We build our knowledge base on European philanthropy – in partnership with academics, researchers and experts – by surveying the work of philanthropy organisations, and identifying trends and issues affecting them. Our aims are to help inform Philea members' strategic decision-making; connect them with peers and partners; and demonstrate to a range of stakeholders the impact, diversity and scale of the sector. We then amplify this knowledge by sharing it on our website, via publications and through our social media channels and newsletters.
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Publications
In 2025 we began using the Foleon platform (which you are currently using to browse this Year in Review!) to make a selection of our publications more engaging and interactive. In addition, we continued to maintain a virtual library via the IssueLab platform as a publicly available, fully searchable collection of more than 1,000 free-to-download publications that we curate from a range of sources on philanthropy and foundations.
Climate Change and Philanthropy Infrastructure: Supporting the Ecosystem to Act
The global impact of the climate crisis, increasingly marked by deadly heatwaves, droughts, floods, and other climate-related disasters, endangers all aspects of society, particularly vulnerable groups. This makes philanthropy’s role – not only in achieving climate neutrality, but also in supporting adaptation, resilience, and broader climate action – more and more important.
2025 Democracy Briefer for Funders: What’s Happening to European Democracy and What Funders Can Do About It
It’s a critical time for European democracy, and the stakes are high. The Democracy Briefer for Funders takes an in-depth look at the key indicators of democratic backsliding and the root causes driving it, drawing on a wide body of evidence from published research to offer insights into the current state of democracy and opportunities to seize.
International Philanthropy Commitment on Climate Change: Progress Report 1
Every foundation, regardless of size, geographic location and mission area, has levers to tackle climate change. The International Commitment serves as a lever for internal prioritisation, a framework to support foundations in developing their approach to climate, and a vehicle through which to advocate externally for change. Published by WINGS in partnership with Philea.
The Fabric of Giving 2025: Public-Benefit Foundation Data in Europe
Collecting data on European public-benefit foundations is crucial for understanding the scale and impact of the philanthropy sector in Europe. The Fabric of Giving 2025 report reveals that Europe has 175,000 foundations with assets totalling €516 billion and annual expenditures of €76 billion, highlighting the sector’s significant contribution to societal developments.
100 Climate-Neutral European Cities: Philanthropy’s Role in Ensuring a Just and Fair Transition Through the EU Cities Mission
As the continent with the largest number of registered public-benefit foundations, Europe has a unique, untapped potential in its philanthropy sector. This report outlines 9 recommendations to unlock this potential in supporting the EU Cities Mission.
Bridging Today and Tomorrow: Futures Philanthropy Case Studies
Every day, philanthropy leaders are facing infinite possibilities and, at the same time, the challenge of making strategic choices, often difficult ones. This report showcases how funders and philanthropic networks across Europe are embedding foresight and long-term thinking into their work and programmes.
Philanthropy and Equality: A Framework for Sharing Power and Addressing Inequalities
Many philanthropic organisations are already engaging with issues of equality, power, justice and inclusion in thoughtful and meaningful ways. This framework builds on those efforts, offering a shared space for reflection, alignment and collective progress.
How to Integrate Climate into Your Philanthropic Programmes: What Foundations Need to Know, and Where to Begin
Integrating climate into their programmatic work allows foundations to mitigate growing risks, while unlocking co-benefits that strengthen their mission.
Communicating in a Polarised Environment
How can philanthropy communicators navigate division, misinformation and declining trust? This practical guide equips philanthropy communicators to navigate these challenges.
Telling the story
Our website, newsletters and social media continue to offer the latest news, stories and insights from our membership and the wider philanthropy ecosystem. Throughout the year, our communications work sought to amplify best practices from around our membership to champion philanthropic work; to offer a platform for members to share their views and insights; and to keep our membership and partners up to speed on our latest developments.
Website views
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Opinion Pieces
The Opinion Pieces section of the Philea website continued to represent a critical space for voices from within the sector to share forthright, personal opinions by people who work closely on, and feel passionate about, issues and values connected to philanthropy. The most widely read included:
Knowledge of and for our membership
Throughout 2025, our knowledge work remained shaped by the needs and experiences of our members. We approached each knowledge product with humility about what we still need to learn, and with confidence that shared knowledge helps philanthropy act with greater purpose, responsibility and impact. Our aim was never only to document the sector, but to support it, so that foundations and wider civil society can continue to play a meaningful role in building a fairer and more resilient Europe.
Our aim throughout the year was to support funders in navigating a fast‑changing environment, understanding the pressures shaping Europe, and making informed choices that benefit the communities they serve. Much of what we published reflects this purpose: helping philanthropy gain clarity, act responsibly and anticipate what may lie ahead.
A significant part of our work in 2025 focused on building a clearer and more grounded picture of the European philanthropy landscape. The Fabric of Giving 2025 offered an updated quantitative view of the sector, capturing the number of public-benefit foundations across Europe and providing consolidated figures on their collective assets and spending.
Alongside this statistical portrait, we monitored wider developments shaping philanthropy and interpreted the pressures affecting foundations - from civic space restrictions to political uncertainty and financial strain. We shared these observations continuously with our members and the wider sector through presentations, interviews and public contributions, helping funders situate their own work within a shifting environment. This broader understanding was complemented by our opinion pieces, briefings and reflections on emerging threats, including restrictive legal initiatives in several member states. One such piece, Weathering the Winter Freeze, Searching for Spring, explored how organisations were experiencing these pressures and what they need to remain resilient.
Innovating knowledge products
Practical guidance remained at the heart of our efforts to make knowledge accessible. In 2025 we expanded our collection of how‑to resources, particularly on involving children and young people in philanthropy. Publications such as How to Involve Children Every Step of the Way, Ceding Power to Youth and Putting Youth Agency at the Core of Funders’ Processes and Decision-Making provided concrete tools that organisations could immediately apply. Additional practice‑oriented resources explored organisational development, city futures and community engagement, ensuring that the insights we produce do not remain abstract but can be integrated directly into daily work.
We also continued to document good practice through case studies, including examples of impact investing from Realdania and ERSTE Foundation, reflections on public‑private‑philanthropic partnerships, and pieces such as How Ivrea’s “Living Heritage” is Building the City’s Future from our Cities of Tomorrow work. These resources demonstrate the diversity of approaches already being tried within the sector and offer inspiration for organisations seeking new ways to act.
Sharing knowledge, providing evidence
Our knowledge work aspires to help philanthropic organisations make informed decisions through evidence, comparative insight and connection. In 2025, the questions our members and partners brought to our research service offer a snapshot of what the sector is prioritising and where it is looking for support.
Across 2025, we responded to 114 information requests from 68 different organisations. While the research service is designed primarily for our full members, it also attracts interest from external stakeholders seeking to understand European philanthropy, from potential members and strategic partners to policymakers, media, and academics.
Across the year, our research service supported members in three recurring ways:
- Matchmaker: connecting people and organisations (who is out there, who is similar, who to meet or learn from)
- Best practice library: supplying concrete programmes, case studies and examples that can be adapted
- Framing lab: anchoring strategic conversations about democracy, crisis, climate and equity in curated resources and narratives
Information requests in 2025 indicated a strong and continued demand from members; a clear focus on thematic expertise and operational guidance; and an emerging signal around AI-related questions across different areas of philanthropy.
Building a bridge to tomorrow
Futures and strategic foresight took on a more prominent place in our knowledge agenda. Through case studies such as Bridging Today and Tomorrow and other futures literacy activities, we encouraged funders to think more deliberately about long‑term challenges, rather than only responding to immediate pressures. By connecting present tensions with possible future scenarios, we aim to help organisations develop strategies that are durable, imaginative and better aligned with the complexity of social change.
Our work on cross‑cutting themes developed further during the year. Equality remained an essential focus, supported by the launch of the Philanthropy and Equality Framework in various formats, including an interactive version, a newsletter series and a set of op‑eds. The framework promotes equity‑centred operations, democratic governance, participatory approaches and systems‑oriented thinking.
In parallel, we continued exploring democracy and polarisation, producing the 2025 Democracy Briefer for Funders and the publication Communicating in a Polarised Environment. Our climate work advanced through the International Philanthropy Commitment on Climate Change – Progress Report 1 and the analysis Climate Change and Philanthropy Infrastructure, helping funders reflect on their role in supporting a just transition.
Laying a path forward
Several strands of work launched in 2025 laid the path for what will continue in 2026, including the journalism funding mapping, gender mainstreaming case studies, environmental funders mapping, comparative legal highlights, the forthcoming guide on using EU law to defend civic space, and new guidelines on unrestricted funding. Together, they reflect our commitment to strengthening the sector not only through what we publish today but through the work we prepare for tomorrow.