INQA funding: costs, own contribution and reimbursement with calculation examples

The INQA funding covers 80% of the coaching costs, nationwide and uniformly. Up to twelve consulting days with a maximum of €1,200 net per day – the grant therefore amounts to up to €960 per day and up to €11,520 in total. The company covers the 20% own contribution. Important: you first pay the invoice in full and then receive the grant reimbursed afterwards.

The calculation examples

At a daily rate of €1,200 net:

• 4 consulting days: 4,800 € fee – 3,840 € grant – 960 € own contribution
• 8 consulting days: 9,600 € fee – 7,680 € grant – 1,920 € own contribution
• 12 consulting days: 14,400 € fee – 11,520 € grant – 2,880 € own contribution

If the coach’s daily rate is below 1,200 €, the fee, grant and own contribution decrease accordingly. If it is above that, only up to 1,200 € is funded; the company covers the rest on its own.

What counts as eligible costs – and what does not

• Eligible for funding: the fee of the authorized INQA coach for up to twelve consulting days of eight hours each.
• Value-added tax: only eligible for funding if your company is not entitled to input tax deduction.
• Not eligible for funding: travel expenses, materials, software, and licenses.

The reimbursement principle: plan for liquidity

Unlike a discount, the grant is paid only after completion and review. Your company therefore initially pays the full fee. For a twelve-day coaching program, that is €14,400 net, of which €11,520 will be reimbursed later. Plan for this amount in your liquidity.

Comparison with BAFA consulting funding

The BAFA consulting grant subsidizes a short individual consultation up to €3,500 in costs – at 80% only in the new federal states and the Lüneburg and Trier regions, otherwise at 50%, and only for applications submitted by 31.12.2026. An example calculation is provided in BAFA funding: costs in the example calculation. INQA-Coaching supports a longer, participation-oriented process nationwide at 80%. Both programs may not be used for the same consultation.

Observe de minimis

The grant is a De minimis aid. Together with other de minimis aid received over the past three years, a cap must not be exceeded – for most SMEs this is not an issue, but it should be checked if multiple grants have been received.

How to make the best use of the grant

1. Define the topic and objective clearly in advance – see INQA-Coaching topics.
2. Plan the scope in consulting days with the coach; twelve days is the maximum, not a requirement.
3. Arrange the initial consultation with the INQA advisory office in good time – the process is shown by INQA-Coaching process.
4. Pay the invoice, file the documents properly, and wait for reimbursement.

All requirements and deadlines at a glance: INQA Coaching. bettersorted is an authorized INQA coach – the funding check shows in just a few minutes whether your company is eligible.

Cost overview per consulting day

• Daily rate €1,200:Grant €960 – own contribution €240
• Daily rate €1,000:Grant €800 – own contribution €200
• Daily rate €1,400:Grant €960 – own contribution €440 (funding only up to €1,200)

The amounts are net and apply to companies entitled to deduct input tax.

Liquidity planning in three steps

1. Agree on the scope of the coaching and the daily rate with the coach.
2. Clarify the payment dates for the invoices.
3. Bridge the period until reimbursement – reimbursement only comes after completion and review.

How many days does a coaching take?

That depends on the topic. A clearly defined project in a small business requires fewer days than a change process across several areas. Twelve days is the maximum, not a requirement. What matters is that all three phases – initial, innovation, and learning phase – are completed properly.

Who we are

bettersorted is a BAFA-registered consultant and an authorized INQA coach with a focus on digitalization and AI, based in Schwerin and co-founder of the KI|werk MV network. Among other things, we have the DRK Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in the strategic introduction of AI and the Pumpenallianz Nord in AI consulting.

Comparison with the costs without funding

Without funding, a company would bear the full fee itself. With INQA-Coaching, the company’s own contribution drops to one fifth of the eligible fee. Especially for smaller businesses, this makes a guided change process financially feasible in the first place.

What you should clarify with the coach before starting

• Daily rate and planned number of consulting days
• Whether travel expenses apply and how they are billed
• Payment terms for invoices
• Which documents are required for billing

Calculation example for a small business

A company with twelve employees is planning an INQA coaching project to introduce an AI phone assistant and new office workflows over eight consulting days at €1,200 net per day. The fee is €9,600, the grant is €7,680, and the company’s own contribution is €1,920. The software for the assistant is paid for separately by the company. This example is illustrative.

About bettersorted

bettersorted is an AI consulting and automation company from Schwerin. We are a BAFA-registered consultant, an authorized INQA coach, and co-founder of the KI|werk MV network; our practical experience comes from the social sector, skilled trades, and SMEs. Our solutions run on servers in Germany, with workflows that can be reviewed instead of a black box.

Frequently asked questions

How high is the INQA funding?

80% of eligible coaching costs, up to a maximum of €1,200 net per consulting day and up to twelve days — i.e. up to €11,520 in funding.

How high is the company’s own contribution for INQA-Coaching?

20% of the eligible fee; for twelve days at €1,200 each, that is €2,880. Costs above €1,200 per day as well as travel expenses are borne by the company additionally.

When is the INQA grant paid out?

After completion of the coaching and review of the documents. The company initially pays the invoice in full (reimbursement principle).

Is VAT eligible for funding under INQA-Coaching?

Only if your company is not entitled to input tax deduction. Companies entitled to input tax deduction receive the grant on the net amount.

Status: October 2026. Only the version of the funding guideline currently in force is authoritative.