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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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 programme 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 einem Gewichtheber im Anzug, der Bücher stemmt
    18 November 2026 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
    Deadline: autumn 2026

    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 two people looking through binoculars in amazement
    Next deadline presumably at the beginning of 2027

    Night Science – Space for the Creative Mind

    The funding programme is aimed at interdisciplinary tandems of two scientists who are open to unconventional approaches and have the desire to develop and implement innovative ideas for their research.

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    • area of research: Natural, Life and Engineering Sciences (excluding medical sciences)
    • type of funding: Promotion of scientists’ creativity in tandems + obligatory support programme with three workshops
  • 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 woman with a laptop in a hot air balloon powered by fans
    06 April 2027 Deadline
    04 April 2028 Stichtag

    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
  • Illustration with a woman in a hard hat and a building plan in front of an advertising pillar
    next deadline for Fellowships in 2027
    Research Groups: No further calls

    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
  • Logo zukunft.niedersachsen
    Deadline: expected in early summer 2027

    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: Humanities and Social Sciences (call 2027)
    • 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

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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