Düsseldorf: City Bank Provides Citizens with a Sustainability Base

Düsseldorf City Sparkasse has announced the establishment of a Sustainability Foundation as part of its 200th anniversary celebrations. The foundation, with a budget of €20 million, aims to promote sustainable engagement unbureaucratically and individually.

The Sustainability Foundation's board of directors will decide on the allocation of funds, with the first approvals expected by the end of the current quarter. Initial applications can be submitted on the foundation's website (www.sskduesseldorf.de/stiftungnachhaltigkeit) since Friday.

The foundation board and the supervisory board will review the applications. Cooperation with Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences or Heinrich Heine University could be possible, as well as partnerships with Düsseldorf City Works for energy efficiency projects.

Associations with their own properties seeking to improve energy efficiency can apply for funding. Funding gaps can be closed with partial financing from other donors. The income from the foundation capital will finance the projects, and the foundation capital can also be used for larger projects.

The Sustainability Foundation is open for local implementation of projects, allowing people, associations, and organizations to realize their own ideas and contribute to climate goals. A model project for citizen participation will be initiated, with €50,000 earmarked for 2025 and €100,000 for 2026.

In addition, €100,000 will be available in 2025 for educational projects promoting sustainable everyday life, €60,000 are earmarked for the development of new potential through innovations and the integration of science and practice, and €150,000 will be used to help non-profit organizations reduce CO2 and achieve climate neutrality.

The regional government, headed by Thomas Schürmann, has officially recognized the Sustainability Foundation. The foundation's commitment is expected to have a positive impact far beyond the anniversary. The first approvals are expected by summer.

Düsseldorf City Sparkasse has emphasized its recent pioneering projects in the field of climate protection, and the Sustainability Foundation is a signal of its commitment to sustainability and social responsibility. The foundation is a gift to the citizens of Düsseldorf and Monheim am Rhein.

Non-profit status is a prerequisite for the Sustainability Foundation. The foundation's website provides more information about the application process and the foundation's goals.