The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) is the central self-governing research funding organisation in Germany. It serves all branches of science and the humanities by funding research projects at universities and other research institutions. The DFG promotes excellence and quality by selecting the best research projects on a competitive basis and actively encourages international research cooperation. It is particularly dedicated to the promotion of young researchers and to gender equality in science and academia. It also advises legislatures and government agencies on scientific matters.