Volunteer Award 2026: New impetus for commitment in Bavaria!

Volunteer Award 2026: New impetus for commitment in Bavaria!

The Insurance Chamber Foundation’s volunteer award will be announced on January 23, 2026. The aim of this prize is to promote and make visible charitable commitment in Bavaria and the Palatinate. The foundation was founded in 2011 to support exemplary commitment on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the Bavarian Insurance Chamber.

The motto for 2026 is: “Shaping volunteering in a contemporary way – open to new things, strong in cooperation”. It focuses on initiatives that attract new members and create a welcoming culture. This year, the focus is particularly on supporting projects in the areas of lifesaving, accident prevention, crime prevention, safety in public transport and social tasks in fire departments. Volunteering is seen as a mainstay of society, and the award aims to help strengthen this view even further.

Participation requirements and application process

In order to take part in the 2026 volunteer award, the projects must be active in Bavaria or the Palatinate. Submission is made by the municipality, city or organization and the online application must be completed in full. The jury will evaluate the submitted applications based on criteria such as effectiveness, innovation and social factors. We are looking for outstanding examples from all areas of civic engagement.

The price categories are diverse. A total of eight prize winners will be awarded prize money of 5,000 euros per administrative district. A public volunteer award will also be presented, with up to 15 nominations and a public vote. A total of 5,000 euros in prize money will be distributed among the four best projects. The total prize money for the volunteer award is 45,000 euros.

Important deadlines and jury decisions

The conditions of the competition can be changed by the foundation, although the jury's decisions are final. The application deadline for the 2026 Volunteer Award is March 31, 2026. The award winners will be informed in spring 2026 and the awards will be held at the respective locations in the regions.

For further information about this commitment and the application process, please visit Wolfsegg.