Since 2021, the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) has been funding 11 research projects nationwide as part of the Federal Rural Development Program (BULE), which deal with volunteering in rural areas. 

At the BMEL networking meeting on March 21, 2023 in Hanover, Susanne Lerche (HSZG/TRAWOS) and Ljubica Nikolic (University of Göttingen) presented exemplary results from previous research in the ENKOR joint project as well as initial theses on the needs and promotion of rural engagement.