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.
Funding portfolio
We support future-oriented topics with our funding offers.
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zukunft.niedersachsen: Lower Saxony Professorship
The "Lower Saxony Professorship" addresses exceptional academics who are professionally excellent and have several years of (management) experience in the science system. They are expected to have the capacity to shape the profile and structure of their university location and impact the research region at large.
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area of research: all
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type of funding: professorship, additional resources
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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
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funding for: preparation and storing of research data for its reuse
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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.
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area of research: all
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type of funding: additional equipment, if necessary a separate position
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Transformational Knowledge on Democracies under Change – Transdisciplinary Perspectives
The call addresses persons from science and (civil) society who are interested in transdisciplinary research and aim at jointly developing new perspectives on democratic forms of government under change.
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area of research: humanities, cultural and social sciences (lead); cooperation with natural, life, data and technical sciences possible
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type of funding: task forces, cooperation projects
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Additional Funding for Science Communication
The offer is aimed at grantees currently receiving funding from the Volkswagen Foundation.
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all disciplines
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funding for: innovative measures for science communication
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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
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up to 1.3 million Euro
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Theme Week '(Tackling) Loneliness'
Researchers at German universities and research institutions can apply with their symposium.
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area of research: humanities, cultural and social sciences, life, health and technical sciences (STS, medicine, psychology, neuroscience)
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funding for: organisation of a scientific event, June 11 – 13, 2025
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Scoping Workshops
The Volkswagen Foundation’s scoping workshops are for scientists who want to take a step beyond their current research activities and think about the future of their field of research.
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area of research: all disciplines
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type of funding: workshops at the conference center Xplanatorium Herrenhausen Palace, Hannover
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