By when do I have to apply for BAFA funding in 2026?
The BAFA programme "Förderung von Unternehmensberatungen für KMU" expires on 31 December 2026. Why you have to apply in autumn rather than December — and which deadlines actually count.
If you still want subsidised consulting in 2026, you have to file the application in autumn — not in December. The reason isn’t the programme ending on 31 December 2026, it’s a rule that comes earlier: the application must be filed and approved before consulting begins. Nothing is funded retroactively. Anyone applying in December no longer has time to actually carry out the engagement within the funding period.
What you’ll take away:
- The funding directive “Förderung von Unternehmensberatungen für KMU” expires on 31 December 2026; no successor programme has been announced so far.
- The application must be filed and approved before consulting starts — the proposal and consulting contract are signed only after approval.
- Consulting costs are subsidised up to an assessment base of 3,500 euros per engagement, as a direct, non-repayable grant.
- The funding rate is 50 percent (former West German states, Berlin, Leipzig region, maximum 1,750 euros) or 80 percent (former East German states plus the Lüneburg and Trier regions, maximum 2,800 euros).
- Up to five subsidised engagements per company until the end of 2026, with a maximum of two per calendar year.
- PASSION4IT is registered with BAFA as a consulting firm (consultant number 222542).
By when do I have to apply for BAFA funding in 2026?
In practice, by autumn 2026. Formally the directive ends on 31 December 2026, but the application has to be filed and approved before consulting begins — and BAFA needs processing time between application and approval. So if you want the engagement to happen in 2026, you need the approval well in advance.
The hard edge isn’t the end of the year, it’s your own planning. Work backwards from your desired start date: application, approval, then contract signature, then the engagement. In that order — every shortcut costs you the grant.
Why does the order matter so much?
Because an engagement that has already started is no longer eligible. BAFA does not fund measures retroactively. If you sign the proposal and consulting begins before the approval arrives, the grant is gone — regardless of how eligible the project would otherwise have been.
This is the mistake we see most often in practice. A company decides on a maturity assessment, wants to move quickly, and the funding falls away because nobody knew the sequence. The process is:
- Define the consulting need. What should the engagement deliver? Without a clear project, the application gets difficult.
- File the application online. Applications run through the BAFA platform.
- Wait for approval. Assessment and approval sit with BAFA.
- Only then sign the proposal and consulting contract.
- Carry out the engagement, then submit the proof of use.
How much funding do I actually get?
Consulting costs are subsidised up to an assessment base of 3,500 euros per engagement. The rate depends on location: 50 percent in the former West German states, Berlin and the Leipzig region — a maximum of 1,750 euros. 80 percent in the former East German states and in the Lüneburg and Trier regions — a maximum of 2,800 euros.
The grant is direct and non-repayable. It reduces your invoice; it isn’t a loan. What it doesn’t do is cover costs above the assessment base. For an engagement costing more than 3,500 euros, only that ceiling counts.
| Former West German states, Berlin, Leipzig region | Former East German states, Lüneburg and Trier regions | |
|---|---|---|
| Funding rate | 50 % | 80 % |
| Assessment base | up to €3,500 | up to €3,500 |
| Maximum grant | €1,750 | €2,800 |
| Engagements per calendar year | max. 2 | max. 2 |
| Engagements until end of 2026 | max. 5 | max. 5 |
Who is eligible?
Small and medium-sized enterprises and members of the liberal professions under the EU definition, with a registered office or branch in Germany. Within the programme period, up to five subsidised engagements per company are possible, with a maximum of two per calendar year.
Whether your specific project is eligible is decided by BAFA — not by the consultant. We give you an assessment in the first conversation, but review and approval sit with the authority. Anyone promising you an approval is overstepping.
Which PASSION4IT services are eligible?
Our consulting services run through the same programme, because PASSION4IT is registered with BAFA as a consulting firm (consultant number 222542). Two entry points are the most common in practice:
- Digital Check — the honest maturity assessment at a fixed price of 3,950 euros. It evaluates digital maturity across five dimensions: strategy, processes and organisation, technology and IT infrastructure, employees’ digital skills, and products, services and business models. The result is a prioritised roadmap, not a slide deck.
- AI workshop — 3,900 euros fixed price, one day, real use cases instead of tool demos. The right fit once the digitalisation question is settled and it’s specifically about deploying AI.
Both follow the same sequence: first the honest maturity check, then the prioritised roadmap, then supported implementation. We accompany you through the entire application process — from the application to the proof of use.
What happens after 2026?
We don’t know, and nobody should claim otherwise. The directive expires on 31 December 2026 and no successor programme has been announced so far. Several industry reports in July 2026 confirmed that it is running out.
Anything is possible: a successor programme with different rates, an extension, or nothing at all. If you were planning a maturity assessment or consulting engagement in 2026 anyway, the sober calculation is this: with funding, it costs you 1,750 euros less in the former West German states. That certainty may not exist in 2027. If you don’t need consulting, though, an expiring subsidy is no reason to buy some.
Frequently asked questions
By when do I have to apply for BAFA funding in 2026?
In practice, in autumn 2026. The directive ends on 31 December 2026, but the application must be filed and approved before consulting starts — and BAFA’s processing takes time. Work backwards from your planned start date and factor in the approval period.
Can I apply for the funding retroactively?
No. An engagement that has already begun is no longer eligible. The proposal and consulting contract may only be signed after approval. This is the most common reason a grant is lost.
How high is the BAFA grant for management consulting?
Consulting costs are subsidised up to an assessment base of 3,500 euros per engagement. The rate is 50 percent in the former West German states, Berlin and the Leipzig region (maximum 1,750 euros) or 80 percent in the former East German states and the Lüneburg and Trier regions (maximum 2,800 euros).
How many subsidised engagements can I use?
Up to five per company within the programme period, with a maximum of two per calendar year. If you want to fit two engagements into 2026, both have to be applied for, approved and carried out before the programme ends.
Is the PASSION4IT Digital Check eligible for BAFA funding?
Yes. PASSION4IT is registered with BAFA as a consulting firm (consultant number 222542), and the Digital Check is a consulting service within the meaning of the programme. The fixed price is 3,950 euros; funding applies up to the 3,500 euro assessment base. BAFA reviews the eligibility of your specific project.
Who decides whether my project is eligible?
BAFA. Review and approval sit exclusively with the authority. We give an assessment in the first conversation and support the application, but we cannot promise an approval.
How does a BAFA-funded engagement differ from ordinary consulting?
Not in substance — the difference is in the process and the documentation. There is a formal application before the start, an approval, and a proof of use at the end. At PASSION4IT the work itself stays the same: support rather than just advice, no slide decks, no tool selling.
What does the application cost me?
The application itself is free; it runs online through the BAFA platform. The effort comes from describing the project and later submitting the proof of use. We handle that part together with you.
Further resources
- What does digital transformation consulting cost for mid-sized companies? — price ranges, scope, and what you get for which budget.
- Before I invest in digitalisation, I want to know where I stand today — why the maturity assessment comes before the investment decision.
Want to use the 2026 funding while it lasts? Book a conversation now — we’ll work out eligibility and timing together.
Sources: BAFA, “Förderung von Unternehmensberatungen für KMU” · IHK Nürnberg, programme overview · industry reports from July 2026 on the programme ending. Funding rates and conditions as of 30 July 2026. Review and approval sit with BAFA; this article is not funding or legal advice.