Our Purpose & Operating Model
In fast changing times, with Europe facing increasingly complex social challenges, strategic collaboration through pooled funding is even more relevant for foundations.
Pooling funds- pooling strengths
Rationally designed, pooled funding maximizes funding for an issue. It also yields additional benefits. By joining a pooled fund, foundations can explore new issues. They minimize the risks (or investment required) to venture into unchartered territories.
By pooling their strengths and social capital, foundations also improve their knowledge on the issue and accelerate the transfer of good practices and innovation. Finally, they build the voice of the philanthropic community on the issue, increasing its influence.
On the other hand, pooled funding can create opportunities for grantees. When processes are streamlined and efficient, they contribute to raise the salience of an issue area and develop field infrastructure.
NEF collaborative projects are open to foundations interested in partnering on issues of interest to increase their impact.
Our operating model / NEF HUB
Under the NEF Hub, collaborative projects receive support from NEF in legal, financial, HR, and administrative matters.
Through the Hub, NEF provides both operational and programmatic support to its projects, while also offering access to a community of practices and projects.
The NEF Hub embodies the values of ‘openness and learning’ and ‘collaboration.’ It fosters a connected community of both projects and practices.
NEF offers a flexible canvas within the parameters of its operational framework.
The collaborative funds/projects grow and develop benefiting from the NEF ecosystem. The collaborative projects adopt the NEF frameworks and contribute to their enrichment.
NEF believes that it contributes to raising the standards of its collaborative projects through operational excellence. NEF takes ownership of the projects hosted by the Hub.
Alignment of a collaborative fund with the NEF Hub
NEF reaffirms a set of principles to guide the discussion around the alignment of a project with the ‘NEF Hub’. These principles are:
- Collaboration: involvement of multiple funders.
- Pan-European: the project operates across multiple countries in Europe.
- Grantmaking at its core: the project aims to mainly operate through grantmaking. The project develops a field building approach (NEF Funding +).
- Values: the project agrees to abide by NEF’s values.
- Domains of action: the project fits with NEF’s existing themes of democracy and social inclusion in Europe and international development.
- Learning: a clear approach and commitment to learning which informs impact.
- Diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI): the project has already adopted a DEI lens or is committed to embarking on a DEI journey.
NEF collaborative projects are about:
Supporting partnership building
NEF functions as a neutral platform - partners on equal footing
NEF identifies and provides structure to project staff
Foundation partners agree on governance
NEF brings its programme management and regranting expertise
Aiming at strengthening a field
NEF funding targets small or under-funded organisations in the civil society sector
NEF strengthens the capacity of organisations by offering tailored support and fostering exchanges
NEF believes in the ‘learning by doing’ approach, and the value of experimentation
NEF fosters synergies and intersections across its projects