development. JTF calls are limited to the structural change regions: the Brandenburg part of the Lusatian coal region (the coal phase-out) and the Uckermark (the transformation of the PCK refinery at Schwedt). JTF funding rates can reach up to 85%.

The most common mistakes: starting work before the approval notice, applying from outside the JTF area for a JTF call, missing the call deadline, a missing indicator plan, breaching the EU publicity obligations, double funding of the same costs, and procurement breaches on external contracts. Each of these can lead to full or partial clawback.

Read on in the blog

Funding strategy across the innovation process

Primary sources

Official ERDF/JTF programme portal Brandenburg— State of Brandenburg / ERDF/JTF managing authority
ILB funding portal (central approving body, current calls)— Investitionsbank des Landes Brandenburg (ILB)
ERDF Brandenburg in the Förderdatenbank des Bundes— Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action
Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 — Common Provisions Regulation (CPR)— European Parliament / Council of the EU
Regulation (EU) 2021/1058 — the ERDF Regulation— European Parliament / Council of the EU
Regulation (EU) 2021/1056 — the JTF Regulation— European Parliament / Council of the EU

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