Swiss Re Foundation

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

We support efforts to strengthen societal resilience in countries where we operate and in targeted developing regions.

Source: https://www.swissre.com/foundation/

Funding Details

Funder

Swiss Re Foundation

Funding Goal

Strengthen societal resilience by advancing innovative solutions to climate and health challenges in low- and middle-income countries, supporting entrepreneurial solutions from seed to growth stage, improving system efficiency, and engaging local charities near Swiss Re locations.

Funding Amount

CHF 8.128 million total grants approved in 2025; 68 active projects. E4R program offers CHF 300,000 split among 6-8 candidates and CHF 800,000 split among 3-4 finalists over two years. Grants, recoverable grants and forgivable loans available. (up to 800.000 €)

Deadline

Annual open calls for Entrepreneurs for Resilience, Shine, and Charity of the Year are announced at different times each year with specific deadlines. (Rolling)

How to Apply

Most partners are selected through a strategic process based on recommendations from ecosystem partners. Selected applicants must present a concept note, which is reviewed by the Foundation team. Only those passing this screening are invited to submit a full project proposal. Three flagship initiatives have annual open calls: Entrepreneurs for Resilience (E4R), Shine, and Charity of the Year — each announced with detailed eligibility criteria, instructions and submission deadlines on the website and social media. For E4R, the top 6-8 candidates receive technical assistance and CHF 300,000 in grants split among them; the 3-4 finalists receive up to CHF 800,000 in grants/recoverable grants/forgivable loans over two years.

Target Region

Global, with focus on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and Swiss Re office locations worldwide

Contact

Contact form available at https://www.swissrefoundation.org/contact-us. Head of Swiss Re Foundation: Stefan Huber Fux.

Official Page

https://www.swissrefoundation.org/

Last Checked

2026-03-11 19:27

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Project must target low-income populations and fall within one of the focus areas: Access to Health, Nature-based Solutions, or Disaster Risk Reduction
• Applicants must operate in low- and middle-income countries (World Bank classification) or near Swiss Re office locations
• Documented track record of executing similar projects and demonstrated organizational capacity
• Must demonstrate substantial, measurable social and/or environmental impact

Required Documents

• Clear and transparent financial record of organizational income and expenditure required
• Concept note required for initial screening; full project proposal only upon invitation

Constraints

• Must comply with legal frameworks of operating countries and be eligible to receive funding from a Swiss NGO
• No support for political/religious causes, animal welfare (except biodiversity), sports, media, marketing, events, or individual study/scholarships

Summary

The Swiss Re Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Swiss Re, one of the world's leading reinsurance companies. It focuses on building societal resilience through two main areas: climate solutions (including disaster risk reduction and nature-based solutions) and access to health. The Foundation targets low-income communities in low- and middle-income countries, offering grant funding, recoverable grants, forgivable loans, and technical assistance to social enterprises and NGOs. The Foundation operates at three levels: supporting entrepreneurial solutions (through flagship programs like Entrepreneurs for Resilience and Shine), backing system efficiency initiatives, and supporting local charities near Swiss Re offices. In 2025, it approved CHF 8.128 million across 68 active projects. The Entrepreneurs for Resilience program provides up to CHF 300,000 for top candidates and up to CHF 800,000 for finalists, along with technical assistance from Swiss Re experts. Partners are primarily selected through a strategic sourcing process, though annual open calls exist for the E4R, Shine, and Charity of the Year programs. Applicants must demonstrate measurable social or environmental impact, a solid organizational track record, and operate in World Bank-classified LMICs. The Foundation does not support political/religious causes, animal welfare (except biodiversity-related), sports, media, marketing initiatives, events, or individual scholarships. Climate solutions projects include coastal resilience, nature-based solutions, disaster risk financing, and biodiversity protection — with notable projects supporting marine and coastal enterprises.

Historical Context

The Foundation has been operating for over 10 years. In the 2025-2027 strategy cycle, it aims to foster resilience of 2 million people in low-income communities. In 2025, it approved CHF 8.128 million in total grants across 68 active projects, protected 17,025 km² of environmental zones, and saved 67,766 tCO2 emissions since 2022. 35% of Swiss Re employees volunteered in 2025, contributing 47,249 hours. The Foundation announced an Expression of Interest for Urban Nature-based Solutions in LMICs in November 2025.

Sources

• https://www.swissre.com/foundation/
• https://www.swissrefoundation.org/
• https://www.swissrefoundation.org/who-we-partner-with/How-to-partner-with-us-.html
• https://www.swissrefoundation.org/what-we-do/strategy.html
• https://www.swissrefoundation.org/who-we-partner-with/Entrepreneurial-solutions/Entrepreneurs-for-Resilience.html
• https://www.swissrefoundation.org/what-we-do/projects/Climate-solutions.html

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