New grant for urban development and digitalisation: Smart Cities pilot projects

• New funding from the German Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community
• EUR 750 million planned for 50 pilot projects over ten years
• Application for the first phase by 17 May 2019 on www.smart-cities-made-in.de

The German Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community and KfW are working together to support municipalities in shaping digital change with the Smart Cities pilot projects. Over the next ten years, around EUR 750 million will be made available for around 50 pilot projects in four phases. The 2019 federal budget contains approximately EUR 170 million for the first phase with around ten model projects.

Anne Katrin Bohle, State Secretary at the German Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community: “Digitalisation collides with everyday life in towns and communities. The municipalities are therefore the ideal place to actively shape digital change. With the Smart Cities pilot projects, we aim to shape digitalisation to benefit people and work together with local stakeholders. This strengthens the regional economy, promotes the creation of high-quality jobs and makes the municipalities even more attractive to live in.”

Dr Ingrid Hengster, member of KfW's Executive Board, says: “By supporting the Smart Cities pilot projects, the German Federal Government and KfW are making a contribution to Germany's digital transformation. Our aim here is to spark learning effects for municipalities beyond the group of supported municipalities and to generate a knock-on effect.”

The Smart City Charter of the national Smart Cities dialogue platform serves as the basis for the promotional activities. The Smart Cities pilot projects aim to develop integrated concepts and test how the quality of life of the European city can be transported into the digital future. To this end, digitalisation in the municipalities will be approached strategically, across disciplines and in the interest of integrated urban development.

A key component of the promotion is the knowledge transfer between the pilot projects, also with non-directly funded municipalities and national and international experts, to ensure that the findings and lessons learned are shared and the greatest possible learning effect is achieved for everyone.

The new financing offers are therefore preceded by a competition process. Prospective municipalities can apply for funding on the website www.smart-cities-made-in.de until 17 May 2019. The model projects will be selected by a jury of experts on the basis of expert opinions at the beginning of July 2019.

You can find further information at:
www.bmi.bund.de/smart-cities and
www.kfw.de/inlandsfoerderung/öffentliche-Einrichtungen/Infrastruktur/