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

Androiden-Kopf mit technischen Geräten statt des Gehirns

Societal Transformations

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

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Kompass

Exploration

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

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Bücherstapel

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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hölzerner Schach-Springer (Pferd)

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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  • Illustration with people sitting around an oversized compass
    12 February 2026 Online Q&A (in German)
    17 March 2026 Deadline

    Scoping Workshops

    The Volkswagen Foundation’s scoping workshops are for scientists who want to take a step beyond their current research activities and think about the future of their field of research.

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    • area of research: all disciplines
    • type of funding: workshops at the conference center Xplanatorium Herrenhausen Palace, Hannover
  • Illustration of a woman with a laptop in a hot air balloon powered by fans
    14 April 2026 Deadline
    06 April 2027 Deadline
    Online Q&As: 10. February (in German) and 23. February (in English), 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.

    Momentum – Funding for Recently Tenured Professors

    The funding offer is aimed at professors three to five years after taking up their first tenured professorship at a university in Germany.

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    • area of research: all disciplines
    • type of funding: concepts for the broadening of perspectives
  • Logo zukunft.niedersachsen
    01 June 2026 Deadline

    zukunft.niedersachsen: Lower Saxony Impulse Professorship

    The "Lower Saxony Impulse Professorship" addresses academics approaching the end of their early career phase up to a maximum of ten years after completing their doctorate.

    Website zukunft.niedersachsen.de
    • area of research: all
    • type of funding: additional equipment, if necessary a separate position
  • Illustration with a woman in a hard hat and a building plan in front of an advertising pillar
    Fellowships: Next deadline in revised form, probably 2nd half of 2026
    Research Groups: No further call planned

    Change! Fellowships

    Our target group: Personalities from science who are researching transformation processes jointly with non-academic partners.

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    • area of research: all disciplines
    • funding for: own position
  • 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
    No open call

    Circularity With Recycled and Biogenic Resources

    Funding is provided for interdisciplinary research projects closing raw material product cycles and for science communication on sustainable consumption.

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    • area of research: natural sciences and engineering, if required social sciences
    • type of funding: research 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
  • Logo zukunft.niedersachsen
    Application at any time after consultation with the Volkswagen Foundation

    zukunft.niedersachsen: Lower Saxony Professorship

    The "Lower Saxony Professorship" addresses exceptional academics who are professionally excellent and have several years of (management) experience in the science system. They are expected to have the capacity to shape the profile and structure of their university location and impact the research region at large.

    Website zukunft.niedersachsen.de
    • area of research: all
    • type of funding: professorship, additional resources

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).

visit Grants database