In its first round of consultations for the 2026 funding year, the Board of Trustees of the Endlager Konrad Stiftungsgesellschaft mbH, chaired by Lord Mayor Frank Klingebiel, approved funding of around 2.2 million euros for 77 projects.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees Mayor Klingebiel: "A very strong signal for our important voluntary work and our entire urban society! Our foundation has been the biggest supporter of charitable projects in Salzgitter, Lengede and Vechelde with its annual funding since it was established in 2011. We can all be justifiably proud of this! At the time of my talks with the then Federal Environment Ministers Sigmar Gabriel and Dr. Norbert Röttgen about setting up the foundation, I was absolutely certain that I was doing and creating something sustainably good for the volunteers in our town of Salzgitter and the communities of Lengede and Vechelde. Today - 15 years later - I can say that with the 25.2 million euros in funding we have already distributed, we have sustainably strengthened our voluntary work, which supports and enriches our urban society. That makes me, our Board of Trustees and our management very happy!"

Klingebiel is more specific for this year 2026: "Over 180 applications were received by our foundation on time - an enormous number that shows how diverse and active our volunteering landscape is, but also a high number that makes it clear that it is impossible to discuss and decide on all project applications in detail in just one meeting. We need two more meetings and would ask applicants who have not yet received a decision to be patient."

The managing directors Simone Kessner and Rainer Dworog add: "77 project sponsors can already look forward to receiving funding amounts ranging from 130 euros to 308,000 euros. The lowest funding amount goes to the Engelnstedt volunteer fire department for weighting bags for a folding pavilion funded last year, while the highest funding was awarded for an extension grant for changing rooms at the ice rink of the Salzgittersee sports club with an amount of 308,000 euros. Well over half of all funding commitments made to date support charitable projects with amounts of less than 10,000 euros, while eleven other project sponsors were awarded funding of up to 20,000 euros. In addition to 15 charitable projects supported with amounts of up to 100,000 euros, five large-scale charitable projects were also awarded funding. The large-scale projects over 100,000 euros include a roof renovation of the building used by the Salzgitter food bank with 172,000 euros and three sports field renovations with 232,000, 243,000 and 295,000 euros. The project sponsors are SV Lengede, FC Germania Bleckenstedt and SV Grün-Weiß Vallstedt."

88 applications are still to be discussed.