Domestic promotion in 2020

The coronavirus aid programmes mandated by the Federal Government were launched very quickly, making them available at short notice to absorb the economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. Incorporating the KfW Entrepreneur Loan, the KfW Instant Loan and the Start-Up Loan into the coronavirus special programme enabled KfW to offer aid to enterprises in different phases.

The Special Programme 855 made a significant contribution to securing jobs in the pandemic in the very near term, with commitments of EUR 14.6 billion. Repaid loans of EUR 6.1 billion left a commitment value of EUR 8.4 billion for 2020. Under the 'Direct participation for syndicate financing' programme, KfW assumes up to 80% of the lending risk under guarantee from the Federal Government and finances investments and operating equipment. The main sectors that submitted aid applications were transport, communications, manufacturing and retail.

EUR 619 million in global loans with exemption from liability was made available to the promotional institutions of the German federal states to support start-ups and small enterprises. This made it possible to launch promotional programmes across the board in all German federal states. By the end of 2020, these funds had already been used to finance nearly 600 start-ups and SMEs within 6 months of the programme's launch. The liability exemption granted by the Federal Government for the first time in the context of global loans pools the promotional expertise of the federal and state governments and gives companies better access to financing that boosts their capital.

Global loans with exemption from liability totalling EUR 486 million were made available to the promotional institutions of the German federal states in order to support non-profit organisations. This funding via targeted state programmes enables aid to be extended to a sector that is of major importance to society.

Communication regarding coronavirus aid had to be rolled out as quickly as possible in the spring of 2020:

• Programme information was prepared for the website in a clear style and continuously updated. It was presented, among other formats, as infographics, FAQs, calculation examples, checklists and explanatory videos.
• Customers were informed of updates via newsletters and letters.
• More than 50 digital and analogue information formats on coronavirus aid were developed and rolled out in the media.

The successful use of the chatbot for the student loan was also extended to the “Baukindergeld” scheme in 2020. Interested parties can now obtain specific information on this promotional product 24/7 at kfw.de.

A quick and easy application process was set up to file for coronavirus aid within a very short time – initially in the form of the “preliminary application app”, after which it was expanded in short order in early summer of 2020 to become the “KfW promotional assistant”. Additional data on financing measures can be saved in the promotional assistant to enable even more targeted preparations to be made for meetings with financing partners. This means the overall application process can be made yet more efficient for all parties involved.

The infocenter was the first port of call during the crisis too. Professional advice and support were provided to businesses, students from Germany and abroad, and families and senior citizens seeking to build and renovate homes. Around three times as many calls from SMEs were answered as in the previous year. The number of calls about the KfW Student Loan in 2020 was also more than 75% higher than in the previous year.

In addition to communication on coronavirus aid, we lent support to several programme launches: the Federal Government promotion of energy-efficient buildings (BEG) and promotion of electromobility/the charging infrastructure. In the case of the latter, approximately 64,000 applications were processed in the first week after the programme launch.

This high request volume was handled before the coronavirus-related partial shift to remote working.