Adessium Foundation - Circular Economy and Sustainable Living

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Enriched Foundation · Found: 2026-03-11 13:08

Supports organizations working for healthy ecosystems, circular economy, and sustainable living. Philanthropic approach to natural climate solutions and sufficiency-based circular economy.

Source: https://www.adessium.org

Funding Details

Funder: Adessium Foundation
Funding Goal: Support nature and environment initiatives, including plastic pollution reduction, through proactive multi-year partnerships with selected organisations
Funding Amount: Total annual grant-making: EUR 15-20 million distributed to approximately 98 organisations; individual grant amounts not publicly disclosed; multi-year support is standard
Deadline: rolling (Rolling)
How to Apply: Adessium Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications. The foundation proactively identifies and approaches potential grantees. Organisations may make initial contact via info@adessium.org or by post. The foundation emphasises long-term partnerships and combines financial support with strategic advice and network access. 90% of funding is multi-year.
Target Region: Primary: Netherlands and Europe (47% of grants in Netherlands). Secondary: Global partnerships for advocacy and systems change on plastic pollution
Contact: Postbus 76, 2810 AB Reeuwijk, Netherlands; +31 182 646100; info@adessium.org
Last Checked: 2026-03-15 13:26

Application Checklist

Project Scope

Organisation must align with Nature and Living Environment programme area for plastic/environment work
Multi-year partnership model; single-year project grants are rare

Required Documents

Initial contact possible via info@adessium.org but does not guarantee review

Constraints

Adessium does NOT accept unsolicited applications — proactive selection model only
Primary geographic focus is Netherlands and Europe

Summary

The Adessium Foundation is a Dutch private philanthropic foundation established in 2005 by the Van Vliet family. It is among the largest endowed foundations in the Netherlands, with annual grant-making of EUR 15-20 million distributed to approximately 98 organisations. The foundation employs approximately 15 professional staff and takes an active, strategic approach to its philanthropy. Adessium organises its grant-making around three programme areas. The Informed Society programme supports media, investigative journalism, and information access. The Nature and Living Environment programme addresses environmental challenges including plastic pollution, biodiversity, and sustainable food systems. The Solidarity and Just Society programme focuses on poverty reduction and equal opportunities. For the environment programme, plastic pollution has been a priority focus since approximately 2010, with the foundation taking a full-lifecycle approach covering reduction of harmful plastics, circularity through reuse and recycling, and cleanup and waste management. Notably, Adessium Foundation co-founded the Plastic Solutions Fund as a pooled funding mechanism and has contributed to building global movements including the Zero Waste Movement. The foundation has historically funded advocacy, research, and systems change work related to plastic pollution rather than operational field-level collection or recycling projects directly. Adessium operates exclusively through proactive grantee selection. The foundation identifies organisations it wishes to support and approaches them; it does not accept or review unsolicited grant applications. Approximately 90% of its funding takes the form of multi-year support, reflecting the foundation's commitment to long-term partnerships. The foundation combines financial support with strategic advice and access to its network. Geographic focus is primarily Netherlands and Europe, though global partnerships on plastic pollution advocacy are part of the portfolio.

Historical Context

Foundation established 2005 by Van Vliet family. Annual grants grew to EUR 15-20 million range by 2020s. Co-founded Plastic Solutions Fund (invitation-only pooled mechanism). First professional staff hired 2007. Rogier van der Weerd serves as Managing Director. Foundation proactively selected rather than reacting to applications since inception.

Why it was added

Dutch foundation with explicit circular economy program focus

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