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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Hand mit Kompass

Exploration

Breaking into previously unexplored research territory with unconventional ideas and experimental approaches.

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Bücherstapel

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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  • Submission of draft proposals at any time
    Submission of full proposals after invitation

    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 500,000 Euro
  • 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
  • Apply anytime

    Lichtenberg Endowed Professorships

    The "Lichtenberg Endowed Professorships" are aimed at outstanding academics conducting research in innovative and interdisciplinary fields.

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    • all subject areas
    • funding for: professorship
  • Mai 2023: Veröffentlichung von Ausschreibungsdetails

    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
    • type of funding: participation in networking workshop, task forces, cooperation projects
  • June 01, 2023 Deadline for workshop registration
    September 14, 2023 Deadline for science communication projects

    Additional Funding for Science Communication

    The offer is aimed at grantees currently receiving funding from the Volkswagen Foundation.

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    • all disciplines
    • funding for: innovative measures for science communication
  • June 08, 2023 Next deadline

    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
    • type of funding: workshops at the conference center Xplanatorium Herrenhausen Palace, Hannover
  • June 21, 2023 Networking Event on Earth System Sciences (online)
    November 15, 2023 Deadline

    Earth System Sciences

    The offer is aimed at universities in Germany with a focus on geosciences that wish to establish one or two junior professorships with tenure track.

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    • area of research: Geosciences
    • funding for: 1-2 junior professorships with tenure track per University location
  • July 17, 2023 Application deadline for summerschools
    A new call for cooperation projects is planned for summer 2023

    Perspectives on Wealth: The (Re-)Production of Wealth

    The call is aimed at (inter-)national research groups, inter- and transdisciplinary teams are possible.

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    • area of research: Humanities, cultural and social sciences (lead); Cooperation with natural, life, data and technical sciences possible
    • type of funding: cooperation projects (international/national; summer schools and workshops
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Completed 

And these are our completed funding offers.

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