PIO resources: Advancing collective impact with limited means
Philanthropy infrastructure organisations operate with limited resources. Altogether, Philea’s PIO members employ 237 full-time equivalent staff, with a median team size of 5.75, serving a combined membership of almost 9,000 organisations all over Europe.
The income models of European PIOs are highly diverse, drawing from a broad mix of sources such as membership fees, restricted and unrestricted grants, service sales, public funding and other streams like investment interest or rental income. The composition of these sources varies significantly across organisations: Some rely entirely on membership fees, others primarily on grants or service sales, while many adopt a hybrid approach .
According to the 2025 Philea PIO Benchmark Study, the 25 organisations surveyed plan to spend a combined €34 million in 2025, yet their financial situations vary widely: In 2024, annual incomes ranged from just €16,000 to €7 million, with a median annual income of €820,000. Four PIOs observed income reductions in 2024 of between 6% and 22%, and 1 in 6 changed their funding model in the past two years, seeking greater adaptability and long-term sustainability.
Only 7 out of the 25 surveyed have access to any unrestricted funding, with shares of this type of funding representing from just 2% to a maximum 22% of total income. Most PIOs therefore need to rely heavily on project-based funding, which restricts their ability to plan strategically, respond to emerging needs, or launch long-term or experimental initiatives.
Unrestricted donations and grants (core support)
In the visual below, each pie chart represents a PIO member*. The grey area reflects the organisation’s total income, while the pink segment, where present, indicates the proportion received as unrestricted funding. Only seven members reported receiving any unrestricted support, and even among them, the share remains modest.
While navigating these challenges, PIOs continue to deliver high-impact work. With their small teams, PIOs are managing to convene thousands of actors and weave the fabric of the sector, offering knowledge and support. While they operate in vastly different national contexts, they tailor their services to local needs and contribute to a stronger, more connected European philanthropic landscape. Investing in PIOs through unrestricted funding enables them to build resilient operations, foster long-term partnerships, and drive systemic change, helping philanthropy reach its full potential.
*The visual includes the 19 survey respondents who gave information on sources of income
