ERDF Schleswig-Holstein 2021-2027

€272m for innovation, climate protection and regional development in Schleswig-Holstein, reachable through IB.SH and WTSH.

The ERDF Schleswig-Holstein 2021-2027 programme is the state's operational programme under the European Regional Development Fund. It bundles around €272m of EU money into three priority axes: axis 1 (PO 1) funds innovation, research, digitalisation and SME competitiveness with around €168m. Axis 2 (PO 2) finances climate protection, the energy transition and the circular economy with around €78m. Axis 3 (PO 5) supports integrated territorial development with around €16m. Calls appear for limited periods, and the specific terms (funding rate, deadline, target group) are in the relevant call document. Delivery runs through IB.SH (general business support) and WTSH (innovation and technology transfer lines) as approving bodies.

Eligibility

A registered office or a demonstrable place of effect for the project in Schleswig-Holstein (the ERDF place-of-effect principle under Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 Art. 63)
Membership of the group eligible under the call (SME, large company, university, municipality and so on, varying by call)
No early start: engagements, contracts and investment only after the approval notice (Art. 6 GBER incentive effect; ANBest-P LHO SH)
The company must not be an undertaking in difficulty within the meaning of Art. 2 no. 18 GBER (for company-relevant calls)
No outstanding EU recovery order (Art. 1 (4) (a) GBER)
Total financing of the project (own contribution plus funding plus, where relevant, third-party funds) demonstrably secured at the time of application; proof of creditworthiness required
An indicator plan with baseline, targets and collection method for at least one output and one result indicator under the ERDF SH programme's indicator system (Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 Art. 16, 22; Annex I Regulation (EU) 2021/1058)
The state aid basis (a GBER article or de minimis) correctly documented; cumulation rules observed
A DNSH self-assessment for each of the six EU environmental objectives; for long-lived investments a climate resilience assessment; for energy-relevant projects an 'energy efficiency first' assessment (Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 Art. 9 (4), Art. 73 (2) (j))
Acceptance of the EU publicity obligations: the EU emblem with the wording 'Co-funded by the European Union', a reference to the ERDF, a website reference and where relevant a sign at the project site (Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 Art. 47-50)
No application for Just Transition Fund (JTF) money in Schleswig-Holstein: the state has no JTF area
No double financing: the same costs not funded in parallel from ERDF SH and another EU or federal programme (Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 Art. 63 (9))

Eligible costs

Staff costs: costs for project staff and project management working directly on the funded project
Material costs: materials, equipment, software, rents, travel and other direct project expenditure
Investment costs: acquiring or producing movable and immovable assets (machinery, buildings, IT hardware)
Consultancy costs: external advisory services, expert opinions and studies with a direct link to the project
Other directly project-related costs: publication costs, public relations and other expenditure that can't be allocated elsewhere
Simplified cost options under CPR Art. 53 ff. (flat rates, standard unit costs); check per call which flat rates apply

Common pitfalls

Starting the work early

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

Approaching the wrong approving body

IB.SH and WTSH manage different funding lines. Innovation and technology transfer topics generally sit with WTSH, general business and investment support with IB.SH. Check the responsible approving body in the call document before applying.

Missing the call deadline

ERDF calls have hard submission deadlines. Once the deadline has passed, applying in that round is no longer possible. Check the current deadlines regularly at schleswig-holstein.de/efre-programm, ib-sh.de and wtsh.de.

Impact indicators missing or unrealistic

If the indicator plan with baseline, targets and collection method is missing, the application is downgraded or rejected. Targets missed without justification can lead to financial corrections. Define the indicators early in the application.

Double financing of the same costs

The same costs may not be financed simultaneously from ERDF SH and another EU fund (ESF+, Horizon Europe, LIFE, EMFAF, EAFRD) or a federal or state programme. Where the ERDF and GRW are combined in the state business programme, an unambiguous cost allocation per funding source is mandatory.

Ignoring the EU publicity obligation

The EU emblem with the wording 'Co-funded by the European Union' and an ERDF reference have to be shown visibly in communications, on the website and where relevant at the project site. Breaches can lead to financial corrections of 2–25% of the grant.

Assuming a JTF allocation for Schleswig-Holstein

SH has no JTF share in the 2021-2027 ERDF programme. Applications with a 'just transition' angle aren't eligible for JTF funding in SH, only through regular ERDF calls (PO 1 or PO 2).

A place of effect outside Schleswig-Holstein

Applicants operating nationwide with no specific link to a Schleswig-Holstein location are not eligible. The SH link has to be evidenced in the application.

The application process

1 — Identify the call. Research the matching call at schleswig-holstein.de/efre-programm, ib-sh.de or wtsh.de. Check the responsible approving body (IB.SH or WTSH), the priority axis (PO 1 innovation / PO 2 climate / PO 5 territorial development), the application deadline and the target group in the call document.
2 — Preliminary advice. Contact the responsible approving body directly: IB.SH on +49 431 9905-0 or WTSH through the LPW portal. Sketch the project, check the fit with the policy objective and clarify the state aid basis in advance.
3 — Submit an outline (stage 1). For competitive calls: submit an expression of interest or outline in the responsible body's online portal within the call deadline. Content: the project idea, contribution to the policy objective, an overview financial plan, consortium partners.
4 — Submit the full application (stage 2). After a positive outline assessment and an invitation to apply in full: submit a complete project description, the indicator plan, a cost and financing plan, self-declarations (SME status, de minimis, DNSH, double funding), proof of creditworthiness, a publicity concept and where relevant a consortium agreement in the portal.
5 — Assessment and approval. IB.SH or WTSH check the application for completeness, eligibility and contribution to the policy objective. If the decision is positive, the approval notice is issued. Only then may the project begin.
6 — Delivering the project. Deliver the project in line with the approval notice. Ongoing duties: collect indicators, implement the EU publicity obligations, gather records without gaps, document contract awards under UVgO/VgV/VOB (observe the SH procurement act for municipal applicants).
7 — Statement of use. Submit a substantive report, an indicator balance, a complete list of receipts with invoices and proof of payment, procurement records and evidence of publicity to the approving body. Then keep all records for at least 5 years after programme closure (CPR Art. 82).

How upsmart helps

We match your project against all open ERDF SH calls and point you to the right approving body, IB.SH or WTSH. We check de minimis cumulation and the GBER article assignment, and keep an eye on the call deadlines right up to the submission date. Fixed terms, independent of the grant amount.

Combining it with other programmes

ERDF SH can in principle be combined with federal programmes (ZIM from the BMWK, KfW loans) and EU programmes (Horizon Europe), where the cost items are clearly separated and the same costs aren't financed twice. In the state business programme (LPW), ERDF and GRW money is partly bundled and managed through IB.SH; there an unambiguous cost allocation per funding source is essential. Art. 14 GBER (regional aid) applies in SH only in the GRW C assisted areas, so check the area first.

Frequently asked questions

SMEs, large companies, universities, research institutions, municipalities and consortia with a registered office or place of effect in Schleswig-Holstein are eligible. The specific group differs by call. Some calls are limited to SMEs, others are open to companies of any size.

Funding runs from €50,000 to €5,000,000 per project. SMEs receive a rate of up to 60%, large companies and municipalities up to 40%. Uplifts of 10% each are possible for SME status, an innovation link or a climate and energy link. The exact rate is in the relevant call document.

First identify the matching call at schleswig-holstein.de/efre-programm, ib-sh.de or wtsh.de. Competitive calls have a two-stage submission: an outline, then the full application in the responsible body's online portal (IB.SH for general business support, WTSH for innovation and technology transfer). Only begin the project after the approval notice.

Eligible costs are staff costs, material costs, investment costs, consultancy costs and other direct project expenditure. Simplified cost options (flat rates, standard unit costs) under CPR Art. 53 ff. may apply per call; check the call document. The same costs may not be financed simultaneously from another EU or federal programme.

No. Schleswig-Holstein has no JTF area (no territorial just transition plan). In Germany the Just Transition Fund is limited to the coal phase-out regions in North Rhine-Westphalia, Brandenburg, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. Structural change projects in SH are eligible at most through regular ERDF calls (PO 1 or PO 2).

Read on in the blog

Funding strategy across the innovation process

Primary sources

ERDF programme SH 2021-2027 — official programme portal— State of Schleswig-Holstein
IB.SH — ERDF information page (Investitionsbank Schleswig-Holstein)— Investitionsbank Schleswig-Holstein (IB.SH)
WTSH — the state business programme 2021-2027— Wirtschaftsförderung und Technologietransfer Schleswig-Holstein GmbH (WTSH)
Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 — Common Provisions Regulation (CPR)— European Union / EUR-Lex
Regulation (EU) 2021/1058 — the ERDF and Cohesion Fund Regulation— European Union / EUR-Lex

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