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

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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.

Area of research

Type of funding

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  • Logo zukunft.niedersachsen
    Deadline: spring 2026

    zukunft.niedersachsen: Research Cooperation Lower Saxony – Israel

    Funding is provided for scientifically outstanding projects conducted jointly by researchers from Israel and Lower Saxony. 

    Website zukunft.niedersachsen.de
    • area of research: Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering Sciences (call 2026)
    • type of funding: research projects
  • Illustration with a group of protesting people
    09 September 2025 Deadline 'collaborative projects'
    Next deadline for 'taskforces' is expected for the 2nd half of 2026

    Transformational Knowledge on Democracies under Change – Transdisciplinary Perspectives

    The call addresses persons from science together with actors outside of academia who are interested in transdisciplinary research and aim at jointly developing new perspectives on democratic forms of government under change.

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    • areas of research: humanities, cultural and social sciences (lead); cooperation with natural, life, data and technical sciences possible
    • type of funding: task forces, cooperation projects
  • Illustration with two people pointing into the sky, and a teleskope
    The call is currently under review and will be republished in 2026.

    Pioneering Research – Exploring the Unknown Unknown

    The funding offer addresses outstanding post-doctoral researchers and professors universities and research institutes in Germany, international cooperation partners are possible.

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    • area of research: all disciplines
    • up to 1.3 million Euro
  • Illustration with a person in a swirl of objects and materials that can be recycled
    Currently no open call.

    Circularity with recycled and biogenic resources

    The current call within the funding line 'Collaborative projects' of this initiative is primarily targeted at the natural sciences and engineering.

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    • area of research: natural sciences and engineering, if required social sciences
    • type of funding: research projects
  • Illustration with a man sneezing, in the background various means of transport (e.g. aeroplane, train, lorry)
    No open call

    Transdisciplinary Approaches to Mobility and Global Health

    The call is directed at researchers from HICs and LMICs, in close collaboration with local communities, non-academic stakeholders and other relevant actors. It is jointly initiated by the three independent private foundations Novo Nordisk Foundation (Denmark), Wellcome (Great Britain) and Volkswagen Foundation.

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    • areas of research: social sciences, life & health sciences
    • funding for: international collaborative projects
  • Illustration of a person standing in front of an ancient steam engine powered by files and producing binary code
    Apply anytime

    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
  • Illustration with a man and a woman kissing a girl in their middle who is holding a dollar note
    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
  • Illustration of two people with magnifying glasses looking at a building labelled "Scientia"
    No open call

    Researching Research: Collaborative Research Projects

    The funding scheme is aimed at scientists and scholars of all career stages from postdoc onwards who work on issues related to research on research. The Foundation promotes interdisciplinary, multi-method and internationally oriented research projects.

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    • area of research: disciplines conducting research on research
    • type of funding: research projects

Completed 

Here you can find our previous funding offers.

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Funded projects

Our "Grants Database" informs on research projects and researchers who received funds by the Volkswagen Foundation (since 2004).

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