Velux Stiftung | International Grant Opportunities

International funderBased in Switzerland

Velux Stiftung

Zürich, SwitzerlandWebsite

About Velux Stiftung

Velux Stiftung is a Swiss-based foundation funding mainly Denmark-focused, invite-only projects that link research, practice, and public value in support of a democratic and sustainable society. Its portfolio spans humanities and social science research, civic democracy initiatives, social inclusion, aging and wellbeing, and marine/environmental resilience, with a clear preference for evidence-based, cross-disciplinary projects. Grants often support ambitious, multi-year initiatives and collaborative pilots rather than open-call general operating support.

Focus Areas

Democratic sustainability and civic engagementHumanities and social science researchAging and later-life wellbeingSocial inclusion and community participationMarine environment and climate-resilient coastal ecosystemsCross-disciplinary research-practice partnerships

Giving Approach

Primarily invite-only project grants, often large and multi-year, with a mix of strategic initiatives, rapid-response/current-issues funding, awards, and cross-cutting collaborations; most activity appears concentrated in Denmark.

How to approach this funder

This funder appears to be invite-only, so unsolicited proposals are unlikely to succeed. Nonprofits and researchers should build relationships around its Danish program areas, frame projects as research-informed and socially useful, and show clear alignment with one of the foundation’s thematic calls or cross-cutting initiatives.

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Open Grant Opportunities

Current and upcoming funding from Velux Stiftung that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.

Open nowCloses in 9 days (Jun 4, 2026)Award: Varies

Daylight Research

daylight researchinterdisciplinary researchfuture solar societies+6 more

Who can apply: Natural daylight must be at the core of the research question. Projects should be innovative, interdisciplinary, relevant to societal or environmental challenges, and include concrete knowledge transfer. Projects outside the strategic funding areas are not eligible; overhead/indirect/organisational costs are not funded. Principal Investigator must be a permanent employee at a legal accountable academic research institution, with up to three co-PIs. Projects previously rejected are not eligible for resubmission.

Deadline: 04 June 2026, 23:59 CEST

Open nowCloses Sep 21, 2026Award: Varies

Forestry

sustainable forest managementclimate changebiodiversity+5 more

Who can apply: Research must address neglected issues with high potential to contribute to change. Projects focused on implementation or community development without a clear science component are excluded, as are small case studies with limited generality and projects addressing urban forestry. Applicants should be able to send an abstract if unsure about fit. Overhead/indirect/organisational costs are not funded. PI must be a permanent employee at a legal accountable academic research institution, with up to three co-PIs.

Deadline: 21 September 2026, 23:59 CEST

Open nowCloses Oct 1, 2026Award: Varies

Ophthalmology

ophthalmologyvisual impairmentblindness+5 more

Who can apply: Projects must have institutional research capacity strengthening at their core and be aimed at sustainably building, developing, or strengthening institutional structures enabling biomedical/clinical ophthalmology research in LMICs. Not funded: structures not serving biomedical/clinical ophthalmology research, structures available only during project duration, eye-care capacity building, or research fellowships not linked to a concrete research plan. Overhead/indirect/organisational costs are not funded. PI must be a permanent employee at a legal accountable academic research institution, with up to three co-PIs.

Deadline: 01 October 2026, 23:59 CEST

Opening soonAward: Varies

Healthy Ageing

healthy ageingfunctional abilityolder adults+6 more

Who can apply: Projects investigating the biology of ageing to slow down, pause or reverse the ageing process are not funded. Biomedical research on aetiology, diagnosis and therapy of age-related diseases is also not supported. Proposals should fit the strategic funding area, be interdisciplinary and impact-oriented, and include knowledge transfer. Overhead/indirect/organisational costs are not funded. PI must be a permanent employee at a legal accountable academic research institution, with up to three co-PIs.

Deadline: TBA (second half of 2026)

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Deadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.