Our Funding Portfolio

Mehrere Personen mit unterschiedlichen Gegenständen, z. B. Molekülmodell, Globus, Gehirnmodell, Geige

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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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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    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
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    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

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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