State funding programmes for climate adaptation: the example of North Rhine-Westphalia

In brief. Alongside federal programmes, the states fund climate adaptation independently, with sometimes shorter application routes and regional priorities. North Rhine-Westphalia is a good example: it offers, among others, the ERDF-backed funding call "Klimaanpassung.Kommunen.NRW" (Climate Adaptation.Municipalities.NRW) for low-threshold measures, as well as the Klimaanpassungsrichtlinie (KA-RL, climate adaptation guideline) for investment and non-investment projects. State programmes also run in rounds and windows; individual calls are periodically closed. Last reviewed: August 2026, check day-to-day availability with the responsible bodies in NRW (LANUK, in.NRW, PtJ).

Why this matters for your municipality. State funds are, for many municipalities, a more pragmatic entry point than the large federal programmes: volumes are often smaller, applications leaner, and contacts closer. Especially for first, concrete measures, low-threshold state programmes often fit better. Those who only look at the federal government overlook these routes. The same principle applies to municipalities outside NRW: it is always worth checking your own state's programme.

What does NRW fund for municipal climate adaptation?

In North Rhine-Westphalia, several instruments bundle state funding. Klimaanpassung.Kommunen.NRW supports low-threshold measures, i.e. smaller, quickly implementable projects, using ERDF and state funds. The Klimaanpassungsrichtlinie (KA-RL) funds more broadly: investment measures against overheating and drought, for infiltrating, evaporating, storing and safely discharging rainwater, as well as measures to defend against climate-related natural hazards, plus non-investment preparation. Municipalities and districts are eligible to apply, and in some cases other bodies too.

How high are the funding rates in NRW?

Under the KA-RL, funding rates are staggered:

• applicants without economic activity, including municipalities, up to 80 percent
• municipalities in budgetary distress as well as research and education institutions up to 90 percent
• businesses up to 100 percent depending on EU state aid law. There were also minimum volumes per application. These figures are a snapshot and can change with each call, so use the current funding notice as your reference. For the finance department, the high rate for financially weak municipalities is the point of interest

Are the NRW programmes currently open?

Responsibilities differ by programme: for the Klimaanpassungsrichtlinie (KA-RL), the district governments (Bezirksregierungen) are the approving authorities, with the NRW Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Transport (MUNV NRW) responsible on a technical level. Klimaanpassung.Kommunen.NRW is administered by the innovation funding agency in.NRW together with the Projektträger Jülich. As of August 2026, Klimaanpassung.Kommunen.NRW is open, with the call running until 31 December 2026; the KA-RL is not currently accepting new applications.

The honest limitation. State programmes are not a self-service pot. Calls are time-limited, budgets are capped, and an application must fit the relevant notice. We cannot promise that your project is eligible or that a window is currently open. And programmes differ substantially between the states; what applies in NRW cannot be transferred one to one elsewhere.

When KomAdapt is worthwhile. The "Funding Roadmap & Reporting" module keeps track of federal and state programmes in parallel and assigns your measures to the matching call, including the low-threshold state windows that can be implemented quickly. This shows you which measure fits where, without losing sight of any deadline.

_What state programmes exist in NRW?_ The key ones are the ERDF-backed call "Klimaanpassung.Kommunen.NRW" and the Klimaanpassungsrichtlinie (KA-RL). As of August 2026, Klimaanpassung.Kommunen.NRW is open (call until 31 December 2026); the KA-RL is not currently accepting new applications. Last reviewed: August 2026. _Are state funds better than federal funds?_ Not better, just different. State programmes are often leaner and closer to concrete, smaller measures; federal programmes cover larger projects and management. Combining the two is often sensible. _Do such programmes also exist in other states?_ Yes. Almost every state has its own instruments with different names, priorities and funding rates. NRW serves only as an example here. _How high is the own contribution under NRW programmes?_ It depends on the programme and the type of applicant. Under the KA-RL, financially weak municipalities were most recently able to receive up to 90 percent funding. The current funding notice is binding. _Can I combine state and federal funding?_ In principle yes, with clear cumulation rules. Double funding of the same cost item is excluded; keep cost blocks clearly separated.

Incoming links to be set from: climate-adaptation-funding, funding-greening-desealing, heavy-rain-risk-management.