Interview: Adessium Foundation - Alliance magazine

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Enriched family-office · Found: 2026-03-11 08:10

Today, it spends approximately €18 million annually on programmes including marine conservation and efforts to promote open and democratic ...

Source: https://www.alliancemagazine.org/interview/interview-adessium-foundation/

Funding Details

Funder: Adessium Foundation
Funding Goal: To support civil society organizations advancing an open, fair, and sustainable society across three program areas: Healthy Ecosystems, Informed Society, and Equal Opportunities.
Funding Amount: Approximately €16.6 million distributed annually across ~98 organizations (average ~€170,000 per grantee). 90% of grants are multi-year commitments.
How to Apply: Adessium does not accept unsolicited proposals. Program managers proactively identify and approach civil society organizations. Once invited, the process has six stages: (1) Introduction meetings and potential site visits, (2) Concept note submission, (3) Full application, (4) Due diligence on charitable status and governance, (5) Grant agreement, (6) Ongoing monitoring and support.
Target Region: Netherlands and Europe
Contact: Phone: +31 182 646 100, Email: info@adessium.org, Address: Postbus 76, 2810 AB Reeuwijk, Netherlands
Official Page: https://www.adessium.org/en/our-approach/
Last Checked: 2026-03-11 22:03

Application Checklist

Eligibility

Organization must be proactively identified and invited by Adessium — unsolicited proposals are not accepted
Must be a civil society organization operating in the Netherlands or Europe
Must have charitable status and demonstrate sound governance and financial management

Project Scope

Work must align with one of three program areas: Healthy Ecosystems, Informed Society, or Equal Opportunities

Required Documents

Must submit concept note followed by full application if invited
Must pass due diligence review of charitable status, governance standards, and financial management

Constraints

Grants are primarily multi-year commitments with ongoing monitoring and reporting requirements

Summary

Adessium Foundation is a Dutch family foundation established in 2005 by Gerard van Vliet after the sale of his commodity trading company. It distributes approximately €16.6 million annually (€18 million historically) across 98 supported organizations, with 90% of funding provided as multi-year commitments. The foundation focuses on three program areas: Healthy Ecosystems (environmental and marine conservation), Informed Society (investigative journalism, digital rights, democratic participation), and Equal Opportunities (social equity and marginalized communities). The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Instead, program managers proactively identify and approach civil society organizations that align with their strategic priorities. Once invited, organizations go through a six-stage process: introduction, concept note review, full application, due diligence, grant agreement, and ongoing monitoring. Geographic focus is on the Netherlands (47% of donations) and Europe, with some international work. Adessium has been instrumental in establishing UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 (ocean conservation) and supported major investigative journalism projects like the Panama and Paradise Papers. Their grantees in the environmental space include organizations like Med Sea Alliance (Mediterranean marine conservation), Marilles Foundation (Balearic Sea), and Global Fishing Watch (ocean transparency). The foundation prioritizes long-term structural change, constructive partnerships based on mutual trust, and flexibility to adapt plans as opportunities arise.

Historical Context

Founded in 2005 by Dutch commodities trader Gerard van Vliet and family after the 2002 sale of his trading company. Professional staff hired from 2007. The foundation contributed to establishing UN SDG 14 and supported ICIJ's Panama and Paradise Papers investigations. Annual disbursements have been approximately €16-18 million in recent years across ~98 organizations.

Sources

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