Almost two years ago, we set out with a new idea for funding: What if we placed the power and responsibility of deciding how money is allocated in the hands of others? Together with the Kinnings Foundation, we launched the »Flow Fund« to put this idea into practice. What makes it special: It is not us, the foundations, who decide which initiatives, projects or non-profit organisations receive funding, but committed young people who live in the region.
We now wanted to know: What impact has this fast, flexible and participatory approach to funding had? And which conditions have helped make it effective? To find answers, we commissioned an external evaluation team to conduct a detailed analysis of the Flow Fund.
The evaluation shows that the Flow Fund has made a difference in many ways. Organisations were able to continue their programmes, improve their quality or implement new projects. Some used the funding to raise their visibility and reach more people. The funding gave initiatives greater financial security and, as a result, more room to act. People involved in the initiatives also report that the funding makes them feel encouraged and valued in their work.
The report makes clear that money alone is not the decisive factor. Equally important is the ability to use the funds flexibly, without being bound by complicated requirements or administrative processes. Especially in rural areas and smaller towns, funding physical spaces that enable people to meet proved to be important.
Methodology
For the analysis, the external evaluation team surveyed initiatives from the two Flow Fund funding rounds held in 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 between April and June 2026. Two thirds took part in an online survey, while 14 also participated in in-depth interviews.
Für die Analyse befragte das externe Evaluationsteam zwischen April und Juni 2026 Initiativen aus den beiden bisherigen Förderrunden des Flow Fund 2024/2025 und 2025/2026. Zwei Drittel nahmen an einer Onlinebefragung teil, mit 14 wurden zusätzlich vertiefende Interviews geführt.
Read the full evaluation report here (only available in German).