A look back at our „European Philanthropy: overcoming barriers“ event in Zurich
The „European Philanthropy: overcoming barriers“ event, which took place on October 26 at the ETH Student Project House in Zurich, kicked off with a workshop designed specifically for Swiss non-profit organizations raising funds in Europe. Its aim was to explore effective philanthropic solutions and provide an overview of tax considerations for cross-border giving in Europe. The interactive sessions inspired participants, who left better equipped for their fundraising in Europe.
The day continued with a round table entitled „European Philanthropy: Overcoming the obstacles“, bringing together a variety of experts to shed light on the challenges and solutions of cross-border giving. The event concluded with a moment of conviviality and fruitful networking, forging connections to drive positive change.
Thank you to all the participants, speakers and partners who contributed to the success of this event. Special thanks to our partners and co-organizers: Transnational Giving Europe, specking+partners GmbH, proFonds, ETH Foundation and SwissFoundations.
Missed the event? No problem! Don’t hesitate to contact us for information and resources on transnational giving in Europe. Find out more.
Speech by Sabrina Grassi at the launch of the Italian version of the „Swiss Foundation Code
The „Swiss knife for the creation and management of foundations“ will be published in Italian for the first time in January 2023. The publication will be officially launched with cenpro (Centro Competenze Non Profit) and important representatives of the Ticino foundation sector on the evening of 19 January 2023 (starting at 5.30 pm) at Villa Negroni, in Vezia near Lugano.
The Swiss Foundation Code establishes international guidelines for good governance in the field of philanthropy. With its 4 principles – efficiency, checks and balances, transparency, social responsibility – and 28 recommendations, it serves as a reference for all types and sizes of foundations and is a practical tool for future founders, foundation board members, foundation staff, service providers, supervisory authorities and others. First published in 2005 and supplemented in 2009 and 2015, the fourth, fully revised edition is being published in 2021, initially in German, French and English.
Thanks to the support of SwissFoundations members and the productive collaboration with cenpro, the Swiss Foundation Code will also be published in Italian in early 2023. The publication of this important work in Italian will strengthen the position of foundations in Ticino and Italy and give the philanthropic sector as a whole greater visibility, credibility and legitimacy.
More information and registration
Cross-border philanthropy, receiving or giving with Europe: Intervention of the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation
Swiss Foundations Day 2019 will be devoted to the role and contribution of foundations in society, particularly in the fields of humanitarian aid, culture and education. The event will also address the practical aspects and framework conditions necessary for foundations to preserve the vitality of the sector.
Sabrina Grassi, Director of Operations of the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation will speak on the panel: „Cross-border philanthropy: practical cases for receiving or giving with Europe“ and will present the Transnational Giving Europe Network (TGE). Created in 1998 and now active in 21 countries, the TGE network allows donors residing in one of the participating countries to make donations to non-profit organisations based in other member countries, while benefiting directly from the tax advantages provided by the legislation of their country of residence, in a safe and professional due diligence framework.
The event will take place on Thursday 14 November 2019 in Lucerne and is organised by proFonds, the umbrella association of charitable foundations in Switzerland.
Most of this Day will be held in German. There will be no simultaneous translation into French.
For more information and to register
The advantages of the sheltered fund: Swiss Philanthropy Foundation presentation at the 2019 Foundations Forum
For its ninth edition, the next SwissFoundations Foundations Forum will be devoted to governance issues, a theme at the heart of current events in the foundation sector.
Swiss Philanthropy Foundation is participating in the event and will be represented by its Director and President: Sabrina Grassi and Etienne Eichenberger, who will speak in plenary on the panel: „Finance and organisation: to shelter or not to shelter, that is the question! ».
In the current context, foundations must face an upsurge in regulations and respond to issues of transparency. The sheltering foundation model represents an interesting alternative for philanthropists, since it provides a framework for good governance within a structure of trust. In addition to relieving the donor of administrative responsibilities, the umbralla foundation ensures follow-up in the allocation and use of donations with beneficiaries organizations, while ensuring compliance with public utility criteria. For 13 years, the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation has been supporting donors in the implementation of their philanthropic projects, and in 2019 it celebrated the opening of its 50th sheltered fund.
The Foundations Forum will take place on Tuesday 1 October in Lausanne and will bring together the major players in the world of foundations in French-speaking Switzerland.
For more information and to register
14th EVPA Annual Conference ‘New Frontiers for Impact’ is taking place in Warsaw, Poland between 29 and 30 November 2018.
The ella fund is proud to be an active participant at the 2018 conference of the European Venture Philanthropy Association (EVPA), taking place in Warsaw today and tomorrow.
In addition to attending the conference for the second straight year, the ella fund is hosting a round table within the Global Solutions Room session on the topic of Healthcare. Erin Gainer and Kelly Zegger of the ella fund will be moderating four successive discussions designed to highlight innovative approaches to tackling issues in healthcare. Features will include a discussion of the EspeRare drug development social enterprise model, which was the ella fund’s first investment.
The EVPA annual conference brings together entrepreneurs and investment professionals from across Europe interested in advancing social enterprises.
Find out more on the ella fund’s website.
Swiss Philanthropy Foundation will discuss the issues of responsible investment for a foundation at the 9th Geneva Forum For Sustainable Investment (GFSI) edition in Geneva, on Thursday 31 May 2018
For this 9th edition, the event will showcase the key players in responsible financial news and present the most innovative solutions to the crucial challenges facing our transition economies. The Geneva Forum for Sustainable Investment (GFSI) is now an essential meeting place in Romandie on the sustainable financial industry.
For the second year in a row, Swiss Philanthropy Foundation joints the event with an interview “Quelle réalité pour les fondations”: Sabrina Grassi, Director of Operations of the Foundation, will be speaking with Delphine Bottge, partner at Bottge & Associés.The moderator of this panel will be Angela de Wolff, co-founder of Sustainable Finance Geneva and founding partner of Conser Invest. This discussion will highlight the challenges and opportunities of implementing responsible finance criteria in the field of philanthropy, illustrated by concrete cases.
As a founding member of Sustainable Finance Geneva and Swiss Sustainable Finance, Swiss Philanthropy Foundation is involved in the development of sustainable investments and is sensitive to the “Mission Related Investment” issue which aims to align its values with its investment principles.
To register and participate in the event https://voxia.ch/evenement/gfsi-2018/
On tour 2018: Round table on the 10 trends that shape today’s philanthropy
The Center for Philanthropy Studies of the University of Basel (CEPS) and Swiss Philanthropy Foundation are organising a breakfast meeting to discuss the evolution of philanthropy and its practices over the past 10 years.
Moderated by Sacha Sidjanski, the head of external relations of the Faculty of Life Sciences at the EPFL, the speakers will share their views on the evolution of philanthropy, thanks to observations made, both academically and professionally.
To learn more, download the invitation.
This event will be held on Thursday 7 June 2018 at 8:00am at the Impact Hub in Lausanne.
The number of places being limited, we invite you to contact us at contact@swissphilanthropy.ch if you wish to participate.
Great! on 11 September 2017: Swiss Philanthropy Foundation celebrates 10 years
On 11 September 2017, the event Great! By Swiss Philanthropy Foundation will take place in Geneva, between 5:30 and 9:00 pm.
To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Swiss Philanthropy Foundation will be distributing 10 „Great!“ awards, selected by the Foundation Board to celebrate philanthropy, on 11 September at the end of the day in Geneva. These awards are intended to highlight 10 initiatives in the philanthropic sector, that are sometimes unrecognized. Initiated by individuals, entrepreneurs or foundations they can come from Switzerland or elsewhere. With this project, Swiss Philanthropy Foundation aims to promote philanthropy in its diversity and with its promises, and to inspire those who wish to get involved.
The is an invitation-only event because the number of seats is limited, but you can contact us if you are interested in attending the event or receiving a compilation of the reception.
On tour 2017: In Verbier on Friday 28 July
Swiss Philanthropy Foundation is pleased to organize a roundtable on the theme of philanthropy, education and music on Friday 28 July in partnership with the Verbier Festival.
A unique opportunity to bring together different actors involved in the world of culture and philanthropy, including Martin T:son Engstroem, founder and managing director of the Verbier Festival, Hélève Vareille, founder and president of Vareille Foundation, Alexis Gregory founder of the Vendome Prize and Etienne Eichenberger, President of the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation, who will address the issue of philanthropy under a wider prism, through its evolutions and professionalization today.
© Verbier Promotion
16th Symposium of the Swiss foundations – on 7 June in Geneva
On 7 June 2017, the SwissFoundations association organizes the 16th Symposium of the Swiss foundations, that will take place at the Maison de la Paix in Geneva between 10.15 am and 5.00 pm.
This event, which will take the form of an exchange platform, will gather key actors in the foundation sector in Switzerland. Several interactive discussions and workshops will be organized over the day around a central theme: the value added by foundations to society.
In the context of its commitment to the NewGen Council program, Swiss Philanthropy Foundation, Etienne Eichenberger, its President, will facilitate a workshop entitled „The NewGen – What Expectations and What Added Value? „. The purpose of this interactive session is to take the opposite of the popular belief and to focus on what young people bring to philanthropy.
For more information, we invite you to consult Swiss Foundation’s page about this event.
