Funding by the Köhler Foundation

The Köhler Foundation awards nationwide grants for scientific projects in the "Human Sciences" at German universities and research institutions. The focus is on interdisciplinary projects as well as areas that have been underrepresented in Germany until now. Funding is provided particularly for studies in medicine, psychotherapy, psychological and social-psychological research, as well as humanities and cultural studies approaches. Applicants may be university lecturers, established researchers, and early-career scientists planning projects in the fields of psychoanalysis, psychodynamic psychotherapy, attachment research, or psychoanalytic social psychology. A brief proposal must be submitted by January 31, 2026; upon positive preliminary review, an invitation to submit a full proposal will follow in mid-2026. Grants are awarded for research assignments and projects as well as for scientific events, scholarships, publications, and awards.

For the application, a completed application cover sheet, a concise brief proposal, and, after successful preliminary review, a detailed proposal following the official format are required. The latter should transparently present the objectives, work program, methodology, relevant preliminary work, resource planning, and financial requirements, and should not exceed 12–15 pages. The Köhler Foundation aims to strengthen early-career researchers, intensify the dialogue between psychoanalysis, social psychology, and related disciplines, and promote historical as well as biographical-intellectual research approaches. Interested educational institutions receive through this funding a valuable opportunity to implement innovative projects and sustainably enrich academic discourse in the field of human sciences.