Intervistiamo Rien van Gendt - Chair of Dutch Association of Foundations and Vice Chair of European Cultural Foundation
 
 
 
 
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development faces the theme of foundations as a key driver for inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
In your experience what could be the new role of foundations in this process?
Let me start by saying that I think that foundations are not actively involved in the process leading to the formulation of sustainable development goals, except for some American foundations – like the UN Foundation or the Conrad Hilton Foundation. If I look to European foundations, they didn’t get a seat at the table; they just allow that to happen.
However I think that the innovation is not so much in that process for which some foundations are not invited, but is more in what I would call “innovative solutions”. I think foundations are involved in so many interesting programs in the developing and industrialized world because the sustainable goals are not only about “the developing world”, but are relating also to “the industrialized countries”. It is not only in an international context, but also at a local level.
Foundations are now coming forward with innovative solution developed with in cooperation with governments and the corporate sector. In line with the formulation of innovative solutions to developments issues, comes the forging of innovative partnership. That is more important than to participate in the bureaucratic process of formulating goals.
One example could be related with the Van Leer Foundation that works with children 0 to 5 with a strong emphasis on the interaction between parents and children. We work in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Philips, the Dutch company, is now working in some African countries to distribute led lights because and for the first time communities that were deprived from light, have access to it.. The Van Leer Foundation asked itself the question: ‘Why don’t we combine the distribution of led lights with our work with families?’.
This is a good example of how a foundation could work together with a corporate because the advantage of corporate very often is that they have the skills to distribute products on a large scale.
In the Netherlands we have signed a Charter that implies a cooperation between thegovernment, companies and foundations; altogether 70 parties are involved. The aim is to work together identify things that work and make a contribution to sustainable development.
Another example is related with G-star Foundation – where I work as an advisor - that focuses on giving opportunities to young women that are abandoned, in provide training.  The G-star Foundation developed some fantastic small projects in countries like India and Vietnam. These initiatives are developed with the Government that in the end could scale them up.
The most important thing is that foundations have not a public accountability and that turns out  to be an advantage because foundations can take risks that government can’t take (because they know that they have to be accountable for it). So governments have to be able to see this unique value of foundations.
We have another project called “Rainbow Homes”. Every day and night, thousands of girls aged 4 -18 have to survive on the streets of Calcutta and Delhi in India. They're at risk of being harassed, exploited and abused in all sorts of ways. Like any other child, street children are in need of adequate accommodation, caring adult guidance and education. With the shelter provided by the “Rainbow Homes”, these street children become schoolgirls and they become integrated in society. Some month ago we have presented this project to the Government and the Government said that it would like to apply this model in other areas.
It means that to scale up you have to inspire others, like governments in this case!»
 
 
 
 
It appears a more and more politic role of advocacy… What do you think about it?
«I think that the danger - also in Italian foundations – is the one that I called “Project carousel”: very often foundations do a project, they finance it for three years, and after three year they say ‘Ok, we want now to do something else!’ In my opinion, foundations have to stay with projects for a longer time and capitalize on what they have done.
If you have a good project, you don’t have to say ‘Goodbye’ but you have to start advocacy.
The challenge is to take a project developed in a local level and use it to change the system.»
 
 
 
 
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development suggests that the work of foundations should deals with  build dynamic, sustainable, innovative and people-centred economies, promoting youth employment and women’s economic empowerment, and support the development of a decent work for all.
How do you think Foundations are working on this issue?
«I think that the answer could be linked with my previous reflections.»
 
 
 
 
Does Foundations has a strategic role to support local participation?
I think that I could mention two example.
One is the work done in Italy on community foundations done by by Cariplo and Assifero.  The work is not only about money, but also about engaging people.
Another example is about crowdfunding. What I see, is that foundations try to build up some initiatives financing a part of projects, and suggesting to develop the other part with money from a crowdfunding platform. On the one hand there is a sort of diversification because the foundation is not the only funder, and on the other hand this is also important for the projects because there is not only one relationship.
In the Nederland there are separate portals for culture or for community work or for cooperation. As platforms
We have for example a platform called Play Io Foreword that has different projects sections like Children & Youth, Education, Food or Environment. If for example a theatre company asks me 50 thousand euros, I’ll give them 30 thousand euros and I’ll allow them to be in the platform to collect the others resources.
 
 
 
 
Nowadays Foundations are considered, beyond their founding capacity, more and more as a source  of expertise and knowledge.
In your experience, are there any examples / projects / case studies / inspiring synergies that could be considered best practices of this new role of Foundations?
I think that all my previous examples could be considered best practices.
 
 
 
 
What is the role of philanthropy in building networks and support this process?
I think I just spoke about it, but I would like to add another example.
In The Netherland there are ten foundations working with elderly people. Assifero do this work in Italy, creating round table about thematic issues.
 
 
 
 
How different types of philanthropy are developing in different regions and what is their role in developing activities with regional and local authorities, sub-regional institutions, international institutions, academia, and others? We are thinking about the differences between Anglo-Saxons and European philanthropy…
There are of course many differences between Anglo-Saxons and European philanthropy, but I think that it would be more interesting speaking about the differences between the developed world on one hand and what happen I other regions like Africa or Asia. So very often we believe with a sort of arrogance that what we do with philanthropy should also be done in South Africa for instance… The fact is that we could learn from them sometimes.
For example in terms of solidarity, in South Africa, when a person dies, families receive funds for the funerals through burial societies, in fact a kind of foundation.
So I’m now more interested in the relationship between North and South philanthropy, than the one between US and Europe philanthropy
 
 
 
In the end we would like to know what are, in your opinion, the new opportunity in this sector.
The opportunity is to invest money in social projects.

 
© Riproduzione riservata