NILO FOUNDATION
WHAT WE DO
At NILO Foundation, we strive for a flourishing and resilient society.
Set up in 2021, we partner with charities that offer regenerative solutions to complex world issues, with a strong focus on developing inner potential, building community and transitioning towards a just and sustainable economy.
HOW WE WORK
We proactively look for social leaders that align with our mission and values and build close ties with them.
In addition to evergreen funding, we accompany our partners throughout and provide strategic support in a range of areas, including networking opportunities and fundraising. This approach is designed to encourage them to tackle issues in a bold and innovative way, and to enhance their organisational resilience and impact.
OUR VALUES
SUPPORTING
SYSTEMS-CHANGE
We adopt a systemic view of a problem by conducting in-depth research and connecting with experts and people at the heart of it. We then build a portfolio of partners among frontline charities, advocacy groups and think-tanks, with the aim of acting on different levers of the ecosystem.
ENCOURAGING COLLABORATION
Our high-level viewpoint as a funder working in different regions of the world gives us access to a rich ecosystem of philanthropic initiatives. We regularly exchange with peers to explore opportunities for co-learning and co-action, and we encourage our partners to convene regularly.
LEARNING
AND REFLECTING
A core element of our approach is to experiment, reflect, and iterate. We aim to draw upon many traditions of philanthropy, thoughtfully using theories and schools of thought that feel most appropriate to the given context and issue, and regularly reviewing our posture and methods as a funder.
WHAT WE FUND
We fund a range of thematics at the crossing of humanity and planet with a strong focus on connection and resilience. We look for underfunded and neglected, yet urgent and structural issues.
Just and Sustainable Transition
Whether we look at ecological breakdowns, rising precarity, social dislocation and collective anxiety, our era is defined by complex global challenges that appear eminently pervasive and intricate.
What we need is nothing short of a paradigm shift. We urgently need to move away from extractive economies, and short-term, siloed and individualist thinking. We need to move towards regenerative models that prioritise the wellbeing of all and preserve our natural ecosystems.
A myriad of civil society initiatives have emerged in response to the polycrisis the world is wrestling with. Often working at the intersection of themes such as food systems, climate mitigation or biodiversity, they base their efforts on values of resilience, circularity, mutualisation, ecological sobriety and participative democracy.
We are currently supporting this movement by partnering with ecosystems of territorial transition in France.
Social and Emotional Learning
Our vision of education is one where every child feels taken on a journey of growth of mind and heart, in line with its aspirations, capabilities and needs. Where education systems help build the key skills of tomorrow.
Myriads of studies have demonstrated that developing emotional and social skills such as self-esteem, emotional regulation, and cooperation and communication skills not only increases wellbeing in children, it is also foundational to academic attainment. It helps reduce the educational gap, ensuring greater economic opportunities further down the line, and promoting greater tolerance and inclusivity. Without these qualities, young people will lack the ability to thrive and engage in a much needed transition to a more just and sustainable society.
We are supporting organisations acting at different levels of education systems to promote whole-child learning. They either work to disseminate research and good practice, or they train and support teachers in their continuous development.
Get in Touch
If you want to discuss, bounce off ideas, or understand better our grant-making strategy, fill up the form or send us an email at info@nilofoundation.org.
Please note that due to the nature of our work and our proactive sourcing of partners, we do not consider uninvited funding proposals.