Bundesverband Deutscher Stiftungen

Bundesverband Deutscher Stiftungen
Name	Bundesverband Deutscher Stiftungen
Native name	Bundesverband Deutscher Stiftungen e.V.
Formation	1971
Headquarters	Bonn
Location	Germany
Leader title	President

Bundesverband Deutscher Stiftungen is the umbrella association for foundations in Germany, representing a national network of grantmaking and operational foundations. Founded in 1971, it serves as a center for coordination among philanthropic actors, civil society organizations, cultural institutions, and public institutions. Its activities link regional and municipal foundations with European and international bodies, engaging with legislative bodies, philanthropic donors, universities, and museums.

History

The association was founded in 1971 amid the post-war reconstruction and welfare debates involving figures from the Bundestag, the Federal President office, and municipal leaders such as those from Bonn and Berlin. Early interactions involved institutions like the Deutscher Städtetag, the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft, and the Kulturstiftung der Länder. Through the 1980s and 1990s the association expanded ties with organizations such as the Deutsche UNESCO-Kommission, the Goethe-Institut, the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft while reacting to legislative changes introduced by the Bundestag, the Bundesrat, and state parliaments in Nordrhein-Westfalen and Bayern. In the 2000s it engaged with European Commission initiatives, the Council of Europe, the European Foundation Centre, and bilateral initiatives with the French Fondation de France, the UK Charity Commission, and the Dutch Stichting INGKA. Major events in its history included conferences with the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, and cooperation projects supported by the Robert Bosch Stiftung and the Bertelsmann Stiftung.

Structure and Membership

The association’s governance includes a Vorstand and an Geschäftsführung interacting with member foundations such as municipal foundations, corporate endowments, family foundations, and university foundations. Membership spans regional hubs in Nordrhein-Westfalen, Bayern, Baden-Württemberg, Sachsen, and Niedersachsen and includes cultural patrons like the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, the Bayerische Staatsoper, and archive institutions like the Bundesarchiv. Members include grantmakers aligned with names such as VolkswagenStiftung, Stiftung Mercator, Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz, and Evonik Stiftung. The association liaises with universities including Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Freie Universität Berlin, Technische Universität München, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and research organizations such as the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and the Leibniz-Gemeinschaft. Its advisory bodies connect with legal experts from the Bundesverfassungsgericht, tax authorities, and municipal administrations in Hamburg and Köln.

Activities and Programs

Programs address issues in cultural heritage preservation with partners including the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek, Deutsches Historisches Museum, Stiftung Bauhaus Dessau, and the Stiftung Deutsche Kinemathek. It runs professional development and training in collaboration with Hochschulen like Universität Leipzig, Universität Heidelberg, and Universität zu Köln, working with think tanks such as the Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin and the Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft. Public engagement projects have involved the Berlin Philharmonie, the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, the Deutsches Theater, and libraries like the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek. The association organizes congresses that attract delegates from the European Commission, Council of Europe, OECD, and UNESCO, and hosts workshops with foundations such as the Open Society Foundations, Rockefeller Foundation, and Ford Foundation. Capacity-building initiatives have linked regional development agencies, municipal archives, volunteer organizations, and cultural festivals like the Bayreuth Festival and documenta.

Advocacy and Policy Influence

The association advocates on legal and fiscal frameworks affecting foundations, interacting with the Bundestag committees, Bundesfinanzministerium, Bundesministerium des Innern, and state Finanzministerien. It submits position papers to the Bundestag, engages with parliamentary groups (CDU, SPD, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, FDP, Die Linke), and takes part in consultations with the Bundesrat and the Europäische Kommission. It contributes expertise to debates involving the European Parliament, Council of the European Union, and the German Patent and Trade Mark Office. On social policy and cultural funding it collaborates with ministries such as the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Bundesministerium für Kultur und Medien, and municipal cultural departments in Frankfurt am Main and München. The association also engages with judiciary bodies like the Bundesverwaltungsgericht and stakeholders including trade associations, chambers such as the Industrie- und Handelskammer, and employer organizations like the Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände.

Funding and Financial Resources

Funding sources include membership fees, service contracts with foundations such as Stiftung Mercator and VolkswagenStiftung, project grants from the European Commission, and sponsorships by corporations including Deutsche Bank Stiftung, Siemens Stiftung, and Allianz Kulturstiftung. It administers grants and consultancy funded by public programs from the Europäischer Sozialfonds, Länderförderprogramme in Nordrhein-Westfalen and Sachsen-Anhalt, and collaborative funding with the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau for specific initiatives. Financial oversight aligns with standards from the Bundesrechnungshof and tax law administered by Finanzämter, while financial reporting standards reference Deutsches Rechnungslegungsstandards and recommendations from consulting firms like KPMG and PwC.

Partnerships and International Cooperation

The association maintains partnerships with international networks such as the European Foundation Centre, Worldwide Initiatives for Grantmaker Support, Council on Foundations, and the Charities Aid Foundation. Bilateral links include cooperation with the Fondation de France, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, King Baudouin Foundation, and the Nuffield Foundation. It participates in EU programs alongside the European Investment Bank, Directorate-General for Education and Culture, and Erasmus+ consortia, and engages with UN agencies including UNESCO, UNDP, and UNICEF on cultural and development projects. Collaborative research projects have been conducted with the University of Oxford, Harvard Kennedy School, Sciences Po, and the London School of Economics, while transnational cultural projects have involved the British Council, Institut Français, and the Polish National Heritage Board.

Category:Foundations based in Germany