Our Funding Portfolio

The Volkswagen Foundation is dedicated to the support of the humanities and social sciences as well as science and technology in higher education and research. It funds research projects in path-breaking areas and provides assistance to academic institutions for the improvement of the structural conditions for their work.

We provide support in four profile areas

Societal Transformations

Expanding knowledge about processes of transformation and developing possible courses of action together with stakeholders in civil society.

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Exploration

Breaking into previously unexplored research territory with unconventional ideas and experimental approaches.

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Understanding Research

Critically exploring and reflecting on the research system with a view to initiating positive change on areas such as career paths, governance, research and teaching.

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zukunft.niedersachsen

Funding program for top-level research in Lower Saxony.

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Funding portfolio

We support future-oriented topics with our funding offers.

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Data Reuse – Additional Funding for the Preparation and Storage of Research Data (Open Science)

The funding offer aims at grantees of the Volkswagen Foundation, eligible are current projects and projects that have been funded approximately in the last 6 months.

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area of research: all

funding for: preparation and storing of research data for its reuse
No further call for proposals is currently planned

Perspectives on Wealth

The call is aimed at (inter-)national research consortia, collaborations with partners from LMICs are preferable, transdisciplinary consortia possible.

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area of research: Humanities, cultural and social sciences, economics (lead); cooperations with natural, life, data and technical science possible

type of funding: (inter-)national cooperation projects with up to five partners
Next deadline expected in summer 2026

Lower Saxony – Scotland Research and Innovation Scheme: Stream II – Excellence Track

The programme provides Lower Saxonian and Scottish higher education institutions and their researchers with an opportunity to conduct joint research to lay the foundation for successful third-party funding bids, in particular Horizon Europe.

Website zukunft.niedersachsen.de
area of research: all topics, particularly energy (transformation), life sciences, educational sciences, mobility and its transformation as well as security policy

type of funding: cooperative research projects