Abstract
The Expert Group on “Foundations, Venture Philanthropy and Social Investments” was commissioned by the European Commission (EC) Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD) to invite and facilitate philanthropic foundations and philanthropists to join other partners to foster the impact of the EU’s knowledge economy. To achieve this purpose, framework conditions, innovative financial tools and policy actions, and inspiring forms of collaboration have to be explored. This report contains the results of this mandate for each of these three areas.
The Expert Group started in June 2017. It had the advantage of being able to build on the results of previous reports, research, advisory groups and conferences on foundations and research since 2005 including, in brief, "Giving More for Research in Europe: Strengthening the role of philanthropy in the financing of research” (EC, 2006); "Giving in Evidence – Fundraising from Philanthropy in European Universities” (EC, 2011); "The Role of Philanthropy in the Promotion of Responsible Research and Innovation” (EC, 2013); "The European Foundations for Research and Innovation (EUFORI) Study” (EC, 2015); the conference "Building Capacity for the Future” (EC, 2015) and the “PhiSi Conference Report” (EC, 2016).
The time has come to harvest the products of such work and to act. This report offers concrete steps to take and presents evidence-based examples of good practice of collaboration and promising financial tools. The recommendations are addressed to a variety of stakeholders: the European Commission (EC), national governments, research and innovation (R&I) foundations, venture philanthropists, research performing institutions (RPOs), businesses, private bankers, citizens, umbrella organisations and researchers. A strong call is made to these constituencies for readiness to explore and learn, for implementing new approaches, for inviting new actors to join and to collaborate. If the rules of the game change, all players have to rethink their positions and redefine their roles.
The Expert Group was composed of representatives of foundations, the business community and academia (see Annex 1). Working with experts from different disciplines and countries has been an enriching and inspiring experience. I would like to thank the experts for their dynamic and fruitful collaboration.</p><p>Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to those who have been supportive of the work of this Expert Group. First of all, many thanks are due to the European Commission Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, Unit B.3 SMEs, Financial Instruments and State Aids, for taking the lead in setting up this Expert Group and for recognizing foundations as important partners in finding solutions for societal challenges in Europe. We are particularly grateful to Ignacio Puente González of the DG RTD for his advice and commitment. The Expert Group also benefited from the input received from policy officers of different DGs and departments of the European Commission, and from Hanna Surmatz of the European Foundation Centre (EFC), Max von Abendroth of the Donor and Foundation Network Europe (DAFNE), Priscilla Boiardi of the European Venture Philanthropy Association (EVPA) and Stuart Pritchard of the Wellcome Trust who shared the ideas and outcomes of an informal working-group of foundations and the EC.
Many other stakeholders kindly offered information and guidance and they deserve a special thanks. A full list is set out in the Acknowledgements (Annex 2).</p><p>It is our hope that this report will meet with a positive response and create constituency and stakeholder engagement for the actions proposed.
Theo Schuyt, Chair