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| Borussia Dortmund Foundation | |
|---|---|
| Name | Borussia Dortmund Foundation |
| Formation | 2005 |
| Type | Charitable foundation |
| Headquarters | Dortmund |
| Region served | North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Leader title | Chairman |
| Leader name | Reinhard Rauball |
| Parent organization | Borussia Dortmund GmbH & Co. KGaA |
Borussia Dortmund Foundation The Borussia Dortmund Foundation is a charitable foundation linked to the professional football club Borussia Dortmund. Founded in 2005, the foundation operates in Dortmund and the wider Ruhr region with activities in youth development, social inclusion, and health promotion. It partners with civic institutions, sports organizations, and international agencies to deliver community-oriented programs tied to the club’s identity and resources.
The foundation was established in 2005 amid a period of restructuring at Borussia Dortmund GmbH & Co. KGaA and ongoing community initiatives tied to the club’s legacy in the Ruhrgebiet, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Dortmund. Early partnerships involved local institutions such as the Stadt Dortmund administration, regional schools, and the Deutscher Fußball-Bund to embed social responsibility into the club’s public profile. Over time the foundation expanded to collaborations with international bodies like UNICEF, European football federations, and charitable networks in Germany such as Stiftung Mercator and RAG-Stiftung. Significant milestones include program launches aligned with events at Signal Iduna Park and the foundation’s response efforts during crises impacting Dortmund, including floods affecting the Ruhr catchment.
The foundation’s mission emphasizes promoting youth welfare, integration, and health through sport. Objectives are framed around creating inclusive opportunities for children and adolescents in partnership with local clubs like TuS Niederaden, educational institutions such as Technische Universität Dortmund, and healthcare providers like St. Johannes Hospital. The foundation aligns objectives with broader social frameworks from agencies like Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung and regional development strategies of Land North Rhine-Westphalia to target disadvantaged neighborhoods in the Emscher region.
Programs focus on grassroots football coaching, educational workshops, and campañas for mental and physical health. Activities include youth academies modeled on practices from Borussia Dortmund II, school-based interventions coordinated with Schulamt Dortmund, integration projects for refugees linking with Landesamt für Flüchtlingsangelegenheiten, and inclusive sports days held at Westfalenstadion/Signal Iduna Park. The foundation also runs initiatives addressing addiction prevention with partners such as Deutsche Hauptstelle für Suchtfragen and anti-discrimination campaigns aligned with groups like Amadeu Antonio Stiftung.
Funding sources integrate contributions from the parent club Borussia Dortmund GmbH & Co. KGaA, private donations from supporters and corporate sponsors including regional firms such as ThyssenKrupp-affiliated entities, matchday fundraising at Signal Iduna Park, and grants from foundations such as Stiftung Deutsche Sporthilfe. Financial oversight adheres to German non-profit regulations under the BGB and reporting expectations of tax authorities in Nordrhein-Westfalen Finanzverwaltungen. Budget allocations prioritize program delivery, staff for social projects, and infrastructure investments in community sports facilities co-funded with municipal budgets from Stadt Dortmund.
The foundation’s governance structure includes a supervisory board with representatives from the club’s executive leadership—historically figures like Hans-Joachim Watzke and Michael Zorc—and external experts from academia and civil society, including contacts at Universität Dortmund and representatives from civic organizations like AWO and Deutsches Rotes Kreuz. Strategic partnerships involve football federations such as the Deutscher Fußball-Bund, international agencies like UEFA for grassroots football programs, and municipal partners in the Ruhr metropolitan region for facility projects. Collaborative networks extend to charitable foundations like Stiftung Lesen for literacy programs and Kinderhilfswerk for child welfare.
Impact assessments use mixed methods combining quantitative indicators—participation rates, retention in youth programs, and health metrics from cooperating clinics like Klinikum Dortmund—with qualitative evaluations from partner schools and social services including Jugendamt Dortmund. Independent evaluations have drawn on expertise from research centers at Ruhr-Universität Bochum and policy institutes such as Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft to measure outcomes in social cohesion, educational attainment, and sports participation. The foundation reports improvements in local youth engagement and increased access to organized sport in underprivileged districts of the Emscher-Lippe-Region.
Notable initiatives include large-scale community festivals at Signal Iduna Park featuring appearances by first-team players from Borussia Dortmund, charity matches involving international clubs from competitions like the Bundesliga and exhibition events with alumni such as Matthias Sammer and Marco Reus. The foundation organized relief and support measures in coordination with Landesregierung Nordrhein-Westfalen during regional crises and hosted collaborative educational programs with Deutsche Fußball Liga and cultural partners like Museum Ostwall. High-profile fundraising campaigns have involved corporate partners like Evonik and public figures connected to the club.
Category:Charities based in Germany Category:Sport in Dortmund