Origins and evolutions of the Adessium Foundation

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

Adessium Foundation is a private and independent grant making foundation, based in the Netherlands. It aspires to a society that encourages ...

Source: https://en.fondazionelangitalia.it/2017/11/29/origins-and-evolutions-of-the-adessium-foundation-from-the-inspiration-of-a-family-to-an-impactful-foundation/

Funding Details

Funder

Adessium Foundation

Funding Goal

Support environmental and social change through proactive multi-year partnerships, with plastic pollution reduction as a historical and ongoing priority

Funding Amount

Annual grant-making of EUR 15-20 million distributed to approximately 98 organisations; individual grant amounts not publicly disclosed

Deadline

rolling (Rolling)

How to Apply

No open call process. Adessium Foundation proactively identifies and approaches potential grantees. Organisations may make initial unsolicited contact at info@adessium.org, but the foundation does not commit to reviewing all enquiries. Partnership discussions are initiated by the foundation. Financial support is typically combined with strategic advice and network access.

Target Region

Primary: Netherlands and Europe (47% of grants in Netherlands). Secondary: Global — plastic pollution systems change and advocacy

Contact

Postbus 76, 2810 AB Reeuwijk, Netherlands; +31 182 646100; info@adessium.org

Official Page

https://en.fondazionelangitalia.it/2017/11/29/origins-and-evolutions-of-the-adessium-foundation-from

Last Checked

2026-03-15 13:28

Application Checklist

Project Scope

• Plastic pollution is a sustained priority since 2010

Required Documents

• For current programme information visit adessium.org directly

Constraints

• No open calls — proactive selection model only
• Source URL is a 2017 article about foundation history, not a current grant call
• Geographic priority is Netherlands and Europe

Summary

The Adessium Foundation is a Dutch private philanthropic foundation established in 2005 by the Van Vliet family, with an evolutionary, proactive approach to grant-making. It is among the largest endowed foundations in the Netherlands, with annual distributions of EUR 15-20 million to approximately 98 organisations, supported by a team of around 15 professionals. The foundation organises its philanthropy around three programme areas. The Informed Society programme supports accessible information and investigative journalism, particularly cross-border European investigative reporting. The Nature and Living Environment programme addresses environmental challenges, with plastic pollution as a sustained priority since approximately 2010. The Solidarity and Just Society programme focuses on poverty reduction and equal opportunities. For environment work, Adessium takes a full plastic lifecycle approach: funding research and campaigns to reduce harmful plastics such as microbeads and single-use items, supporting circularity through reuse and recycling principles, and improving waste management and cleanup practices. Historically, Adessium has been an important infrastructure funder in the global plastic pollution movement. It co-founded the Plastic Solutions Fund as a pooled grant mechanism for the sector, and its support has contributed to establishing global advocacy networks including the Zero Waste Movement. The foundation's approach tends toward systemic change — funding advocacy, research, and coalition building — rather than direct operational projects. Adessium's grant-making model is entirely proactive and relationship-based. It does not issue open calls or accept unsolicited grant applications. The foundation identifies potential grantees strategically and approaches them. Multi-year support (90% of grants) and a combination of financial and strategic support are standard. While the primary geographic focus is the Netherlands and Europe, global partnerships on plastic pollution advocacy are part of the portfolio. This source URL is an article about the foundation's origins and evolution published by Fondazione Langi Italia in 2017, providing background context on the Van Vliet family's philanthropic approach and the foundation's development from 2005 to 2017.

Historical Context

Founded 2005 by Van Vliet family with evolutionary approach to focus areas. Co-founded Plastic Solutions Fund (pooled mechanism, invitation-only). First professional staff 2007. Rogier van der Weerd is Managing Director. This entry is based on a 2017 article; for current programme details, visit adessium.org.

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