ERDF Rhineland-Palatinate 2021-2027

Grants up to €5m for innovation and climate protection in Rhineland-Palatinate. Funding rates of 40–60%, nine funding lines.

The ERDF Rhineland-Palatinate 2021-2027 programme deploys European Regional Development Fund money through several state funding guidelines. Two policy objectives are central: a more competitive and smarter Europe (PO 1, funding lines: R&D infrastructure, InnoTop, IBI, Innovation Fund III, Tourism 4.0) and a greener, low-carbon and resilient Europe (PO 2, funding lines: EffInvest, energy efficiency and smart grids). The approving body is the ISB; applications are made electronically through the ISB customer portal. The funding period runs to 31 December 2027, and with the n+3 rule to 31 December 2029.

Eligibility

A registered office or operating site with the project's place of effect in Rhineland-Palatinate (no JTF is available in Rhineland-Palatinate)
The applicant belongs to the group eligible under the specific call (depending on the funding line: SMEs, large companies, research institutions, universities, municipalities, consortia; natural persons are generally excluded)
No early start: the project may only begin after the approval notice (no orders, no investment before approval; planning and requests for quotes are harmless)
The company is not in difficulty under Art. 2 no. 18 GBER (no insolvency, no loss of 50% or more of share capital)
No outstanding EU recovery order against the applicant
Total financing secured: your own contribution and total costs evidenced by accounts and, where relevant, bank confirmations
An indicator plan with baseline, targets and collection method (output and result indicators under Annex I Regulation (EU) 2021/1058)
Acceptance of the EU publicity obligations (the EU emblem, an ERDF reference in communications, a sign at the project site, an entry in the list of beneficiaries)
A DNSH self-assessment: the project must not significantly harm any of the six EU environmental objectives; for long-lived investments a climate resilience assessment is required
No double financing of the same costs from the ERDF and another EU fund or federal programme

Eligible costs

Staff costs: wages, salaries and social security contributions for employees working directly on the project
Investment costs: acquiring or producing machinery, plant, buildings and IT hardware
Consultancy costs: external advisory services, expert opinions, studies and planning connected with the project
Material costs: raw materials, auxiliary materials and operating supplies that go directly into the project
Other material costs: rents, leasing, insurance, travel, training and other direct project costs
Research and development costs: external R&D services and R&D staff costs (particularly in PO 1 R&D calls)
The specific eligible cost categories and any caps per cost type are set out per call in the relevant state funding guideline

Common pitfalls

Starting the work early

Anyone awarding contracts or making investments before the approval notice loses the entitlement entirely. Planning and non-binding requests for quotes are harmless; binding contracts are not.

The wrong programme level: the ERDF isn't a single scheme

ERDF Rhineland-Palatinate is an operational programme with several funding lines (InnoTop, IBI, EffInvest, energy efficiency, R&D infrastructure and others). Terms quoted without reference to a specific funding line aren't reliable; always check the current call text.

Assuming a JTF allocation for Rhineland-Palatinate

Rhineland-Palatinate has no JTF share in the 2021-2027 ERDF programme. Projects with a structural change angle have to be financed through regular ERDF calls (PO 1 or PO 2) or national programmes such as GRW.

Impact indicators missing or unrealistic

If the indicator plan is missing or the targets aren't plausible, the application is downgraded. The ERDF requires measurable output and result indicators: the number of companies supported, CO2 emissions saved, new jobs.

Ignoring the EU publicity obligation

The EU emblem with the wording "Co-funded by the European Union" and an ERDF reference have to be visible in all communication material 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 financing

The same costs may not be funded in parallel from the ERDF and another EU fund (Horizon Europe, ESF+, LIFE) or a federal or state programme. Where different funding sources are combined, a clean cost separation has to be documented.

Getting the state aid basis wrong

Calls are based on different GBER articles or on de minimis. The permitted aid intensity has to be observed strictly. For de minimis a cap of €300,000 over three tax years applies, and the volume already used has to be evidenced by self-declaration.

The application process

1. Identify the funding line and call. At efre.rlp.de and isb.rlp.de/foerderung/efre.html, determine the right programme in the ERDF RLP family (PO 1: R&D infrastructure, InnoTop FPG 358, IBI FPG 361, Innovation Fund III, Tourism 4.0 FPG 363; PO 2: EffInvest FPG 364, energy efficiency FPG 365/368). Check the current call text and deadline.
2. Contact ISB's funding advisers. Before applying, hold an advisory meeting with ISB's business funding advisers: +49 6131 6172-1333, beratung@isb.rlp.de. The ISB clarifies eligibility, the fit with the policy objective and the specific requirements of the call.
3. Submit an outline or preliminary enquiry (stage 1). For competitive calls or large projects, first submit a project outline in the ISB customer portal (ssp-client-v3.isbrlp-online.de/login). The ISB assesses the outline substantively and, if successful, invites a full application.
4. Submit the full application in the ISB customer portal (stage 2). Upload complete documents: a project description arguing the policy objective, the indicator plan (baseline, targets, collection method), a cost and financing plan, proof of creditworthiness (the last 2–3 years' accounts), SME/GBER/de minimis self-declarations, the DNSH assessment, a publicity concept, and for consortia a consortium agreement.
5. Wait for the assessment and approval notice. The ISB assesses the application formally and substantively. Only once the approval notice has arrived may the project begin.
6. Deliver the project and secure the records. Document contract awards under UVgO/VgV/VOB; collect indicators continuously; carry the EU emblem and ERDF reference in all communication material; put up a sign at the project site for investments above the threshold.
7. Submit the statement of use. Send the ISB a substantive report, an indicator balance, a list of receipts with invoices and proof of payment, procurement records and evidence of publicity. Keep records for at least 5 years after programme closure (CPR Art. 82).

How upsmart helps

ERDF RLP covers nine funding lines across two policy objectives, each call with different GBER articles or de minimis, and hitting the right module isn't trivial. We match your project against the full call catalogue, check the de minimis cap (€300,000 over three years) and keep an eye on the running deadlines. We prepare the application documents including the indicator plan and DNSH assessment as a draft ready for assessment; your team decides.

Combining it with other programmes

ERDF Rhineland-Palatinate can be combined with ZIM (BMWK, federal) where costs are clearly separated per part of the project, with Horizon Europe (EU, applied for directly in Brussels), with KfW loans (KfW 261, 270) and with ISB state programmes outside the ERDF, provided no double financing of the same costs arises. GRW (the joint federal-state task) applies in Rhineland-Palatinate only in designated GRW assisted areas. Combination with ESF+ RLP (labour market and education) is possible where costs are clearly separated.

Frequently asked questions

Companies (SMEs and large companies), research institutions, universities, municipalities, municipal enterprises, tourism associations and consortia with a registered office or place of effect in Rhineland-Palatinate can apply. The exact group varies by funding line and has to be checked in the current call text. Natural persons are generally not eligible. Companies in economic difficulty under Art. 2 no. 18 GBER are excluded.

Funding runs from €10,000 to €5,000,000 per project. The rate is typically up to 50% for SMEs, up to 40% for large companies and up to 60% for research institutions. Additional uplifts of up to 10% (SME bonus), 5% (structurally weaker areas) or 5% (innovative strength) are possible. The specific rates and maximum amounts are set out per funding line in the relevant call text.

The application goes through the ISB (Investitions- und Strukturbank Rheinland-Pfalz) as the central approving body. You register in the ISB customer portal (ssp-client-v3.isbrlp-online.de/login) and submit the outline and full application there. An advisory meeting with ISB's business funding advisers on +49 6131 6172-1333 beforehand is recommended. Projects may only begin after the approval notice.

The ERDF RLP programme covers several funding lines. Under PO 1 (innovation) come R&D infrastructure and competence fields (FPG 351-356), InnoTop, the single-company innovation and technology programme (FPG 358), IBI, implementing business innovation (FPG 361), Innovation Fund III, and public tourism infrastructure / Tourism 4.0 (FPG 363). Under PO 2 (climate and energy) come EffInvest, raising efficiency in commercial companies (FPG 364), and energy efficiency and smart grid and storage infrastructure (FPG 365/368).

Starting work early leads to complete exclusion from funding or to clawback of money already paid. Any binding engagement, contract or investment counts as a start. Non-binding requests for quotes and planning steps, by contrast, are harmless.

Read on in the blog

Funding strategy across the innovation process

Primary sources

ERDF programme portal Rhineland-Palatinate— State of Rhineland-Palatinate / MWVLW
ISB — ERDF funding overview— Investitions- und Strukturbank Rheinland-Pfalz (ISB)
ISB customer portal (applications)— Investitions- und Strukturbank Rheinland-Pfalz (ISB)
Ministry for Economic Affairs, Transport, Agriculture and Viticulture Rhineland-Palatinate (MWVLW)— State of Rhineland-Palatinate
Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy and Mobility RLP (MKUEM) — PO 2 programmes— State of Rhineland-Palatinate
Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 — Common Provisions Regulation (CPR)— European Union
Regulation (EU) 2021/1058 — the ERDF and Cohesion Fund Regulation— European Union

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