Friends of Fondation de France Was Created in 2000
Friends of Fondation de France was established in 2000 to support the mission of Fondation de France. Friends of Fondation de France makes it easy and more cost-effective for Americans to support French nonprofits, maximizing the impact of their gifts and enabling donors to receive the same tax advantages as they would giving to any other charity in the U.S.
We provide American individuals, families, corporations, and foundations with a cost-effective way to support vetted French nonprofit organizations while benefiting from the same U.S. tax advantages as donations made to domestic charities. This structure allows donors to maximise the impact of their gifts while supporting causes they care about in France and internationally.
Drawing on expertise gained from over 20 years of philanthropic activities, Friends of Fondation de France offers American donors a vast array of vetted nonprofit projects to support.
Fondation de France is the Largest Grant-making Charity in France
Fondation de France operates as a nationwide “Community Foundation”, facilitating charitable giving across all sectors through donor-advised funds and in-house programs. Its model allows donors to support initiatives in culture, health, education, research, social innovation, and humanitarian aid with strong governance and oversight.
Philanthropy was an underdeveloped market in France
In postwar France, organized philanthropy was still relatively underdeveloped. By the late 1950s, however, the country began to experience a cultural and philanthropic reawakening. President Charles de Gaulle recognized the importance of culture and civic engagement in strengthening national unity. In 1959, he created the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, appointing André Malraux at the helm.
Big dreams lead to big actions
A. Malraux
Inspired in part by American philanthropic models, de Gaulle and Malraux viewed community foundations as powerful tools for mobilising collective generosity. This vision led to the creation of Fondation de France in 1969, with a unique mission to foster all forms of generosity and solidarity in service of the public good.
Philanthropy was an underdeveloped market in France
In its early years, Fondation de France launched large-scale fundraising campaigns that quickly strengthened its visibility and public trust. Over time, it began attracting significant philanthropic support from individuals, families, and institutions across France.
Today, Fondation de France is the largest grant-making organisation in France, raising more than $190 million annually and supporting nearly 10,000 nonprofit projects each year.
Fondation de France is a global point of reference for philanthropy in Europe. We are proud to be part of many philanthropic think tanks and a member of the European Foundation Center, now known as the Philanthropy Europe Association – Philea, and Transnational Giving Europe.
Discover Fondation de France with a short video below.