ERDF Hesse 2021-2027

€249 million of EU money for Hesse's companies, universities and municipalities, from R&D to the energy transition.

The ERDF Hesse 2021-2027 programme deploys around €249m of European structural funds in the state of Hesse. The ERDF funding guideline 21+ bundles more than ten individual programmes into two priorities: PO 1 funds research, development, knowledge transfer, SME investment and start-ups. PO 2 funds energy efficiency, environmental protection, heat networks and sustainable mobility. The approving body is WIBank; applications are made electronically through the WIBank customer portal.

Eligibility

The registered office or place of effect of the project is in Hesse (the ERDF place-of-effect principle under Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 Art. 63)
The applicant is eligible under the specific call (SME, research institution, municipality, association and so on; natural persons are generally excluded)
No early start: no contract, no investment and no engagement before the approval notice (Art. 6 GBER incentive effect, ANBest-P)
Not an undertaking in difficulty under Art. 2 no. 18 GBER (for GBER-based calls)
No outstanding EU recovery order under Art. 1 (4) (a) GBER
Total financing of the project is demonstrably secured at the time of application (own contribution, where relevant the last 2–3 years' accounts, a bank confirmation)
An impact indicator plan with baseline, targets and collection method is in place (Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 Art. 16 and 22)
The state aid basis is observed (a GBER article or de minimis per call; cumulation rules respected)
A DNSH self-assessment ('do no significant harm') has been carried out for all six EU environmental objectives (CPR Art. 9 (4))
EU publicity obligations are accepted (the EU emblem, a website reference, a sign at the project site, the list of beneficiaries — CPR Art. 47–50)
No double financing: the same costs are not financed in parallel from ERDF Hesse and another EU or federal programme (Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 Art. 63 (9))
The project matches the policy objective substantively (PO 1 innovation and competitiveness, or PO 2 climate and the low-carbon transition) and the specific call

Eligible costs

Staff costs for employees working directly on the project (including social security contributions), based on actual expenditure or flat rates depending on the call
Investment costs for machinery, plant, IT hardware, buildings and other movable and immovable assets
Research and development costs including external services, material costs and indirect R&D costs
Consultancy and service costs for external opinions, tests and project-specific services
Other material costs (materials, energy, rents, leases) where directly attributable to the project
Indirect costs (overheads) as a flat rate, where permitted in the relevant call (25% of direct staff costs, for instance)

Common pitfalls

Starting the work early

Any contract, engagement or investment before the approval notice leads to complete exclusion from funding or to clawback. Non-binding requests for quotes and planning steps are harmless.

ERDF Hesse isn't a single programme

The ERDF funding guideline 21+ bundles more than ten funding programmes. Funding rates, maximum amounts and the group eligible to apply vary by call, so always check the current call text.

No Just Transition Fund in Hesse

Hesse has no Just Transition Fund allocation (Regulation (EU) 2021/1056). Applications with a structural change or 'just transition' angle don't run through the JTF in Hesse, only at most through regular ERDF calls under PO 1 or PO 2.

Incomplete impact indicators

Missing or unrealistic output and result indicators (the number of companies supported, CO2 emissions saved, new jobs in FTE) lead to the application being downgraded or rejected. Agree the indicators with WIBank early.

Ignoring the publicity obligation

The EU emblem with the wording 'Co-funded by the European Union' has to be visible in all communication material, on the website and, for investments above the threshold, on a sign at the project site. Breaches can trigger financial corrections of 2–25% of the grant (CPR Art. 47–50).

Double funding of the same costs

Identical costs may not be funded in parallel from ERDF Hesse and another EU fund (ESF+, Horizon Europe) or a federal programme. Combining different funding sources for clearly delimited parts of a project is possible but has to be documented.

Getting the state aid basis wrong

Every call uses its own GBER article (typically Art. 25, 29, 36, 41 or 46) or the de minimis regulation. A wrong classification can lead to clawback as unlawful aid, with interest. Clarify the GBER article and the permitted aid intensity before applying.

The application process

1. Identify the funding programme. Determine which of the individual programmes under ERDF funding guideline 21+ fits your project (PO 1: R&D, pilot and demonstration, knowledge transfer, research infrastructure, SME investment, start-ups, vocational training; PO 2: PIUS-Invest, heat networks, waste heat use, urban mobility). Check the current call text at efre-hessen.de and wirtschaft.hessen.de.
2. Contact WIBank's funding advisers. Contact WIBank's funding advisers (+49 69 9132-03 / foerderberatunghessen@wibank.de) before applying formally. WIBank clarifies eligibility and the specific application route per funding line.
3. Submit an outline or preliminary enquiry (stage 1). For competitive calls or large projects, first submit a project outline in the WIBank customer portal (foerderportal.wibank.de). WIBank assesses it substantively; if the result is positive you are invited to submit a full application.
4. Prepare and submit the full application (stage 2). Produce the formal full application in the WIBank customer portal. Required documents: the project description, the impact indicator plan, a cost and financing plan, the last 2–3 years' accounts, an SME declaration where relevant, a state aid self-declaration (GBER or de minimis), the DNSH self-assessment, a publicity concept, self-declarations on double funding and, where relevant, a consortium agreement.
5. Wait for the assessment and approval notice. WIBank assesses eligibility, state aid law, financing and the indicator plan. Only with the approval notice may contracts be concluded and investments made.
6. Deliver the project and submit the statement of use. Deliver the project, collect indicator values continuously, comply with procurement rules (UVgO/VgV/VOB) and ensure the EU publicity obligations are met. On completion: submit the statement of use with a substantive report, an indicator balance, receipts and procurement records in the WIBank customer portal. Keep records for at least 5 years after the project ends (CPR Art. 82).

How upsmart helps

We match your project against all current ERDF Hesse calls and name the right individual programme under funding guideline 21+, with the GBER article assignment and a de minimis cumulation check. We write the draft application; your team reviews and decides. We keep an eye on deadlines and the n+3 rules. Fixed terms, independent of the grant amount.

Combining it with other programmes

ERDF Hesse 2021-2027 can be combined with ZIM (federal, BMWK) where costs are clearly separated per part of the project, with KfW development loans (KfW 261, 270) as complementary finance, and with ESF+ Hesse for supplementary training measures. Combining with Horizon Europe is possible but requires strict cost separation. Double funding of identical costs is prohibited (Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 Art. 63 (9)).

Frequently asked questions

SMEs, large companies, founders, universities, research institutions, municipalities, associations and clubs can apply, depending on the individual programme under ERDF funding guideline 21+. A registered office or place of effect in Hesse is always required. Natural persons are generally not eligible.

The amount varies by programme: R&D in companies typically €50,000–500,000, research infrastructure €600,000–5,000,000, PIUS-Invest up to €500,000. The funding rate is up to 60% for SMEs, up to 85% for research institutions and from 40% for large companies. At programme level the maximum ERDF co-financing rate is 40% (Hesse being a more developed region).

Applications are made electronically through the WIBank customer portal (foerderportal.wibank.de). For competitive calls an outline has to be submitted first, followed by the formal full application if successful. Before applying, a discussion with WIBank's funding advisers is recommended (+49 69 9132-03 / foerderberatunghessen@wibank.de).

Calls each have their own deadlines, published at efre-hessen.de and wirtschaft.hessen.de. The funding period runs to 31 December 2027 in the normal course; under the n+3 rule, funds can be spent until 31 December 2029 at the latest.

Depending on the call, staff costs, investment costs (machinery, plant, IT), R&D costs, consultancy costs and other material costs and flat-rate overheads are eligible. The exact cost categories and any caps follow from the profile of the relevant programme under ERDF funding guideline 21+.

Read on in the blog

Funding strategy across the innovation process

Primary sources

ERDF Hesse programme portal— Hessian Ministry for Economics, Energy, Transport and Housing (HMWVW)
ERDF funding overview, Hessian Ministry of Economics— Hessian Ministry for Economics, Energy, Transport and Housing (HMWVW)
WIBank ERDF funding offers— Wirtschafts- und Infrastrukturbank Hessen (WIBank)
WIBank customer portal (applications)— Wirtschafts- und Infrastrukturbank Hessen (WIBank)
Förderdatenbank des Bundes — ERDF funding guideline 21+ Hesse— Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK)
Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 (CPR — the structural funds umbrella regulation)— European Union
Regulation (EU) 2021/1058 (the ERDF Regulation)— European Union

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