Empowers youth through social initiatives and innovative solutions.
The Schöpflin Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization based in Lörrach, Germany. Established in 2001 by Hans Schöpflin and his siblings, it focuses on empowering young people and future generations to create self-reliant lives. The foundation operates through three main program areas: Economy & Democracy, Learning & Participation, and Backbone & Relations. It supports initiatives that promote critical thinking, vibrant democracy, and a diverse society. The foundation uses social venture capital to enable experiments and facilitate their dissemination in civil society. While specific financial details are not publicly disclosed, the Schöpflin Foundation provides grants to organizations and initiatives across Europe that offer innovative solutions to major social challenges. They aim for long-term support to ensure sustainable impact. The foundation does not typically accept unsolicited grant applications, instead identifying grantees autonomously. They look for projects that align with their mission of strengthening critical awareness, democracy, and societal diversity. Recent grantees include the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), which fights for human rights through legal means, and the Social Entrepreneurship Network Germany (SEND), which represents social entrepreneurs in Germany. The foundation also supports initiatives in non-profit journalism and rapid response grants for innovative ideas.