Labor market fund; application for a grant for qualification and employment promotion measures

The Free State of Bavaria supports the financing of qualification and employment promotion measures for the unemployed and those at risk of unemployment.

Purpose

The Labor Market Fund (AMF) supports measures for qualification and employment promotion with the aim of integrating particularly disadvantaged groups of people into training and work.

This contributes to the other important goal of securing the skilled workforce required on the Bavarian labor market.

The AMF provides subsidiary project funding in the form of "start-up financing" for up to three years for initiatives that primarily target the unemployed and those at risk of unemployment. Individuals do not receive funding.

Object

Funding is concentrated on the following funding priorities (FSP):

• FSP 1: Development and testing of innovative instruments - regional labor market initiatives (experimentation pot), which serve, among other things, to secure skilled labor requirements,
• FSP 2: Projects to support young people and young adults on the path to vocational training and vocational qualifications,
• FSP 4: Measures to improve opportunities for women in the labor market,
• FSP 5: Measures to support people with disabilities on their way into vocational training (vocational orientation) and into jobs on the general labor market.

Further information can be found on the website of the Bavarian State Ministry for Family, Labor and Social Affairs (StMAS).

Recipients of funding

Any legally responsible body that carries out appropriate measures for qualification and employment promotion is eligible to apply; this may also include local authorities. Job centers in accordance with Section 6a SGB II and Section 44b SGB II are excluded from funding. There is no direct support for individual persons.

Eligible costs

Only project-related personnel and material expenses as well as overhead expenses are eligible for funding.

Type and amount

Funding is granted in the form of pro rata financing/capital participation.

The type of funding is project funding.
Funding is provided over a period of between 1 year(s) and 3 year(s).

Funding priorities 1), 2), 4) and 5):

Temporary, pro rata, degressive (in the 1st year up to 90%, in the 2nd year up to 80%, in the 3rd year up to 70%) funding of the planned or determined project-related expenditure (pro rata funding in accordance with ANBest-P/ ANBest-K).

Funding priority 3):

Temporary, pro rata (up to 90%) funding of personnel and material expenses. Overhead expenditure is not eligible for funding. Material expenditure may not exceed 15% of personnel expenditure.

• The decisive factor is whether the application is selected for funding (by the Labor Market Fund working group).
• The measures should promote the transition of participants into the primary labor market (e.g. through qualification measures, internships).
• However, the projects must be outside the activities of the Federal Employment Agency, the job centers as well as outside the activities of the European Social Fund or other European programs and federal or state measures.
• In principle, no projects that have been subsidized by other funding bodies in the past can be supported by the Labour Market Fund. The measures should be new or innovative.
• The local employment agency and the local job center must be involved with a request for a technical assessment of the project and appropriate support.
• Local stakeholders (companies, works councils, local authorities, chambers, etc.) must also be involved.
• An appropriate own contribution by the project sponsor must be taken into account for the implementation of the project. The project sponsor's own contribution must be at least 10 percent.
• The overall financing of the project must be secured.
• With regard to additional funding from third parties, corresponding confirmations from the respective bodies must be submitted (so-called co-financing confirmations).
• The Labor Market Fund cannot contribute to the financing of transfer companies and projects with work opportunities in accordance with Section 16 d SGB II.

The Bavarian State Ministry for Family, Labor and Social Affairs (StMAS) provides detailed information on this year's funding priorities and the application deadline for the current 36th selection round of the Labor Market Fund on its website.

During this period, the application must be sent to the StMAS exclusively in electronic form as a PDF by e-mail, although the application for funding priority 3 can be submitted at any time. A cut-off deadline applies and late applications or incomplete documents will not be considered.

The projects are expected to be selected at the end of July 2026 by the Labour Market Fund working group, which consists of representatives of the Bavarian state government, business organizations, trade unions and the employment service.

The application must be submitted by 26.03.2026. The deadline does not apply to applications under funding priority 3 of the AMF.

• As a rule, the Labor Market Fund cannot provide funding for a project for longer than three years. As long as funding is provided for a shorter period, applications for extensions can be submitted.
• The aim should be to continue the project on the basis of other funding after the funding has expired.
• The funded measures are checked for their labor market effectiveness and long-term establishment. By applying for funding, you undertake to assist with the necessary surveys.
• If the project is selected for funding, it is realistic to start the project from October of the same year.

• Required document/s
  • Application for approval of a grant from the Labor Market Fund (AMF): see forms
  • Statement from the local employment agency in coordination with the locally responsible job centers for the Labor Market Fund working group: see forms
  • Submission of the form application (see under "Forms") including the necessary documents: concept description (max. 6 pages), cost and financing plan, statement from the local employment agency according to the specified template (see under "Forms").