Beyond Grants – Leveraging Your Programmes: The Dutch Case

Philea and Impact Europe, through the joint “Beyond Grants: A Holistic Approach to Philanthropy” initiative, will host “Beyond Grants – Leveraging Your Programmes: The Dutch Case” online on 17 June.

Charting the future of philanthropy will require thinking beyond the usual and getting holistic. We can no longer ignore the need for philanthropy and business to move in concert, nor the fact that a foundation’s impact comes not only from its philanthropic partnerships but also from its investment approaches and decisions. Beyond Grants calls for in-depth discussion on strategic and operational levels about the future of philanthropy and its core instruments. 

This session is part of the 2026 gatherings cycle of the Beyond Grants Community of Practice and will focus on the Dutch experience around programmatic impact investing and the legal developments that helped create greater clarity for foundations wishing to experiment beyond traditional grantmaking approaches.

The discussion will bring together perspectives from philanthropy infrastructure organisations and foundations directly involved in this evolution. Participants will hear reflections on the advocacy process that contributed to the new legal framework in the Netherlands, why legal clarity was needed, and how foundations have started testing and integrating impact investing approaches within their programmatic work.

The session will create space for both practical insight and peer exchange, allowing participants to explore how legal frameworks, organisational culture, governance, and strategy influence foundations’ ability to move beyond traditional funding approaches.