State Funding

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The aim of the ERDF Structural Fund (external link, opens in a new window) is a modern, innovation-orientated EU structural policy that supports investment in future technologies, particularly in structurally weak regions, and also serves to achieve the EU's climate protection goals. The majority of the funding is channelled into measures to support innovative and intelligent economic change as well as a greener and lower-carbon Europe. Sustainable urban development is also an important area of the ERDF.

The calculation of personnel costs is based on standard unit costs for various function levels.

The current guidelines can be found here as a PDF file.

To apply as an applicant, please contact the Ostfalia Structural Funds Coordinator, Kai Hillebrecht (external link, opens in a new window), or his substitute, Dr. Martina Lange (external link, opens in a new window).  If you would like to submit an application, please contact us.

The aim of the ESF structural fund (external link, opens in a new window) is to promote a high level of employment and quality of jobs, improve access to the labour market and combat poverty.

The aim of the RIS3 strategy (‘Regional Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation’) is to position the regions in Lower Saxony in the long term and distinctively in competition. Each region should focus on its own strengths, for example to develop solutions for social challenges or to expand entrepreneurial expertise from the development of new sales markets to cutting-edge technology.

The RIS3 strategy identifies Lower Saxony's strengths and potential alongside key challenges:

• Mobility
• Life sciences
• Energy technologies and systems
• Agriculture and food industry
• New materials
• Production technology
• Maritime and digital economy

‘SPRUNG’ is a joint funding programme of the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture and the Volkswagen Foundation, which only funds projects from universities and institutions in Lower Saxony. The programme is divided into four funding lines:

• Research alliances and research priorities
• New research areas
• Attract & retain
• Programmes and calls for proposals

Guidelines and further documents on the calls for proposals can be found here (external link, opens in a new window).

The VW Foundation has been realigning its funding strategy since 2021. An overview of the Volkswagen Foundation's entire funding programme, more detailed information and application deadlines can be found on the Volkswagen Foundation website (external link, opens in a new window).

You can find the funding call ‘Transformational Knowledge on Democracies under Change – Transdisciplinary Perspectives’ here (external link, opens in a new window).

Application deadline is 29 October 2024.

The funding call ‘Researching Research: Collaborative Research Projects’ can be found here (external link, opens in a new window).

The application deadline is 30 October 2024.