Apply now for the NRW Homeland Award

In 2019, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia launched the funding programme "Heimat. Future. North Rhine-Westphalia. We promote what connects people". This includes the "Heimat Prize", which is endowed with 5,000 euros and in which the city of Bocholt has been involved since 2019. Bocholt-based associations and initiatives can apply for the prize for 2022 from now until 31 August of the year at the Social Affairs Department, Volunteer Agency of the City of Bocholt.

The application form for the competition can be downloaded from the website www.wir-fuer-bocholt.de/heimatpreis.

Prizes for local and regional specialities

The aim of the programme is to get people excited about local and regional specialities, to preserve the homeland and at the same time to shape it for the future. The Homeland Award therefore primarily honours voluntary commitment and innovative, exemplary projects in the area of homeland. True to the motto "Heimat wächst von unten!", the state would like to honour the local commitment of volunteers.

Projects from the past, present and future

All Bocholt associations and initiatives can apply for this award. In the application form, they can describe not only the projects they have already completed, but also those they are still working on. Future ideas can also be included. The award also recognises how the associations cooperate with third parties and how important the measure, action or project is for the city of Bocholt. How innovative they are and what the organisation would like to achieve with them in the future is also assessed.

Organisations that have already won the Heimatpreis in the past are excluded from the application process. This also applies to those clubs that have already won the "Home Prize of the State of NRW" or the "Home Prize of the Borken" district. The background to this is that as many Bocholt clubs as possible should benefit from this state initiative, which will run for a total period of 4 years.

Jury decides on the 2022 Heimat Prize

A jury will decide on the entries. The jury consists of representatives from the Department of Culture and Education and the Department of Social Affairs of the City of Bocholt as well as one member of each parliamentary group in the city council and one advisory member each from Volksbank Bocholt eG and the Volunteer Agency. The Heimat Award 2022 is to be presented at the Volksbank eG premises by the end of the year.

Application procedure

The City of Bocholt's volunteer coordinator, Rainer Howestädt, will be happy to answer any questions about the application process on 02871 953-503.

Applications can be submitted by post or email to the Department of Social Affairs - Volunteer Agency -, 46395 Bocholt, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Str. 52-58 or email rainer.howestaedt(at)bocholt(dot)de by 31 August 2022 (the postmark or email receipt will count).

Previous winners

• 2019: Dorfgemeinschaft Mussum e.V. (local history award from the city of Bocholt)
• 2019: Heimatverein Suderwick and the citizens' initiative "Dinxperwick" (Heimatpreis of the state of NRW)
• 2020: Pro Barlo e.V. (Homeland Prize of the Borken district)
• 2020: Bürgerverein Biemenhorst e.V. (local history prize of the city of Bocholt)
• 2021 Förderkreis Bocholter Handwerksmuseum e.V. (local history prize of the city of Bocholt)
• 2021 Berufskolleg am Wasserturm with the project "Make a Difference" (Heimatpreis of the district of Borken)