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

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.

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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
Next deadline expected at the beginning of 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
Next deadline for research groups (senior scientists) expected in the 2nd half of 2025

Next deadline for fellows (early career researchers) in April 2025

Change! Fellowships and research groups

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, research project