A broad-based engagement landscape makes our city vibrant and worth living in! The Committed and Cooperative City team is your first point of contact for anyone who wants to get involved in society - whether as an association, company, educational institution, initiative, charitable organization or private individual. With expertise and passion, we support you in shaping your commitment in the best possible way, bring people and projects together and accompany you on your way to volunteering.
Become active
Many people want to get involved for the common good - our urban society thrives on this. Today, companies are looking for new forms of local involvement that go beyond pure sponsorship, educational institutions want support for activities that go beyond the fixed curriculum, and initiatives and associations are looking for new supporters and reliable partners. Everyone benefits from good networking, but how do I find the right engagement partner?
The Aachen Volunteer Agency offers personal advice on volunteering in the social sector by prior appointment or in an open consultation hour on the last Tuesday of every month at the Bürger*innentreff.
Volunteer pass
City of Aachen
Volunteer pass
In many associations and institutions, volunteers work with great dedication. In our city, this voluntary work is an indispensable building block, without which many projects in a wide variety of areas would be unthinkable. The volunteer pass is a recognition of volunteer work. It is intended as a small thank you for the many years of help, support and effort of Aachen's volunteers.
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Become a sponsor
In order to make and maintain the Aachen Volunteer Pass and thus volunteering in Aachen more and more attractive, we are constantly looking for new cooperation partners who would like to say THANK YOU as a "sponsor".
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Financial matters & subsidies
Municipal subsidies
The city of Aachen supports the commitment of associations with financial resources.
Trainer/volunteer allowance
People often ask about the difference between the lump-sum allowance for exercise leaders and the lump-sum allowance for voluntary work. Both lump sums are annual tax allowances in accordance with Section 3 EStG.
Since January 1, 2021, the so-called "Übungsleiterfreibetrag" has been 3,000 euros per year. The lump sum for voluntary work is 840 euros per year.
The requirements for both include, among other things, that the activity is part-time, i.e. it does not take up more than a third of a comparable full-time job. The activity should also serve to promote charitable, benevolent or church purposes.
Both benefits may be claimed if different activities are involved, regardless of whether they are carried out in the same association or in the same institution.
Reimbursement of loss of earnings for voluntary work
Under certain conditions, it is possible to be reimbursed for loss of earnings for voluntary participation in a youth leisure activity, provided the employer grants unpaid special leave for this purpose. However, reimbursement is not paid by the sponsors of the measure, but is refinanced by the Rhineland Regional Association.
Crowdfunding - "Many create more!"
With the crowdfunding platform "Many create more!", Aachener Bank offers a legally compliant way to jointly finance projects for the common good.
"Supporting people, taking responsibility and working together in a spirit of partnership. These cooperative values are the guiding principle for our actions. They give us the strength to break new ground, find innovative solutions and thus successfully shape the future. For us as a bank, but also and above all for the people in the region." - viele-schaffen-mehr.de/aachener-bank
DSEE funding programs
Funding opportunities via foundations
In North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), there are a variety of funding opportunities via foundations that support projects in the areas of nature conservation, local heritage and cultural preservation, social innovation, education and many others. TheNRW Foundation, for example, supports projects in the areas of nature conservation, local history and cultural preservation, while the NRW Social Foundation focuses on social innovation. There are also foundations that specialize in specific topics such as environment and development or integration.
"2000x1000€" Promotion
The state government launched the first measures to implement the engagement strategy in 2021. This also includes the "2,000 x 1,000 euros for engagement" funding program. Under this year's funding theme "Committed to the future - promoting young engagement and shaping new projects", funding is provided for projects that are carried out by young people themselves or that strengthen young engagement. Applications for the 2025 funding period can be submitted from May 5 to November 1, 2025.
Funding is provided for measures that are based on the annual focus topic and are characterized by civic engagement.
This year, projects on the topic of "Committed to the future - promoting young engagement and shaping new projects" are being funded.
By "young engagement", we mean the civic engagement of young people up to the age of 27. It does not matter whether it is a regular commitment within an association or a short-term, independent commitment as part of a (possibly temporary) initiative.Eligible measures can be projects that are planned and implemented by young volunteers themselves.
This includes, for example, projects in the context of existing involvement, but also projects by young people who have not been involved so far or not regularly. For example, it would be conceivable to set up a new offer in a sports club or to establish an initiative to redesign the group room in a youth club.Also eligible for funding are measures to promote young commitment, such as training courses aimed directly at young people in the association or measures to inspire and recruit young people for voluntary work.
If you have any questions about the application process in Aachen, please contact our colleagues in the Committed and Cooperative City team at ehrenamt@mail.aachen.de. Ms. Meurer can be contacted by telephone on 0241-432-7238.
Rights and obligations
Data protection
Your commitment to the community is valuable - as is the protection of personal data. Here you will find information on how to act in compliance with data protection regulations.
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Legal aspects of voluntary work
Am I insured? What obligations do I have? What legal regulations apply to my commitment? Here you will find helpful links to legal questions.
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Taxes in voluntary work
Here you will find helpful links to external sources of information on tax benefits, lump sums and important obligations for volunteers.
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Certificate of good conduct
If you would like to start a voluntary position, for example in child and youth welfare, in the care sector, in sport or in the emergency services, it is quite possible that you will be asked for a certificate of good conduct.
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Further training
German Foundation for Commitment and Volunteering
Every week, the DSEE events offer information tailored to the needs of volunteers on all aspects of association work, commitment and volunteering.
engaged-in-NRW.de
All further training and qualification programs funded by the State Chancellery.
Training program for volunteers and clubs
In the coming months, the committed and cooperative city of the Department of Citizen Dialogue and Administrative Management, in cooperation with the Aachen Adult Education Center, will once again be offering a number of training courses that may be of interest to you as a volunteer. Participation is partly free of charge for you because the committed and cooperative city of Aachen bears the costs incurred, even if you are not yet in possession of an Aachen volunteer pass.
If you are interested, please register in good time at the VHS Aachen, telephone 0241-47920, stating the course number. The team of the committed and cooperative city cannot accept your registration.
You can look up the courses with discounts in the current VHS program. We will inform you about individual training courses here in due course.
City Sports Association
The Stadtsportbund Aachen e.V. regularly offers an extensive and needs-oriented program through its educational branch of the Landessportbund.
Church children and youth work
Training for volunteers in church children's and youth work
Proof of honorary office
Youth leader card (JuLeica)
The youth leader card is intended for volunteers involved in youth work. The minimum age is 16 years. With the JuLeica, holders identify themselves as qualified and document their active voluntary work as youth leaders. At the same time, they are entitled to certain services and benefits. The local youth welfare office is responsible for issuing the JuLeica.
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Proof of commitment NRW
People who do voluntary work have also acquired skills that are important outside of civic engagement. With the NRW certificate of commitment, the state government, together with the organizations supporting voluntary social work and with employers' and business associations, has created a means of documenting and recognizing skills acquired in voluntary work. The certificate can also be useful for professional development.
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Committed City" network
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In Aachen, civil society, politics, business and science are working together to create a vibrant engagement landscape - for greater cohesion, active recognition and a sustainable quality of life.
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