BAFA “follow-up” support: Help for small businesses after the COVID-19 crisis
Where did it start?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, BAFA offered an emergency scheme covering up to 100% of professional business consulting costs for affected companies. This crisis program has ended. Since then, support has shifted back to ongoing, standard BAFA business-advisory programs.
Is there a direct “Anschlussförderung” after COVID?
There is no direct successor that retroactively provides the same 100% coverage level as the COVID emergency scheme.
However, BAFA continues to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs/KMU) through regular programs—most notably “Unternehmensberatung für KMU” (available from 2023 up to the end of 2026, depending on the program framework).
What are the current funding rates?
Depending on region and program focus, funding typically ranges from 50% to 90%.
For certain digital/technical or ESF-linked components, support can be particularly high, with an overall cap per company (often in the range of about €3,200–€3,500, depending on the specific scheme).
Regional differences may apply, with higher rates in some structurally supported areas.
What does the program cover?
Eligible consulting topics often include:
Digital transformation, digital services, IT structures
Financial, organizational, and logistics analysis
Market strategy, sales and marketing
HR planning, process optimization, management
In addition, special routes may exist for:
Newer companies (for example, under 2 years, depending on the scheme definition)
Companies in difficulty (crisis/turnaround consulting with specific budgets and rules)
How do you use it in practice?
Apply via the BAFA portal before the consulting starts.
Choose an approved consultant registered for BAFA funding.
After approval, sign the consulting contract and carry out the project.
Submit the consulting report and documents as proof of use.
BAFA pays out the grant after review.
Quick comparison
| Program | Funding rate | Maximum support | Target group |
|---|---|---|---|
| COVID emergency consulting (ended) | 100% | up to ~€4,000 | pandemic-affected companies |
| BAFA SME consulting (2023–2026) | 50–90% | ~€3,200–€3,500 | SMEs and some start-ups |
| Crisis/turnaround consulting | special rules | separate budgets | companies in financial crisis |
Smart application tips
Keep short documentation showing why the consulting is economically necessary (market pressure, costs, digitization, growth).
If your business is young, check whether you qualify for a “new company” track.
Do not start consulting before approval.
Your consultant must be BAFA-approved—otherwise funding is not available.
Conclusion
There is no longer a direct post-COVID scheme with 100% coverage. But BAFA still offers reliable, attractive consulting support for SMEs—especially useful if you want to strengthen strategy, digitization, processes, or stability.
— The editorial team aims to provide accurate information based on thorough research. However, mistakes may occur or some details may be incomplete. Please use this text as initial guidance and consult the responsible authorities for confirmed information.
