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FundAction

Website:

fundaction.eu
Type:

Grantmaking Foundation
Formation:

2017

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FundAction is a grantmaking foundation located in the Netherlands that awards its grants to activists and social movements across Europe based on its member activists’ decisions rather than its funders. Individuals are eligible for membership if they are “actively involved in progressive social movements.” 1

FundAction is funded by left-of-center philanthropic organizations including George Soros’ Open Society Foundations and the Guerrilla Foundation, both of which provided initial startup funding. 2

Background

FundAction is a member participatory grantmaking fund in Europe that focuses on projects that generate “systemic change by addressing the causes of injustice.” The fund is “managed completely by activists and members of social movements.” 3 “Edge Funders Alliance Europe.” Active Philanthropy. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://www.activephilanthropy.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Cases/Edge_Funders_Alliance_Europe.pdf[/note]

FundAction began in 2017 as an initiative of Edge Funders Alliance (EDGE) and funded by billionaire philanthropist George Soros’ Open Society Foundations, the Charles Leopold Mayer Foundation, the European Cultural Foundation, and the Guerrilla Foundation. EDGE was its fiscal sponsor until 2022 when FundAction registered as an independent foundation in the Netherlands. 2

FundAction has 275 activist members across 29 European countries who decide on what FundAction should support. 4 Individuals are eligible for membership if they are “actively involved in progressive social movements.” 1

Grant Focus Areas

Grant decisions are made by the activist members rather than FundAction’s funders. 4 Activist members submit proposed projects, all members can provide their comments, then all members can vote on which projects are funded. 5

The FundAction foundation listing indicates that it provides grants to “projects in the fields of democratic innovation, civic education, human rights, anti-discrimination, public space, housing, civil, political and social rights, regenerative and alternative economies, digital activism, alternative media, art and culture, climate justice, environment, right to food, public health, care, welfare, migration, and community solidarity.” 6

Partners

FundAction is a partner of the Institute for Political Ecology (IPE), along with the European Commission and the Guerrilla Foundation. 7 IPE is an environmentalist research group based in Croatia. 8 The Guerrilla Foundation engages in “radical funding,” awarding grants to activist organizations such as Extinction Rebellion.9 10

FundAction is part of the Edge Funders Alliance, a network of donors that support a “just transition,” a radical left wealth redistribution concept. 11 12

Funding

FundAction’s initial launch was funded by billionaire philanthropist George Soros’ Open Society Foundations, the Charles Leopold Mayer Foundation, the European Cultural Foundation, and the Guerrilla Foundation. 13

2022 funders included Open Society Foundations, Un Monde Par Tous (One World by All Foundation), the Guerrilla Foundation, Lush GmbH, Porticus, and individual donations. Its total income for 2022 was $660,000 and its grants totaled $254,000. 2

Organization

FundAction has a board which is referred to as the Community Council and a Facilitation Group that is responsible for day-to-day operations. 14

Atlantic Council fellow Milena Abrahamyan, located in Yerevan, Armenia, is a 2024 addition to FundAction’s Facilitation Group and the current coordinator of the group .15 She is a feminist peace activist who has engaged in activism associated with violence against women and LGBT resistance, war, and militarization. Abrahamyan has held positions with many activist organizations including UN Women, Academy for Peace and Development, and the Life and Peace Institute. She founded Beyond Borders: Linking Our Stories, which focused on creating relationships between Armenian, Kurdish, and Turkish women. 16 17

Samia Hathroubi, located in Lyon, France, is a recent addition to FundAction’s Facilitation Group. 15 She is an activist focused on creating relationships between the Muslim and Jewish communities in Europe. Hathroubi is an advisory board member of the Democracy and Belonging Forum. Previously she held senior positions with the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding and with Coexister. 18

Nico Haeringer is a prior coordinator of FundAction’s Facilitation Group. 19 Haeringer has a senior role at environmentalist activist organization 350.org and has been involved in climate related movements for over 20 years. 20 21

References

  1.  “Member Eligibility.” FundAction – Participate. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://fundaction.eu/participate/
  2. 2022 Fund Action Annual Report. Published June 2023. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://fundaction.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/FA-Annual-Report-2022-_c-2.pdf
  3. Ruby Van Der Wekken. “Movements around systemic alternatives, for systemic change.” Systemic Alternatives. June 25, 2018. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://systemicalternatives.org/2018/07/04/movements-around-systemic-alternatives-for-systemic-change/
  4. Fund Action Donors Pack. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://fundaction.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/FundAction-Donors-Pack-Ultimate_compressed.pdf
  5.  “About.” FundAction. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://fundaction.eu/about/
  6. “Stichting FundAction.” KVK foundation search. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://www.kvk.nl/zoeken/
  7. “Partners.” Institute for Political Ecology. Accessed November 6, 2024. http://ipe.hr/en/
  8. “About IPE.” Institute for Political Ecology. Accessed November 6, 2024. http://ipe.hr/en/ipe/about-ipe/
  9. “Radical Funding.” Guerrilla Foundation. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://guerrillafoundation.org/donor-engagement/
  10. Jake Hayman. “Extinction Rebellion Closes In On The Mainstream.” Fobes. March 5, 2019. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jakehayman/2019/03/05/extinction-rebellion/#351f8e153d02
  11. “FundAction joined EDGE Funders Alliance.” FundAction. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://fundaction.eu/fundaction-joined-edge-funders-alliance/
  12. “Who We Are.” EDGE Funders Alliance – About. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://www.edgefunders.org/about-us/
  13. “FAQS.” FundAction – About. Accessed November 5, 2024. https://fundaction.eu/about/
  14. “Governance and structure.” FundAction – About. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://fundaction.eu/about/
  15. “Meet the Current Facilitation Group.” Accessed November 6, 2024. https://fundaction.eu/meet-the-current-facilitation-group/
  16. LinkedIn – Milena Abrahamyan. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/milena-abrahamyan-a1994044/
  17. “Milena Abrahamyan.” Atlantic Fellows. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://afsee.atlanticfellows.lse.ac.uk/en-gb/fellows/2018/milena-abrahamyan
  18. Evan Toshimoto. “Samia Hathroubi on interfaith bridging between Muslim and Jewish communities in Europe.” Democracy & Belonging Forum. June 29, 2024. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://www.democracyandbelongingforum.org/forum-blog/samia-hathroubi-on-interfaith-bridging-between-muslim-and-jewish-communities
  19. “How does FundAction Work?” Medium. February 15, 2018. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://medium.com/@FundAction/how-does-fundaction-work-91f6938fd462
  20. “Nicolas Haeringer.” Resilience. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://www.resilience.org/resilience-author/nicolas-haeringer/
  21. LinkedIn – Nicolas Haeringer. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolas-haeringer-7a500048/
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