Grant

Future Finance: Sustainable Financial Industry in Global Transformation

Framework announcement for the funding of interdisciplinary research projects at the interface of finance and sustainability. Outlines can be submitted until January 25, 2026, full proposals for the scientific accompanying project until March 14, 2026.

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Grant criteria

Application Deadline:
04.12. - 25.01.2026
Application level: Complex
Region: Germany (nationwide)
Company size: Small and medium-sized enterprises
Project duration: 36 months

Funding objective

Funding of research projects for the development of practical concepts and instruments aimed at a sustainable and future-oriented alignment of the financial sector, particularly for mobilizing private capital for climate protection, climate adaptation, and ecosystem conservation, as well as for strengthening competitiveness.

Eligible expenses

  • Personnel expenses
  • Material costs
  • Travel expenses
  • Project flat rates

Eligible to apply

  • Companies
  • Educational Institutions
  • Interest Groups and Other Associations
  • Public Institutions

Funding requirements

  • Applicant must be a company, university, research institution, municipality, or association

Documents required for application

  1. Project outline
  2. Sample outline (Word)
  3. Full application
  4. Project description

Evaluation criteria

  • Scientific excellence
  • Application relevance and significance
  • Involvement of relevant stakeholders
  • Science communication
  • Project design and methodology
  • Adequacy of financial and time planning

Description

The initiative Future Finance: Sustainable Financial Sector in Global Change supports interdisciplinary research projects that develop innovative concepts and instruments for a sustainable orientation of the financial sector. The goal is to mobilize private capital flows more strongly for climate protection, climate adaptation, and ecosystem conservation while simultaneously strengthening Germany’s competitiveness. Eligible to apply are small and medium-sized enterprises, universities, research institutions, municipalities, interest groups, as well as other non-profit organizations. Funding covers personnel expenses, material and travel costs, as well as project lump sums over a period of up to 36 months. Project outlines can be submitted until 25.01.2026, full proposals for the accompanying scientific project until 14.03.2026. Selection is based on criteria such as scientific excellence, practical relevance, involvement of relevant stakeholders, and the appropriateness of financial and time planning.

The first call for proposals addresses Modules A “Financial Sector and Climate Protection” and B “Financial Sector and Climate Adaptation” and invites the development of practice-oriented solutions for municipal, regional, and international issues. A scientific accompanying project strengthens the support, networking, and communication of the funded projects, promotes knowledge transfer, and supports the development of target-group-specific synthesis products. Applications are submitted in two stages via the electronic form system easy-Online. A binding template is available for the project outline. In the case of equivalent suitability, a partially randomized pre-selection may take place, during which short presentations before a jury are held. Interdisciplinary collaboration and the promotion of female scientists and practitioners are particularly welcomed.

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