Our Funding Portfolio

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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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  • Illustration mit zwei Personen, die sich hinter einem Aktenstapel abklatschen, darüber fliegt eine Rakete, auf der eine Schnecke sitzt
    30 September 2025 Deadline
    11 September 2026: Meeting for Funded Projects

    Impetus for the German Science System: Strategic Experimental Spaces – University Development Requires Flexibility

    The Foundation invites universities, in conjunction with the relevant ministries, to open and design experimental spaces to test new forms of cross-border or cross-institutional cooperation.

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    • type of funding: strategic projects
    • aimed at: universities, ministries
  • Logo zukunft.niedersachsen
    30 September 2025 Deadline

    AI Research Groups Lower Saxony

    As a key technology, artificial intelligence is of central importance to Lower Saxony's research system. This call for proposals combines the objectives of promoting individual scientists with the further development of AI methods and their application to existing data sets. 

    Website zukunft.niedersachsen
    • area of research: computer science, artificial intelligence, application disciplines
    • type of funding: ​research groups​
  • Illustration with three people high-fiving each other
    30 October 2025 Deadline

    Researching Research: Summer Schools & Workshops

    The program addresses scholars from diverse disciplinary backgrounds working on questions or topics relating to research on research.

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    • area of research: disciplines conducting research on research
    • type of funding: summer schools and workshops
  • Illustration with a woman in a hard hat and a building plan in front of an advertising pillar
    Next deadline for research groups (senior scientists) expected in the 2nd half of 2025

    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 mit einem Gewichtheber im Anzug, der Bücher stemmt
    04 November 2025 Deadline

    Opus Magnum

    The funding offer is aimed at outstanding professors from the humanities and social sciences.

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    • area of research: humanities, cultural studies and social sciences
    • type of funding: funding of a substitute professorship
  • Logo zukunft.niedersachsen
    01 December 2025 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 man against a green background, spreading his arms in welcome
    Applications can be submitted at any time starting from 15 January 2026

    Transatlantic Bridge Professorships

    Funding programme for professors in the humanities and social sciences currently working in the USA who wish to work both in the USA and in Germany.

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    • area of research: Humanities and Social Sciences
    • type of funding: Proportional financing of a professorship in Germany
  • Illustration of a woman with a laptop in a hot air balloon powered by fans
    14 April 2026 Deadline
    06 April 2027 Deadline

    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

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