Europe

When the Propel partners first began working together, we set out on a mission to do grant making differently. We knew this would mean unravelling and unlearning what we know about funding, in order to …

The Research Forum was a unique space for knowledge exchange, critical networking and deep-diving into research and innovation funding practices by foundations. Hosted by Fondazione Cariplo, with the support of the Cariplo Factory, the Research Forum aimed …

“Innovation is like a truffle”. This is one of the many insights that I have been chewing on since I returned from Philea’s Research Forum conference in Milan, hosted by Fondazione Cariplo. Truffles are known to …

The recent Philea Research Forum took place on the 7th and 8th of March in the incomparable setting of the CARIPLO Factory in Milan. The Forum was an exceptional opportunity to meet again with some …

Giovanni Azzone cuts a sharp figure. The spectacled and suited president of the Cariplo Foundation, one of Italy’s biggest foundations, is softly spoken – but has big ambitions. With an endowment of 9 billion euros, …

Italian philanthropic tradition stretches back to ancient Rome. Modern Italian philanthropy, however, recently flourished in the 1990s when savings bank foundations emerged. Today they collectively hold half of all Italian philanthropic assets, or 21 per …

Every three days a man murders a woman in Italy; in 2023 there were 120 reported cases. Furthermore, the mainstream media narrative in the aftermath of these murders perpetuates the insidious cycle of gender-based violence: …

Philanthropy’s involvement in bolstering civil society is growing.  Nine new grants, at a total of £2 million, have been announced by the UK-based Paul Hamlyn Foundation as it aims to make civil society more equitable …