Federal Foundation for the Environment
The presiding and thus most important body of the Federal Foundation for the Environment (DBU) is the board of trustees. The board of trustees controls the DBU and makes important decisions. It comprises 16 members appointed by the Federal Government. The members are representatives of the federal and Länder administrations and other relevant groups. The board of trustees represents the foundation in and out of court.
Tasks of the DBU
Since its establishment in 1991, the DBU has been supporting creativity in small and medium sized businesses regarding practical solutions to environmental problems and has been offering incentives for ecological innovations (easing environmental burdens, innovative ideas, model projects).
Following a decision by the DBU board of trustees, new grant guidelines will enter into force on 1 January 2016. DBU funding will in future target interdisciplinary areas of support geared towards the current environmental challenges that are fixed in duration. 20 percent of funding will be reserved for highly innovative projects, which lie outside the narrowly-defined areas of support. The DBU supports innovative, exemplary and solution-oriented model projects for the protection of the environment which take societal changes and the need for social innovations into account.
In addition, the DBU also presents the environmental award with the highest prize money in all of Europe, the German Environmental Award. Since 1993, the DBU has been honouring outstanding contributions and efforts of individuals in the area of environmental protection.
Members
(Last updated: July 2024)
| Total | No. of women | Appointed by Federal Government | Of these no. of women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 8 | 16* | 8 |
*The difference to column 1 are two unoccupied places on the survey date.