Information for associations

Organising an event

Authorisation request

If you wish to organise an event in the public sphere, you must submit a request to the safety and public areas department (SEEP) at least 30 days before the date of the event regardless of its cultural, commercial, sporting or other nature. Permission to make temporary use of the public space is subject to compliance with safety and cleanliness provisions.

Provision of equipment

The City of Geneva also provides festivities equipment, such as tables, benches, vaubans, charged at a rental price reduced by 80% if the request is submitted by a non-profit organisation based in the municipality.

Hiring a room or infrastructure

It is possible to hire several rooms managed by the municipality in order to organise occasional events, be it a show or a simple meeting.

Sports associations can also hire certain items of sports equipment to organise an event.

Promoting your activities

Holding a stand

If you wish to hold a stand in order to promote your activities, you must follow the same procedure as for organising an event in the City of Geneva, unless it is a stand of a political or trade union nature. The terms and conditions are different in this specific case.

Promotion

To promote non-profit events, a number of free advertising locations are available in Geneva, subject to compliance with specific provisions relating to the format, number and adhesive media of the posters.

The types of support vary according to the fields of activity

Support for the sustainable local economy and for innovation

G’innove focuses on social innovation in the broadest sense of the word by supporting local projects which improve the quality of life by suggesting new organisation models. In the past, this prize has acknowledged projects in fields as varied as agriculture, the fight against discrimination, digital culture, the recycling of materials and mobility.

For associations promoting a sustainable local economy, one-off assistance is also available, allocated by the Agenda21 department.

To innovate with regard to civil participation, the Projets à la pelle were launched by the Department of Social Cohesion in 2015 to give associations, and in particular youth associations, a helping hand. Twice a year, initiatives relating to a specific theme can receive support from the City.

Support for integration and the fight against all forms of discrimination

To strengthen the network of associations, the Department of Social Cohesion works in close collaboration with associations active in the field of social inclusion, senior citizens, youths or any segment of the vulnerable population. The support given to associations active in the field of integration via the Unité de vie associative is not limited to granting subsidies, but also includes: 

• conventions;
• continuing education;
• any form of exchange aimed at facilitating their activity and providing the tools necessary to ensure they operate correctly..

Specific subsidies are set aside for youth associations.

The Agenda 21 department also grants one-off assistance in the field of diversity and equality between all inhabitants and without any distinction between genders, sexual orientations or origins.

Subsidies in the field of international cooperation

Through the solidarity fund, the City of Geneva collaborates actively with the actors of international solidarity in order to fund development projects and humanitarian aid implemented by solidarity-based organisations in Geneva.

Support for sports associations

If you work for a sports association or club, or if you want to organise an event in this sphere, you can, in certain conditions, submit a subsidy request to or rent sports installations from the City of Geneva.

To help associations that promote sport, the City has even launched a training course intended for volunteers who work in this sphere on a regular or occasional basis.

Subsidies and aid for cultural organisations

In the cultural sphere, subsidies or occasional aid are also set aside to support creation in the fields of music, dance, theatre, cinema, contemporary art and cultural mediation.

Regulation governing subsidies

According to the regulations, granting municipal subsidies to private organisations naturally requires that the accounts be kept correctly. To help associations and other organisations implement a system of internal control and presentation of accounts, the City of Geneva has provided a series of reference documents.

Provision of the City of Geneva’s logo

When the City provides a project with financial support, the organiser is generally required to incorporate the logo of the City of Geneva on the communication media.