sheds light on the distribution of around 830 million euros to non-profit organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic and the long-term impact of the funding on the sector.

The funding measure set up during the Covid-19 pandemic was unique internationally. It supported associations, foundations, non-profit limited liability companies, church organizations and voluntary fire departments. A total of around 66,000 applications were submitted, with arts, cultural and sports associations in particular benefiting greatly from the financial assistance. Organizations in the education and social sectors also received significant support to maintain their operations during the crisis.

The evaluation shows that supported organizations acted more professionally and focused more on community building and volunteer work. Nevertheless, no significant long-term financial strengthening of the sector was observed. Small, volunteer-run associations in particular continued to struggle with structural challenges.

A key finding of the study is the high probability of survival of funded organizations compared to non-funded ones. While the general excess mortality rate of associations during the pandemic was 16%, this would have been even higher without the fund. Around 20% of the funded organizations stated that they would have had to cease their activities without the funds.

The study also highlights challenges in the allocation of funding. While large organizations with professional structures managed the application process efficiently, smaller associations found the bureaucratic effort to be high. In addition, in some cases there were reclaims, which created uncertainty among applicants.

The results of the evaluation underline the importance of targeted funding measures for the non-profit sector. 

The full report can be found at the following link: https://www.bmkoes.gv.at/Service/Publikationen/art-20-abs-5-b-vg/bmkoes.html