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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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
No open call

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

type of funding: Innovative pioneer projects aiming at improving the (German) research system
Next deadline is expected in 2025

Open Up – New Research Spaces for the Humanities and Cultural Studies

The funding initiative addresses teams of two or three researchers who aim to explore new and original research spaces.

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area of research: humanities and cultural studies, theoretical social sciences

type of funding: research projects; funding of a teaching substitute
Next deadline is expected for 2025

Perspectives on Wealth: Repercussions of Wealth

The call is aimed at (inter-)national research consortia, collaborations with partners from LMICs are preferable, transdisciplinary consortia possible.

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area of research: Humanities, cultural and social sciences, economics (lead); cooperations with natural, life, data and technical science possible

type of funding: (inter-)national cooperation projects with up to five partners
No open call

Researching Research: Collaborative Research Projects

The funding scheme is aimed at scientists and scholars of all career stages from postdoc onwards who work on issues related to research on research. The Foundation promotes interdisciplinary, multi-method and internationally oriented research projects.

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area of research: disciplines conducting research on research

type of funding: research projects | current call: 'Political influences on epistemic practice'