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
Funding portfolio
We support future-oriented topics with our funding offers.
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NEXT – Rethink Neurodegeneration!
Learn moreThe programm is aimed at interdisciplinary research teams investigating the fundamental mechanisms of dementia-causing neurodegeneration.
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area of research: basic research in the natural and life sciences
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type of funding: interdisciplinary research projects with 2-5 PIs /Co-PIs (principal investigators)
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Night Science – Space for the Creative Mind
Learn moreThe funding programme is aimed at interdisciplinary tandems of two scientists who are open to unconventional approaches and have the desire to develop and implement innovative ideas for their research.
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area of research: Natural, Life and Engineering Sciences (excluding medical sciences)
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type of funding: Promotion of scientists’ creativity in tandems + obligatory support programme with three workshops
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Open Up – New Research Spaces for the Humanities and Cultural Studies
Learn moreThe 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
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type of funding: research projects; funding of a teaching substitute
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Opus Magnum
Learn moreThe funding offer is aimed at outstanding professors from the humanities and social sciences.
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area of research: humanities, cultural studies and social sciences
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type of funding: funding of a substitute professorship
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Perspectives on Wealth: Repercussions of Wealth
Learn moreThe 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
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type of funding: (inter-)national cooperation projects with up to five partners
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Pioneer Projects – Impetus for the German Research System
Learn moreThe 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
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type of funding: Innovative pioneer projects aiming at improving the (German) research system
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Pioneering Research – Exploring the Unknown Unknown
Learn moreThe 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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Researching Research: Collaborative Research Projects
Learn moreThe 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
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type of funding: research projects | current call: 'Political influences on epistemic practice'
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