2025 was a year of growth for Friends of Fondation de France. As more French nonprofits look to build meaningful connections with U.S. donors, we were proud to welcome 43 new organizations across education, culture, environmental protection, medical research, social services, and beyond. Each one brings a new perspective on how generosity can inspire innovation, strengthen communities, and shape a more sustainable future.
Expanding Access to Knowledge
Our partners in education offer a source of opportunity, creativity, and discovery, bridging France with the rest of the world.
The ESSEC Foundation opens doors to one of France’s leading business schools through scholarships and programs that blend academic excellence with social innovation. The Centrale Lille Foundation supports engineering education through research initiatives, infrastructure upgrades, and scholarships to ensure equal access to scientific study. The Université Paris-Saclay Foundation accelerates research in sustainable development, health, and technology, connecting science to societal impact.
Specialized institutions bring further depth to this landscape. The Institut d’Optique Graduate School trains future leaders in photonics and quantum technologies, advancing research that shapes tomorrow’s industries. The Fondation Inalco fosters intercultural understanding through its study of more than 100 world languages, while the Jean-Baptiste Gagne Foundation at UniLaSalle supports environmental and agricultural engineering projects that unite sustainability, research, and education.
At the intersection of learning and heritage, the École du Louvre Endowment Fund ensures that all students can study art history and museum curation, regardless of financial background. The Entente Cordiale Prizes program connects top students from France and the U.K. to collaborate on global challenges, from sustainability to social innovation.
Expanding access to STEM education for all, Electrolab, located in Nanterre, France, is pioneering a “hackerspace” that opens the doors of science and technology to the public through collaborative workshops and mentorship programs.
Together, these institutions affirm a shared vision: that education is not only about transmitting knowledge but cultivating the capacity to build a more sustainable, equitable world.
Creativity as Connection
Our new cultural and heritage partners demonstrate how art and heritage unite people across generations and continents.
The Institut Français prepares France’s 2026 Venice Biennale pavilion, showcasing contemporary art and intercultural dialogue. The Maison Européenne de la Photographie champions photography as a living art form, celebrating both established and emerging artists. OpenEye extends this vision through its online magazine and exhibitions, offering a platform for contemporary photographers and critical dialogue on visual culture. Meanwhile, Les Amis d’Ithaque brings analog photography to life for young people in Paris and its suburbs, teaching darkroom techniques and fostering creativity through hands-on workshops, residencies, and community exhibitions.
Music is another universal language among our partners. The Festival International de Piano de la Roque d’Anthéron celebrates the piano in all its forms, nurturing young artists and environmental responsibility. Les Métaboles reimagine the choral tradition through multidisciplinary performances that connect audiences to contemporary creation. Tender Nights transforms Paris’s open-air Arènes de Montmartre into a stage for young classical performers, including special concerts for children who cannot travel during summer holidays. Fondation Royaumont sustains a 60-year legacy of supporting artists, fostering creation and performance in the exceptional setting of Royaumont Abbey. And the Paris Mozart Orchestra shines the light on emerging talent by showcasing women conductors, addressing the lack of gender parity in the field.
Cultural storytelling also takes new forms this year. Radio France is producing a Franco-American audio documentary series on the Statue of Liberty, illuminating this shared symbol of democracy and friendship. The Cité Internationale du Cinéma d’Animation in Annecy celebrates film heritage and innovation, creating year-round programming that connects artists, students, and audiences in the world capital of animation.
Heritage and history find new life in projects like La Chartreuse de Neuville, where a centuries-old monastery becomes a model for rural revitalization; the Mémorial de Verdun, which preserves France’s memory of the First World War; and the Établissement Public du Mont-Saint-Michel, which maintains both cultural and natural heritage through the monument’s historic apple orchard. The Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle bridges the natural world with science and culture, sharing knowledge about biodiversity and the Earth’s history through research, collections, and exhibitions.
New projects across France also continue to safeguard and reinterpret artistic heritage in diverse ways. The Musée Matisse de Nice preserves and celebrates the life and legacy of one of modern art’s most influential figures. The Société des Amis du Musée du Grand Siècle supports the creation of a major new museum in Saint-Cloud dedicated to the arts and culture of 17th-century France. The Fondation pour la Sauvegarde de l’Art Français protects endangered regional heritage, funding restoration and education projects that keep local art and architecture alive for future generations. Meanwhile, Manufactures Nationales – Sevres et Mobilier National, merging two iconic institutions, ensures that traditional crafts thrive alongside contemporary design. And the Association Angevine de la Bibliothèque Anglophone in Angers fosters cross-cultural exchange and literacy, welcoming thousands of readers from around the world to explore literature and community in English.
Together, these organizations show that creativity and heritage are not opposites, but companions, providing new artistic points of view and linking history to imagination.
Driving Care, Inclusion, & Empowerment
Empathy and innovation drive our new partners in social services, who are championing new pathways for inclusion and connection in France and around the world.
THE SORORITY FOUNDATION connects over 400,000 users worldwide through a mutual-aid mobile app protecting those facing harassment or violence. In Saint-Denis, one of France’s youngest and most diverse cities, Ambition Saint-Denis empowers youth through programs that merge education, arts, and sports. The Maison des Sept Vallées offers shared housing and support for expectant mothers in difficulty, creating a nurturing space built on solidarity and mutual care. AARO—the Association of Americans Resident Overseas—educates U.S. citizens abroad on legal, tax, and civic matters, fostering informed participation and connection across borders.
Together, these initiatives remind us that social progress begins with belonging—with creating spaces where every individual has the safety, resources, and recognition to thrive.
Global Solidarity & Responding to Urgent Needs
Many of our 2025 partners work on the front lines of crisis response and long-term development, proving that compassion and rigor can go hand in hand.
Solidarités International delivers lifesaving access to clean water, food, and sanitation to communities affected by conflict and climate disasters. Mehad builds local healthcare systems in regions affected by conflict and violence, while Med’EqualiTeam provides equitable access to primary care for displaced populations.
The Jean-Jacques Hirsch Foundation focuses on underserved rural areas, supporting medical and educational projects in France and in areas like Sri Lanka and Romania. And through the Fonds Metis Arts et Développement, artists and development experts collaborate on creative solutions to global challenges such as ocean conservation and climate resilience.
Together, these organizations illustrate how humanitarian action can move beyond emergency aid to empower communities and nurture resilience over time.
Research for a Resilient Future
Innovation and stewardship define the work of our new partners working to link research to progress.
The Océan Polaire project, led by explorer Jean-Louis Étienne, conducts groundbreaking oceanic research aboard the Polar POD, gathering critical data to inform climate policy. The Centre International de Recherche sur le Cancer (IARC) coordinates global studies on cancer prevention and control, while the Fondation Partenariale Inserm advances biomedical research through collaboration between scientists and the public.
In Lyon, the Fondation Innovation et Transitions brings academia, industry, and civic leaders together to promote social and environmental innovation. In Strasbourg, Fondation René Cassin, created by the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and founder of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, continues to defend fundamental rights worldwide through education, research, and advocacy.
Together, these initiatives advance research as a shared commitment to understanding, protecting, and improving the world we live in.
Welcome!
As we welcome these organizations to Friends of Fondation de France, we look forward to seeing how their projects grow with the support of U.S. donors—advancing innovation, access, and opportunity across borders. Together, we continue to build the future of French-American philanthropy and the shared vision it represents: a world where generosity knows no boundaries. To learn more about our projects and support their mission, visit our projects page.
