Basic funding
The terms and conditions apply to funding year 2026.
Would you like to apply for funding directly?
Would you like to apply for funding directly?
The next application round for basic Funding programme begins on 4 May!
It’s that time again – as part of Kulturförderung Online, we are launching the next round of basic funding. GEMA members are invited to apply for individual funding to support their culturally significant works and artistic contributions.
Applications can be submitted via GEMA’s online portal between 4 May and 17 May. After the submission period has closed, the jury will review applications in the order in which they are received. The first 400 applications approved by the jury will each receive funding of EUR 2,000. The funds will be distributed proportionally according to the share of the work among all GEMA members involved. Detailed information can be found in our current terms and conditions of participation and FAQ on this page.
Get involved and apply – we wish you every success!
Conditions for funding
All full and associate members of GEMA who fulfil the requirements (see below) are eligible for funding.
This subsidy relates exclusively to works. Every member can file one application for subsidy of a work per financial year. Each work can be supported with a subsidy only once. This also applies if multiple applicants apply in respect of the same work. We therefore recommend that other parties with an interest in the work be notified in advance when planning to file an application.
An application for a subsidy can be filed if the following conditions are met:
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The work must have been registered within the past two years, the deadline being the start of the respective funding round.
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The work must be published on commercial online platforms, e.g. YouTube or Spotify. Exclusive publication on a private website is not sufficient.
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Works created by an AI are excluded from this subsidy.
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The applicant must have a share in the work of at least 10 %.
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There may be no more than ten parties with an interest in the work.
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The member making the application must have generated revenue in the GOP, MOD D and/or MOD S categories during the financial year prior to the filing of the application.
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In the GOP and MOD categories, the revenue for the work received in total by all interested parties must not have exceeded €1,000 during the financial year prior to the filing of the application.
1st round of basic funding: from 4 - 17 May 2026
2nd round of basic funding: from 5 October 2026
2nd funding round: from 03.11.2025 (closed)
As soon as the funds available for the funding round are exhausted, no further applications can be approved.
Applications for a basic subsidy may only be submitted via the Onlineportal. Our eligibility requirements are as follows.
The subsidy amount of €2,000 will be allocated among all GEMA members with an interest in the work on a pro rata basis that corresponds to their respective share (sharepicture) in the work, as defined in the GEMA work registration valid at the start of the funding round. The payment is made to the respective member’s account, which means that the funding amount may be offset against any existing negative balances, assignments or similar obligations.
The funding amount is paid out to the member account for all applicants after the applications have been reviewed.
Subsidies will be awarded by an independent jury consisting of nine full members and three deputy members. Applications will be processed in order of receipt. Once the funds designated for a given funding round have been exhausted, no further applications can be approved.
If you would like to find out more about the jury, please take a look at: Meet the Jury.
We have taken note of the request that publishers would like to be automatically informed about the details of the allocated funding amounts.
Unfortunately we cannot implement this automatic notification for the next payment date of the basic funding. Publishers who require a breakdown of the allocated funding amount by work can request this at any time by email.
Please send a short message including your main account number or participant number to kulturfoerderung-online@gema.de. Thank you for your understanding.