European Foundation Centre

The European Foundation Centre (EFC) is a Brussels-based non-profit membership association of foundations and corporate funders, which is dedicated to advancing the public good in Europe and beyond through cooperation with an array of partners. The EFC was established in 1989 by seven European Foundations - Charities Aid Foundation, Fondation de France, European Cultural Foundation, King Baudouin Foundation, Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft, Oranje Fonds, Fundação Oriente - and today serves over 200 members including community and independent foundations as well as corporate funders, plus more than 60 affiliated partners. Ninety percent of the EFC’s members are spread across Europe. The others are based in Africa, Asia, North and South America.
History
Established in 1989, the European Foundation Centre (EFC) is an international membership association of foundations and corporate funders. In 24 years our membership has grown steadily from an initial group of 7 founding members to more than 200.
Mission
To strengthen the independent funding element of European philanthropy through robust cooperation with an array of partners.
Vision
A resilient infrastructure from which European philanthropy - with its unique embrace of innovation, dynamism and cooperation - can advance the public good in Europe and beyond.
Principles of Good Practice
All EFC members adhere to the EFC Principles of Good Practice. They provide a basis for open and on-going dialogue among independent funders by building on the EFC Prague Declaration, a statement of principles and reciprocal commitments for independent funders. The Principles constitute a general recommendation to reinforce good practice, openness and transparency in the European independent funding community. They are subject to regular review and modification.
Aims
The EFC groups its activities under four main objectives:
Advocacy and monitoring
The EFC is the foundation sector’s principal representative body with the European Union institutions. The Centre advocates better legal and tax conditions to allow foundations to operate effectively throughout Europe. Its main focus at present is to see a European Foundations Statute (See European Foundation Project) become law, which would do much to overcome the barriers which impede foundations’ cross-border work. The Statute would have the effect of unleashing foundations’ potential economic impact on public-good activities. On 8 February 2012, the European Commission adopted a proposed regulation to make it easier for foundations to support public benefit causes across the EU. The legislative proposal will now be shared with the European Parliament for its consent and the Council of Ministers representing the governments of the 27 Member States for approval.
Telling the story of European foundations
Understanding our sector and communicating what it does is central to building an identity and infrastructure for foundations in Europe. Through both traditional and new media, we collect knowledge about and tell the story of European philanthropy to those within the sector and the wider public.. In the summer of 2012 the EFC launched europeanfoundations.eu, a portal dedicated to showcasing the best examples of foundation work - from good stories to inspiring photos.
Professional development
Increasingly foundations are recognising that in order to be more effective in their work, they need to enhance the skills and knowledge of their staff. This need guides our "peer-to-peer" or shared learning approach, seminars and training programmes, learning materials and guidance, online resources and "virtual" activities..
Thematic networks
Increasingly foundations are working together to tackle both European and global issues. Our goal is to create the convening space for the incubation of new ideas and projects through funder-led networks, fora and events. Currently we have interest groups in the following areas:
* Children and youth
* Communications
* Disabilities
* Diversity, migration and integration
* Environment
* Grantmakers East
* Financial investment
* International philanthropy
* Research
* Roma inclusion
* Sustainable cities
The EFC works closely with WINGS (Worldwide Initiatives for Grantmaker Support) , which is a global network of some 100 grantmaker associations and support organisations.
Notable EFC members
* King Baudouin Foundation
* European Cultural Foundation
* Fondazione Cariplo
* Wellcome Trust
* Ford Foundation
* Bernard van Leer Foundation
* Charities Aid Foundation
* Robert Bosch Stiftung
* Charles Stewart Mott Foundation

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