Its funding activities focus on supporting German and foreign academics in the field of historical humanities (archaeology, history, historical Islamic studies, art history, legal history, prehistory and early history, history of science). Research projects and research grants can be applied for in the general research funding programme. The research project funding type refers to a joint project involving several participating researchers. Applications for research projects can be submitted by one or more (postdoctoral/postdoctoral) researchers. The applicants must be actively involved in the research work planned for the project. The research grant funding type refers to the realisation of a research project to be carried out by a single researcher. A printing cost subsidy for particularly successful projects funded by the foundation is possible. Since 2015, it has been increasingly committed to the preservation of cultural heritage, especially in crisis regions, in its "Patrimonies" funding programme.