In these challenging times for European solidarity, the Allianz Kulturstiftung and the European Cultural Foundation decided to hit the road to imagine together philanthropy for Europe. With the support of Wider Sense, we discussed with thinkers, cultural practitioners and philanthropists. This discussion paper is the first result of this insightful exchange.
Indeed, private money for the public good plays a significant role in strengthening social cohesion, as foundation budgets in Europe amount to €60 billion annually. The current challenges and the sense of urgency force foundations to reinvent themselves, ready to take greater responsibility, and to enable greater European solidarity.
However, philanthropy with a European purpose remains unchartered territory. The process of European integration seems to have stopped at the doorstep of the European philanthropic sector. Genuine European philanthropy is hardly existing, a niche. Something needs to be done, knowing well that we cannot do that alone. The Corona shock could become Europe's moment and the moment for philanthropy to commit to our common ground, Europe.
This publication is based on a research conducted between April and June 2020 by Wider Sense. We thank analysts Eva Schneider and Daria Kasnitz as well as Managing Partner Michael Alberg-Seberich for their work. We also thank the interview partners for their meaningful insights.
The study was commissioned by European Cultural Foundation and Allianz Kulturstiftung under the lead of Isabelle Schwarz, Head of Public Policy (European Cultural Foundation) and Alban Genty (Allianz Kulturstiftung).