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. 

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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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Schachfigur "Pferd"

zukunft.niedersachsen

Funding program for top-level research in Lower Saxony.

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Funding portfolio

We focus our funding activities on selected initiatives. By means of these initiatives, we endeavor to provide effective stimuli for research and to establish forward-looking topics.

Area of research

Type of funding

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  • No open call

    zukunft.niedersachsen: Research Cooperation Lower Saxony – Israel

    Funding is provided for scientifically outstanding projects conducted jointly by researchers from Israel and Lower Saxony. 

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    • area of research: Natural Sciences, Engineerings Sciences and Mathematics (call 2023)
    • type of funding: research projects
  • The next deadline is planned for early summer 2024.

    Pioneer Projects – Impetus for the German Research System

    The funding offer addresses active researchers who, in addition to their research activities, would like to explore a project idea for the further development (of a specific area) of the German research system, as well as academic administrators at universities and research institutions in Germany.

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    • area of research: all disciplines
    • up to 500,000 Euro
  • The funding offer is currently being revised. Information on the successor program is expected to follow in fall 2023.

    Pioneering projects "Societal Transformations"

    This funding offer addresses PhD holders at  universities and research institutions in Germany who develop research projects that produce transformational knowledge. 

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    • area of research: all disciplines
    • type of funding: inter- and transdisciplinary as well as (inter)national research projects

Completed 

And these are our completed funding offers.

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