Entitled “Denken Fördern: Thinktanks als Instrumente wirkungsvoller Stiftungsarbeit” (“Fostering thought: Think tanks as instruments for effective foundation work”) this joint initiative of EFC member the Vodafone Stiftung and the Association of German Foundations (Bundesverband Deutscher Stiftungen) explores the work of German foundations funding think-tanks or acting as think-tanks themselves and seeks to contribute to the ongoing sector-wide debate on how foundations can maximise their impact and effectiveness.

Offering recommendations on how foundations can best support the work of think-tanks as drivers for social change and vital intermediaries in democratic society, the study notes that long term rather than short term project related funding is one key advantages that foundations can offer think-tanks.  In addition, it is suggested that foundations are well placed to provide significant support to think-tanks via non-financial resources, such as access to contact networks, organisational know-how, and personnel.

Although dealing with the work of German foundations in the area of think-tank activities and funding, the report nonetheless sets this in its international context and in particular draws comparisons between German think-tanks and their counterparts in the USA and UK.

The study is available to download: www.stiftungen.org/thinktank

The accompanying press release can be found here.