Philanthropy House

Discover, engage, learn

Home to several other philanthropic support organisations, Philanthropy House builds understanding of, and recognition for, the work of the sector; up until now a largely invisible force. Through debates, exhibitions, conferences, and documentary screenings, philanthropic work is brought to life at Philanthropy House.

A pan-European initiative, Philanthropy House was first conceived in 2009 by six Philea members* – leading foundations from across the continent – who agreed on the need for a stronger presence for the sector in Brussels. The House opened on 13 November 2013.

Each foundation provided mission-related funds to develop Philanthropy House as a model for the future, an innovative way of helping the sector become more connected, visible and effective. Putting this eclectic mix of philanthropy organisations under one roof sends an important message about solidarity and cooperation in a moment when Europe is in need of stories like this one.

*Philanthropy House original funders: Fritt Ord Foundation, King Baudouin Foundation, Körber Stiftung, Realdania, Stichting Fonds 1818, Van Leer Group Foundation

At Philanthropy House, Philea members…

• Hold meetings and events
• Raise their visibility by hosting an exhibition or screening a documentary
• Enjoy working space while in Brussels

Gathering several philanthropy support organisations under one roof, Philanthropy House is home to Philea and to several other philanthropy support organisations:

• Alliance for Gender Equality in Europe
• ARIADNE – European Funders for Social Change and Human Rights
• Civitates
• European AI Fund
• Evens Foundation
• EVPA – European Venture Philanthropy Association
• EPIM – European Programme for Integration and Migration
• Fraunhofer
• NEF – Network of European Foundations

Book space in Brussels

If you are looking for a premium setting for your office in Brussels, or a fully equipped space for your next meeting, Philanthropy House is the ideal place for you! Interested in finding out more? Get in touch!

Who should come to Philanthropy House?

The doors of Philanthropy House are open to everyone, including:

• Foundations, trusts and individual philanthropists in need of a platform or space to showcase their work, exchange knowledge and develop new channels for joint action.
• EU representatives pursuing topics of common interest, hoping to optimise philanthropic initiatives for public benefit.
• Civil society and international organisations looking to reach out to new and different partners and to increase their reach and visibility through a broader network of people and communication channels.
• Media and press seeking the European voice and reference point for philanthropic topics and who are interested in increasing their awareness and understanding of the sector.
• Think tanks, academics and scholars hungry for new thinking on Europe’s philanthropic sector, and hoping to deepen the existing knowledge available.
• Anyone interested in discovering and learning – in fun and creative ways – about the many ways foundations touch citizens’ lives daily.

Prize-winning building

Philanthropy House won the coveted 2013 BATEX Prize for energy efficiency and innovative eco-construction, with the design specially commended for meeting the “nearly-zero energy” criterion set out in the prize. The building is also fully accessible.

Philanthropy House is:

• A place to discover
  Philanthropy House will help you to understand and recognise the work of the European philanthropic sector; up until now a largely invisible force despite its wide-ranging impact on people’s lives.
• A place to engage
  Philanthropy House is your entry point into the exciting world of foundations’ work. A hub of innovative debates, exhibitions, conferences and documentary screenings, Philanthropy House will show you what foundations do, how they intersect your daily life and why the work they undertake is so important.
• A place to learn
  An initiative of Philea, Philanthropy House is home to several other philanthropic support organisations, as such it is also a repository of knowledge, expertise and resources on the sector