Bodossaki Foundation

The Bodossaki Foundation was established in 1973 and is one of the most respected privately owned public-benefit organisations in Greece. It exists and thrives thanks to the long-standing, determined and consistent efforts of its founder, Prodromos Bodossakis – Athanassiades to support the state, society and his fellow people. It is a legacy of the tradition he himself maintained, together with many other Greek benefactors and representatives of the Greek diaspora.
Prodromos Bodossakis – Athanassiades was one of the most important Greeks of the 20th century. A talented entrepreneur, gifted with imagination, vision and courage, he generated an important personal fortune, which he dedicated to the progress of the Greek people. The Bodossaki Foundation is the culmination of his personal journey and the continuity and evolution of his personal vision for a better Greece.

Mission

The Bodossaki Foundation is currently active in four main strategic pillars: education, health, protection of the environment and the empowerment of civil society.
The Foundation has deep knowledge of the non-profit sector in Greece and since its inception it has managed more than €450 million, which has been disbursed placing great emphasis on increasing equal opportunities, on contributing to the education of young people, on improving medical and research infrastructure and on promoting environmental protection.
Its vision is to enable human and social potential for a better life.

Geographic Focus

Greece

Programme Areas

The foundation is active in the following areas:

Supporting education and scientific excellence
The Foundation’s scholarship programmes offer Greek graduates the opportunity to continue their studies at a postgraduate, doctoral or post-doctoral level. By supporting university research laboratories and other research centers, the Foundation empowers Greek scientists to stay in Greece and continue to support their homeland through their work. Through the Bodossaki scientific awards and prizes, the Foundation promotes scientific excellence and fosters positive role models for the Greek society.

Promoting health, the environment and innovation
In the area of health, the Foundation funds the development of infrastructure and the construction of public hospitals and clinics, as well as the acquisition of medical and laboratory equipment, aiming to ensure equal access to health and medical services and to improve the quality of healthcare, particularly for socially vulnerable groups.
The Foundation has also supported a large number of projects promoting environmental protection, working with universities and environmental organisations. It also supports innovation and entrepreneurship, in cooperation with universities, banks, embassies and innovation clusters. To strengthen the connection between innovative research and entrepreneurship, the Foundation implements an innovative funding programme for the granting of IP rights (patents) to researchers in Greek universities and research centers.

Supporting civil society
The Bodossaki Foundation has deep knowledge of the non-profit sector in Greece as well as of emerging and long-term social needs. The Foundation applies a needs assessment methodology in the design of each programme. Programmes and grants management implementation and monitoring is executed on the basis of a Results-Based-Methodology (RBD). The Foundation also works with third parties (such as businesses and other not-for-profit organisations) which are active in corporate social responsibility, in order to identify, develop, implement and monitor social investment programmes that match the organisation’s strategic needs and priorities and can deliver economic and social benefits for all stakeholders.
Through the management of the 7,34m Euro funding of the EEA Grants NGO programme for Greece (2013 – 2017), Bodossaki has directly supported more than 100 NGOs which delivered a total number of 75 projects across Greece, reaching out to more than 205,000 beneficiaries. In partnership with SolidarityNow, Bodossaki currently acts as the Fund Operator of the new EEA Grants NGO fund named “Active Citizens Fund”, with a total budget of 12m euros for Greece.

Attracting donations and grants
Through the Bodossaki Foundation, anyone wishing to fund public benefit projects in Greece – whether a corporate entity, not-for-profit organisation or private donor – can do so and benefit from the team’s experience and expertise in philanthropy consulting and programme management. Potential donors will also benefit from the Foundation’s mechanisms of implementation and monitoring, established to secure transparency, accountability and maximisation of each programme or donation’s impact.

Sustainability through capacity building
The Foundation closely supports NGOs and project partners with learning, mentoring and networking opportunities through Social Dynamo, its NGO hub implemented in cooperation with the synAthina team of the Municipality of Athens. Thanks to the contribution of a wide network of collaborators and partners from the non-profit and the private sector, NGOs and informal groups are supported with training, consulting, mentoring and coaching services.