The Velux Stiftung has launched its 2026 call for proposals, inviting researchers to unlock the full potential of daylight or natural light to solve complex societal and environmental challenges.
This initiative seeks to bridge the gap between disciplines that rarely interact, fostering “outside-the-box” collaborations that single-discipline approaches cannot achieve.
The program focuses on three critical areas: the transition to future solar societies, the role of daylight in global health, and strategies for maintaining light access in urban planning.
By positioning daylight as a driver of systemic change, the foundation aims to support innovative research where funding is traditionally scarce.
Central to this call is the belief that daylight is a shared resource contributing to the health of humans, animals, and entire ecosystems.
Researchers are encouraged to take a global perspective, linking sustainability with environmental change to improve the resilience of living systems.
Funding and benefits of the daylight research grants
The foundation offers two distinct financial pathways tailored to the maturity of the research idea.
Seed projects are designed for feasibility studies and “test the impossible” proof-of-concepts, providing between CHF 50,000 and CHF 100,000 for up to one year.
For those ready to “deliver the breakthrough,” full research project grants are available. These larger interdisciplinary studies can receive between CHF 100,000 and CHF 300,000 for a duration of up to four years.
Beyond financial backing, successful applicants join an international network of experts and contribute to neglected issues with high potential for global impact.
The foundation prioritizes research that generates empirical data and demonstrates potential for scaling to larger applications.
Application requirements and eligibility
An essential requirement of this program is that natural daylight must be at the absolute core of the research question and plan.
Proposals where daylight is peripheral, secondary, or merely mimicked by artificial light will not be considered for funding.
In the realm of urban planning, the foundation is specifically looking for regional or global strategies that can be scaled.
Notably, single local case studies are excluded from this call as the goal is to address the global trend of urban densification.
The selection procedure involves a formal screening by foundation management and a scientific committee.
If you are unsure if your project fits the scope, the foundation encourages you to send an abstract for a preliminary fit-check before submitting a full application.
Deadline
The call for proposals is an annual event, and the window for the 2026 cycle is now open. All interested interdisciplinary teams must submit their final proposals by 13 April 2026 at 23:59 CEST.
Visit the Daylight Research Grants page to apply. Explore our global opportunities page for more.
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