A level-playing field for European foundations is a step closer to becoming a reality with the European Commission’s adoption of a proposed Regulation on a European Foundation Statute on 8 February 2012. In these tough financial times, with increasingly tightened purse strings and every cent scrutinised, it is vital that foundations have the right tools to allow them to leverage their valuable resources.

A European Foundation Statute would reduce the amount spent on needless administration and instead allow the money to be spent furthering foundations’ philanthropic work.

A European Foundation Statute is a vital element in cultivating the right European environment for public-benefit foundations – and the citizens’ initiatives they support – to flourish. A new European legal tool, it would be both additional to existing national legislations and optional, i.e. used by those who need it to expand or start cross-border activities and collaborative ventures. Accessible and tailored to foundations’ needs, this tool would enable them to pool resources and give a European scale to their work, while also reducing costs and legal uncertainties

The Statute has won the backing of the sector – through members of the EFC and the 22 national associations of foundations that make up DAFNE. In addition, the Statute has secured the support of the European Economic and Social Committee in 2010 and the European Parliament in a recent written declaration. Entering the closing straits, the baton is now passed on to national governments and EU decision makers to get the European Foundation Statute across the finishing line. The demand is clear: that national governments and the European Parliament adopt the European Foundation Statute before 2014.

In recent years, social innovation has become a buzz word in the corridors of public-benefit foundations and their partners, and yet the concept is far from new. In fact, social innovation has been around as long as humans have walked the Earth. Just consider the creativity that was harnessed by our forefathers in the Paleolithic era to develop stone tools for hunting and gathering.

Social innovation today takes many forms, from the development of new technologies, such as nanotechnologies, to new production and decision-making processes.   Because of their close links to society and their independence, foundations, particularly those funding research, are well placed to foster new models for improving the lives of citizens. However, as technologies and society as a whole continue to evolve ever more rapidly, the question arises: How can foundations keep up with and facilitate social innovation?

This is the question that will guide discussions at the upcoming European Foundation Centre’s Research Forum, which will take place 9-10 February in Barcelona. Hosted by the “la Caixa” Foundation, the conference will aim to drill down beyond the buzzword and consider some key areas that are driving social innovation forward. One such area is Open Access, which is revolutionising and, some say, democratising access to scientific information. However, this new approach to the dissemination of scientific data and results also opens a Pandora ’s Box of issues such as how to ensure quality and financially sustainable publishing models.

The shift in data ownership and new publishing models will undoubtedly affect how foundations make their funding decisions. It is therefore incumbent on foundations to not only keep abreast of the changing trends in this regard but to be at the forefront of these developments. These questions are pertinent not only to the world of science and research, but also to the wider world. The recent black-out of Wikipedia, the fifth most visited website in the world, pays testament to the larger issue of information sharing and who are and will be the gatekeepers to scientific and other knowledge.

Foundations like to consider themselves innovators, risk takers and independent thinkers, ready to spearhead innovative ideas. The conference aims to really challenge these badges of honour and examine to what extent foundations’ work leads to positive change in people’s lives. It will also look at what proactive steps foundations can take, in partnership with governments and other stakeholders, to ensure that they remain ahead of the game and may wear their social innovation badge with pride.

For more information about the conference, visit:

www.efc.be/researchforumconference2012