About us

An independent and pluralist foundation for the public interest

For over 45 years, the King Baudouin Foundation has been acting for the common good together with numerous partners, experts and donors. Our activities aim to foster sustainable and positive change in society, in Belgium, Europe and around the world.

Thanks to the support we give, we empower organisations and citizens working to create a better society. We accompany philanthropists and donors (individuals, companies, or organisations) wishing to take action for the common good on any continent and in any area of the general interest, notably through our founding membership of the Myriad alliance for borderless giving.

The King Baudouin Foundation has at its disposal its own capital. Its independent governing bodies represent the pluralism of society.

Mission, vision, values

KBF worldwide / Myriad

Annual report

Snapshot

Programmes

Social justice and poverty
Fighting poverty and building social cohesion.
Health
Investing in health and medical research.
Heritage and culture
Safeguarding and ensuring the perpetuity of Belgian heritage.
Local
Strong local connections form the basis for a caring society.
Europe & international
Facilitating international philanthropy and support for actors of change in the Global South.
Education and development of talents
Reinforcing the quality of teaching and supporting talented people.
Democracy
Entrench democracy in a changing world.
Climate, environment and biodiversity
Responding to climate and environmental challenges.

How we work

In each of our programmes, we combine different ways of working so as to maximise our impact on society.

Our working methods

Our toolkit

  • BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER

    Gathering stakeholders to discuss societal topics.

  • CITIZEN MOBILISATION

    Raising public awareness about certain topics to bring about change.

  • ADVOCACY

    Mobilising policy makers on specific topics.

  • FINANCIAL SUPPORT

    Support for organisations and individuals. Societal investment.

  • PROMOTING PHILANTHROPY

    Facilitating philanthropy - via, not for, the Foundation.

  • RESEARCH

    Collecting and disseminating pertinent facts and figures.

Governance

Pluralism and independence are two of the King Baudouin Foundation’s key values. From our Board of Governors to the juries on our calls for projects, the composition of our bodies of governance is always pluralist, reflecting the diversity within society.

Our governing bodies

Finance

Budget and sources of income

With a budget of 203,4 million euros in 2024, the King Baudouin Foundation is the largest public utility foundation in Belgium. Our budget comes from four main sources of finance.

Our sources of income

Financial management

Our financial management is overseen by several bodies. Every year, we publish our accounts and a balance sheet, as well as a financial report.

Bodies responsible for financial governance

Measure impact

We evaluate our activities at various levels, as we also do for the projects and individuals we support. This systematic evaluation enables us to learn from our beneficiaries, to draw lessons for the future and to refine and adapt our approach and working methods.

Our evaluation methods