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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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 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 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
    Currently 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 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 mit zwei Personen, die sich hinter einem Aktenstapel abklatschen, darüber fliegt eine Rakete, auf der eine Schnecke sitzt
    No open call
    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
  • Illustration with three people high-fiving each other
    No open call

    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 mit einem Gewichtheber im Anzug, der Bücher stemmt
    No open call

    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
  • 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

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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