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| Fondation Agir Contre l'Exclusion | |
|---|---|
| Name | Fondation Agir Contre l'Exclusion |
| Formation | 1991 |
| Type | Foundation |
| Headquarters | Paris |
| Leader title | President |
Fondation Agir Contre l'Exclusion Fondation Agir Contre l'Exclusion is a French philanthropic foundation focused on combating social exclusion through social innovation, housing support, employment initiatives, and civic inclusion. The foundation operates in metropolitan France and overseas departments, engaging with a range of public and private institutions, nongovernmental organizations, municipal authorities, and international agencies.
Founded in 1991 amid debates linked to the Jacques Chirac era and the aftermath of policy shifts under the Michel Rocard administration, the foundation emerged as part of a broader French civil society response to exclusion highlighted after the 1995 strikes in France and the social tensions visible in the 1990s French riots. Early collaborations included partnerships with Secours Catholique, Emmaüs, Fédération des acteurs de la solidarité, and local chapters of the Red Cross. Over time the foundation engaged with European networks such as the European Anti-Poverty Network and participated in programs connected to the European Social Fund, interacting with municipal actors in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, and overseas territories like Guadeloupe and Réunion. Leadership changes involved figures drawn from associations like ATD Quart Monde, foundations such as Fondation de France, and experts linked to think tanks like Terrae Novae and research centers including INED and CNRS.
The foundation's mission emphasizes preventing and reducing social exclusion via targeted interventions in housing, employment, health mediation, and civic participation, aligning with directives from bodies such as Conseil général des Hauts-de-Seine and frameworks influenced by the United Nations agendas on human rights and social protection. Objectives have been framed to support vulnerable groups including beneficiaries of programs under the RSA (France), migrants covered by policies related to the Schengen Area and Dublin Regulation, and residents affected by urban renewal initiatives tied to the Politique de la ville. The foundation sets goals consonant with recommendations from institutions like Haute Autorité de Santé and collaborates with legal actors including Defender of Rights (France).
Programs have included housing assistance projects in collaboration with social landlords such as Habitat et Humanisme and ADOMA, employment insertion schemes with actors like Pôle emploi and APAJH, and health mediation programs involving Médecins du Monde and Médecins Sans Frontières in specific campaigns. Activities span pilot models for shared housing influenced by examples like cohousing and partnerships with urban planners associated with Agence Nationale pour la Rénovation Urbaine projects. The foundation has run vocational training initiatives aligned with curricula from institutions like CNAM and coordinated outreach through networks involving Lieu d'accueil, d'accompagnement à la vie sociale and youth programs resonant with UNICEF. It has also funded research collaborations with Sciences Po, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, and policy evaluations by institutes such as OCDE.
Governance has combined a board of trustees with representatives from philanthropic actors including Fondation Abbé Pierre, corporate partners drawn from the Medef community, and civil society leaders from organizations like ATD Quart Monde and Les Restos du Cœur. Day-to-day management involved directors with experience in public administration from ministries such as Ministry of Solidarity and Health (France) and advisers who previously served in capacities at DIRECCTE and regional prefectures like those of Île-de-France. Advisory committees have engaged academics from EHESS, legal experts associated with the Conseil d'État, and international observers from entities like Council of Europe delegations.
Funding sources have included endowments from corporate donors formerly associated with SNCF, EDF, and banking institutions like BNP Paribas and Crédit Agricole, grants from charitable foundations such as Fondation de France and Fondation Abbé Pierre, and competitive contracts tied to calls for proposals from the European Commission and French ministries. Strategic partnerships have involved municipal authorities in Lille, collaborative frameworks with nongovernmental organizations like Croix-Rouge française, and alliances with employment actors including AFPA and social enterprises registered through Social Enterprise (France). The foundation also worked with philanthropic networks such as Philea and engaged in co-funding arrangements with international development agencies like Agence Française de Développement.
Evaluations employed methodologies used by agencies like Inspection générale des affaires sociales and drew on metrics referenced by INSEE and quality frameworks from Haute Autorité de Santé. Reported impacts included housing placements, job insertions monitored through Pôle emploi indicators, and reduced recidivism in some targeted neighborhoods comparable to outcomes reported by Observatoire national de la pauvreté et de l'exclusion sociale. Independent assessments commissioned to research units at Université Paris Nanterre and think tanks such as Fondation Jean-Jaurès examined program scalability and cost-effectiveness, and peer reviews referenced standards from OECD social policy analyses.
Critiques have arisen over selection criteria for grants, transparency debates similar to controversies faced by other foundations such as Fondation Nicolas Hulot and discussions about corporate influence reminiscent of scrutiny around Fondation Total. Some local associations and municipal councils like those in Saint-Denis and Mulhouse raised concerns about project sustainability and alignment with long-term plans from agencies like ANRU. Debates also referenced wider French public discourse involving media outlets such as Le Monde, Le Figaro, and advocacy by groups like ATTAC and Confédération générale du travail regarding priorities and accountability.
Category:Foundations based in France