Mobilising the full potential of foundations to drive positive systemic change
What is it?
Foundation 3.0 is an international peer learning group bringing together foundations that critically examine all dimensions of their work - from grantmaking and investment management to governance and organisational practices.
Who is it for?
To encourage meaningful dialogue, the Strategic Round Tables bring together a limited number of participants and are held by invitation only.
To ensure high-quality exchanges and peer learning, the Round Tables are intended for people in key strategic decision-making roles within their foundations, including executive and strategic leadership as well as board members.
Since the first Round Table in 2013, representatives from 40 foundations have actively participated in Foundation 3.0.
Comment ?
Beyond the composition of the group, the format offers participants a unique opportunity for exchange that complements other forums within the philanthropic sector.
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In-depth discussions: Participants meet once a year for 48 hours to explore key strategic issues and jointly examine the work of pioneering foundations. Unlike the short presentations typically given at conferences, these meetings provide the time to explore issues in depth, including difficult questions. Participants gain concrete insights into the inner workings of initiatives that take original approaches to addressing systemic societal challenges.
The confidential nature of the discussions creates an open and trusting environment.
- Sharing experience: The joint exploration is based on peer learning. A diverse panel of speakers introduces each topic by drawing on their practical experience, complemented where appropriate by external expertise. Participants then engage in a dialogue, drawing on the contributions of the entire group to broaden perspectives.
- Linguistic and cultural diversity: Participants come from foundations of different sizes, mainly from across Europe. The diversity of experiences and approaches to shared challenges is a real strength.
Simultaneous interpretation enables participants to express themselves with nuance and ensures high-quality dialogue between English- and French-speaking participants.
Foundation 3.0 explores emerging issues, as well as familiar ones, relating to its three areas of activity: grantmaking, capital management and organisational practices.
This exploration addresses both strategic and operational needs by grounding them in their context and in practice. While the issues discussed are relevant to many foundations, they are examined here through the demanding lens of positive systemic change.
Selected by the partners, these are the issues that have already been explored together:
- March 2026: Expanding the realm of possibilities: Supporting beyond funding, opening up our governance, and leading internal change
- March 2025: Building bridges in a fragmented world: The role of foundations
- March 2024: Collaborating more effectively for change and impact
- April 2023: Integrating more cross-cutting perspectives to strengthen our impact
- May 2022: Together with the NextGen, rethinking our philanthropic strategies for positive systemic change
- March 2019: Managing risks and adapting our support: Foundations facing new threats
- February 2018: Collaboration between foundations and with other stakeholders: Risks and benefits
- February 2017: Scaling up to achieve impact
- June 2016: How should we design our philanthropic strategies?
- January & November 2015: Strategies for assessing foundations' contribution to societal change
- March & July 2014: Investing foundations' assets in support of societal transformation & Developing an impact investing strategy and programme-related investments
- July 2013: Foundations' strategies for a sustainable society: Systemic risks and resilience
Outcomes and perspectives
- 48h Chrono: 48 hours each year of in-depth dialogue, informal discussions and networking;
- Structured summary of the discussions and supporting presentation materials.
Who leads Foundation 3.0?
Foundation 3.0 is jointly led by a group of foundations that serve as its strategic partners:
Fondation Chimay-Wartoise (BE), Fondation Cyrys (BE), Fondation de France (FR), Fondation Daniel & Nina Carasso (FR), Foundation for Future Generations (BE), Gulbenkian Foundation (PT), Laudes Foundation (NL), Nordea-fonden (DK), Porticus Foundation (NL), Progressio Foundation (NL) … and others to come.
The Foundation for Future Generations is responsible for coordinating the initiative.
This partnership is open to other foundations whose strategy and practices are informed by in-depth reflection on the nature of the systemic changes affecting our societies, and that wish to join a process of sharing and pooling part of their R&D on the fundamental principles of their philanthropic work.
