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The Volkswagen Foundation’s new call focuses on the question of how concepts from the humanities and social sciences are transferred to other contexts and utilised there for political or ideological purposes – for example, to undermine trust in science, the media or the institutions of democratic society. The application deadline is 6 October 2026, online Q&As on 11 August and 8 September

The Volkswagen Foundation has been supporting basic research for decades. Without it, the pipeline for innovation would dry up. Dr Henrike Hartmann, Head of the Funding Division at the Volkswagen Foundation, and microbiologist Professor Dr Tobias Erb discuss why basic research is so important for progress. 

Our magazine IMPULSE 2026 paints a multifaceted picture of basic research: whether at sea, in virtual space or in the laboratory, basic research offers fascinating insights into the unknown. Read the articles on the researchers’ work online, download the magazine as PDF (in German) – or have a printed copy (in German) sent to you free of charge. 

Political scientist Daniel Ziblatt, historian Mariana Cândido and legal scholar Russell Miller are receiving funding from the Volkswagen Foundation under the "Transatlantic Bridge Professorships" programme.

Why is wealth increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few? The “Perspectives on Wealth” initiative is coming to an end after two calls for proposals – its 15 international projects, with a total budget of €38.3 million, have investigated how wealth shapes politics, society and inequality. Some  projects will continue until 2029

Why and how is the Volkswagen Foundation committed to basic research? A conversation with Henrike Hartmann, Head of Funding, and Hanna Denecke, Head of the Exploration Team.