What may seem confusing at first glance reveals the success of applications from the 16 states over a period of several years.

Column 1 of the table shows the total number of applications from the federal states. It shows both the absolute number and the percentage of applications out of the total number received by Fonds Soziokultur. The most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia, and the metropolis of Berlin are in the lead with a combined total of 38% and 2,320 applications.

Comparing these figures with those in column 2, it can be seen that these federal states do not receive as much funding as the number of applications would suggest. In fact, only 29% of the applications submitted in the two states receive funding, 13.6% in Berlin and 16% in North Rhine-Westphalia. In comparison, Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia each have a higher funding rate in relation to applications from their federal states, at over 20%.

Overall, the funding rate (ratio of the number of applications to the number of grants) averages only 16% over the last seven years. The reason for this is not a lack of quality or ideas on the part of the applicants, but simply a lack of funds to actually exploit this social creative potential.