Foundation leaders discuss legitimacy

From 27 to 28 September the EFC and the Wellcome Trust convened 35 foundation leaders at the Trust in London to discuss European foundations’ legitimacy, and how to deal with the inevitable scrutiny that can be expected for organisations that work in the public space. The main message taken away from the two days was that each foundation has a responsibility to do their job well: with a clear mission and vision that is revisited regularly; strong and transparent financial stewardship; good governance that distinguishes between the executive and non-executive functions; and high quality staff that catalyse as well as fund.

It was agreed that these characteristics, when clearly communicated and implemented with integrity, strategic vision and common sense, should reinforce a sense of trust in European foundations’ role as valuable partners in bettering societies. A full report of the event is available here.