Funding from foundations

We are happy to assist with questions applying with a foundation proposal and have compiled the following overview of the most common foundations.
The Association of German Foundations offers a search engine [German content] on many other, smaller foundations.

The foundation promotes:

Cooperation between foreign and German researchers from all disciplines
Scholarships and prizes for German early career researchers abroad
The stays of visiting scholars at universities in Germany

Depending on the funding line, applications can be submitted by a deadline or at any time.

The Bavarian Research Foundation

supports small or individual projects and research alliances between two or more independent partners from science and industry in the programme “Advanced Technologies for the 21st Century". The partners must have their head office or a branch office in Bavaria.
Focus areas are information and communication technology, energy and environment, process and production technology.
The funding rate is usually a maximum of 50%.
The research projects must be carried out predominantly in Bavaria.
Applications are accepted throughout the year.

In accordance with the foundation's mission and guiding principles, the German Federal Environment Foundation (DBU) promotes innovative, exemplary and solution-oriented projects for the protection of the environment, with a special focus on small and medium-sized enterprises.

The DBU:

funds projects related to its various funding topics [German content]
awards scholarships [German content] (e.g. for doctoral candidates)
supports projects in Central and South-East Europe [German content] and beyond
awards the annual environmental prize [German content]

The Fritz Thyssen Foundation supports:

projects with a special focus on early career researchers in the four priority areas "History, Language & Culture", "Image and Imagery", "State, Economy and Society", "International Relations", "Medicine and Natural Sciences" with two calls for proposals dates in February and September.
conferences in all subject and thematic areas with four calls for proposals dates per year.

Funding is provided exclusively for the area of historical humanities (including historical studies, art history, legal history) with

Research projects in all thematic areas
Doctoral scholarships
Postdoctoral fellowships and scholarships
Calls for proposals are issued once or twice a year, depending on the funding line.

The Hans Böckler Foundation is the co-determination, research and study support organisation of the German Trade Union Confederation. It funds

Projects in six priority areas [German content] (1) "Structural Policy – Innovation and Employment", (2) Co-determination in Change, (3) Gainful Employment in Change, (4) Welfare State in Change, (5) Education for and in the World of Work, (6) History of Trade Unions.
Applications are accepted throughout the year.

The Robert Bosch Stiftung has

five funding areas dedicated to current social challenges in education, society, science, health and international understanding. The focus is on "Migration, Integration and Participation", "Social Cohesion in Germany and Europe" and "Sustainable Living Spaces".
Applications are possible at any time upon advance request.

The Volkswagen Foundation provides fixed-term funding in all disciplines

Symposia and summer schools
Interdisciplinary projects on artificial intelligence and its impact on society
International research projects, currently Sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia/Caucasus, Europe and the USA
Individual funding of post-docs and habilitation via Lichtenberg Professorships, Freigeist Fellowships, postdoctoral fellowships in the humanities (Germany/USA), and
Research sabbaticals (Opus magnum)
Risky research projects (funding lines Suspicion of originality?, Experiment – In search of daring research ideas)