North Rhine-Westphalia increases funding for sports instructor initiative

The North Rhine-Westphalia state government has increased funding for its sports instructor initiative following high demand. Originally allocated one million euros, the budget has been raised by 250,000 euros to a total of 1.25 million euros to accommodate more applicants.

The program provides grants of up to 500 euros per person to assist with the acquisition of sports instructor licenses and qualifications. The initiative saw significant interest, with approximately 3,800 applications submitted shortly after the application period opened, leading to a temporary suspension of new requests.

Looking ahead, the state government plans to further expand the program. The draft budget for 2027 proposes increasing the funding to two million euros, effectively doubling the original amount to ensure long-term support for sports clubs and the development of qualified volunteers.