6.3 The “Grätzlmarie” funding scheme

WieNeu+ has a special fund for local residents with ideas on how to make their neighbourhood more climate-resilient or fit for the future.  "Grätzlmarie" ("Marie" is the Viennese slang term for money) provides funding for a host of activities, both large and small, which benefit the community and thus help to make life in the neighbourhood more enjoyable for all.
An advisory board consisting of local residents and representatives of local initiatives decides which of the submitted projects will receive funding, and how much. Selected projects generally receive subsidies of between €500 and €8,000. The maximum funding sum per project is €30,000.

The key selection criteria are as follows:

• The project idea contributes to making the neighbourhood climate-resilient and future-proof.
• The project's implementation benefits local residents and fosters community interaction.
• The funding is used in an economically efficient, cost-effective manner.

“Over 70 projects of many different kinds – from individual initiatives to activities by community associations – have already been implemented thanks to "Grätzlmarie", the WieNeu+ ideas fund. The great thing about it is that local residents on the neighbourhood advisory board decide for themselves which ideas receive funding. The result is initiatives that foster community interaction, kick-start social and ecological improvements and ensure better long-term quality of life in the 2nd and 20th districts.” (Simon Büchler, member of the GB* team, works for WieNeu+ on the "Grätzlmarie" project)

The “Grätzlmarie” scheme: data, facts & figures

In the period from February 2023 to May 2025 there were eight project submission phases for Grätzlmarie – the WieNeu+ ideas fund. A total of 92 project ideas were submitted. Funding decisions were made by the neighbourhood advisory board, which had 16 members and 4 deputies and consisted of equal numbers of representatives from the City of Vienna and the local community.

"Grätzlmarie" provided funding for a total of 42 community projects in the Grätzl 20+2 programme area with a total funding budget of €137,281.

Find out more here: https://wieneuplus.wien.gv.at/graetzlmarie-projektetab_wmt2-rxak (German)