INQA Coaching Kiel: 80% funding – while BAFA in Schleswig-Holstein pays only 50%

INQA-Coaching supports companies in Kiel with 80% of the consulting costs – up to €11,520 for twelve coaching days, own contribution €2,880. The funding rate applies nationwide. In Schleswig-Holstein, this is particularly important because the BAFA consulting subsidy here only reaches 50% i.e. a maximum of €1,750.

Why businesses in Kiel receive less under BAFA

The BAFA consulting grant is regionally tiered: 80% applies only in structurally weak regions – the new federal states and Berlin. Schleswig-Holstein, and therefore Kiel, is counted among the other regions.

• INQA coaching in Kiel: 80 %, up to 11,520 €
• BAFA consulting grant in Kiel: 50 % on a €3,500 assessment basis, up to 1,750 €

For an initiative that goes beyond a one-off individual consultation, INQA-Coaching in Kiel is therefore the far more robust instrument – around six times the funding volume. BAFA funding remains useful for clearly defined individual questions and is, in any case, only available until 31/12/2026.

Kiel’s economy and suitable coaching topics

Kiel is the state capital of Schleswig-Holstein with around 250,000 residents, shaped by the maritime economy, shipbuilding and suppliers, marine technology, port and ferry traffic, the healthcare sectoras well as the Christian Albrechts University. The digitalization needs in SMEs are rarely technical, but rather organizational in nature:

• Interfaces between clients, suppliers, and the workshop where information is lost
• Verification and documentation requirements that tie up skilled workers' time
• Recurring customer inquiries without any need for technical clarification
• Knowledge that depends on individual experienced employees

Requirements

• Fewer than 250 employees
• annual turnover of no more than €50 million or annual balance sheet total of no more than €43 million
• At least one full-time position subject to social security contributions
• For at least two years on the market
• Registered office and place of work in Germany – including freelance professions and non-profit organizations

Practical example: Kiel supplier company with 40 employees

A typical case: A supplier company in Kiel coordinates orders between sales, production, and customers by email and phone. Status inquiries take up hours in the internal service team every day. In the coaching, the first step is to determine what share of the inquiries are purely status requests – in practice, usually the majority. An automated information process is then set up and tested with the team, so that the internal service team only handles the real exceptions.

Frequently asked questions about INQA-Coaching in Kiel

Does INQA-Coaching apply in Schleswig-Holstein in the same way?

Yes. INQA-Coaching is a federal program of the BMAS with a uniform funding rate of 80% nationwide. Unlike the BAFA consulting grant, there is no regional tiering.

Why does BAFA in Kiel only pay 50%?

The increased rate of 80% is tied to classification as a structurally weak region – these are the new federal states and Berlin. Schleswig-Holstein belongs to the other regions, where the rate is 50% on an assessment basis of €3,500.

Can I combine both programs?

Yes, for different, clearly defined topics and with separate applications. Double funding for the same service is excluded.

How does remote collaboration work?

The route from Schwerin to Kiel is bundled for the on-site days; in between, work is done digitally. Since the up to twelve coaching days are distributed over several months anyway, this is easy to plan.

Next step

Which program is suitable for your Kiel-based company is clarified by the funding check. Details under INQA-Coaching and BAFA consulting funding.

As of September 2026. Funding rates according to INQA-Coaching (BMAS) and BAFA consulting funding. Funding conditions may change – we check the current status before each application.