💶 Financial start-up help: initial equipment, foundations, funds
In brief
Care leavers often start adult life without the financial cushion that other young adults can fall back on for a rental deposit, a driving licence or initial equipment. Besides youth welfare and social benefits, which can cover initial equipment in individual cases, there are also foundations and funds specifically for this target group – but their offering is limited and available differently from region to region; they do not replace statutory entitlements.
Step by step
- Check youth welfare/basic income support firstCheck whether initial equipment can be part of ongoing youth welfare (§ 39 SGB VIII, necessary maintenance) or of receiving basic income support (Grundsicherungsgeld; one-off grants).
- Check the Careleaver e. V. emergency fundFind out from Careleaver e. V. (careleaver.de) about its emergency fund, which can step in at short notice in acute financial emergencies.
- Research foundationsResearch regional and topic-specific foundations, e.g. via the federal funding database (Förderdatenbank des Bundes, foerderdatenbank.de).
- Check special programmes for stays abroadFor stays abroad as part of training/studies, ask specifically about specialised programmes (e.g. the Kreuzberger Kinderstiftung for care leavers).
- Apply earlyApply early – most funds have limited resources and do not work retroactively.
Deadlines
- The foundations and funds named here are examples, not a complete or guaranteed up-to-date list – offerings, criteria and available funds change; check the current position directly with the organisation concerned.
- An emergency fund does not replace an application for regular benefits (youth welfare, basic income support, BAföG) – it can bridge waiting times, but is not a permanent source of funding.
- No euro amounts are deliberately given here for the specific funding levels of individual foundations, as these change often and are not uniformly documented publicly – ask the organisation concerned directly for current amounts.
In depth · legal basis, figures and practice – for advisers and professionals
Initial equipment through youth welfare
During ongoing support for young adults (§ 41 SGB VIII), the costs of support under § 91 Abs. 3 SGB VIII also include expenses for necessary maintenance – in individual cases this can also include initial equipment when moving into your first own flat. The extent is at the discretion of the Jugendamt and is not quantified uniformly nationwide.
Careleaver e. V. emergency fund
According to its own information (careleaver.de), the association Careleaver e. V. runs an emergency fund that helps in acute financial emergencies, in particular when authorities do not process applications in time or unexpected costs cannot be covered otherwise.
Other foundations
According to its own information, the Kreuzberger Kinderstiftung funds stays abroad and start-up help for returning under its programme "Careleaver Weltweit" (Care Leavers Worldwide); other, mostly regional or topic-specific foundations can be researched via the federal funding database.
A question about your situation that this page does not answer? Write to us or use the contact form – we will tell you which office is responsible and what to bring. Free of charge, without individual legal advice.