FundAction is a foundation registered in Amsterdam at Delflandlaan 1, operating as a Dutch stichting with Chamber of Commerce number 87266652. Established around 2021, it emerged to address frustrations with traditional funding models that burden frontline activists with bureaucracy and competition. Its core aim is to transfer control from large funders to grassroots groups, providing flexible resources without heavy reporting demands.
The organization manages a pooled fund where donors contribute euros that are then democratically allocated by movement representatives. In 2023, it disbursed over 1.5 million euros to 120 initiatives across 35 countries, focusing on Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Grants typically range from 5,000 to 50,000 euros, supporting rapid-response needs like legal aid or equipment rather than multi-year projects.
Current efforts include funding Ukrainian groups resisting occupation since 2022, with 200,000 euros aiding documentation of war crimes and community kitchens. In Palestine, it backs networks monitoring settler violence and providing medical supplies amid conflict. Other examples cover climate defenders in Italy blocking fossil fuel infrastructure and migrant rights campaigns in Greece.
FundAction convenes twice-yearly assemblies where 40 elected delegates from social movements vote on distributions, ensuring decisions reflect on-the-ground priorities. Governed by a board and supervisory board, it maintains ANBI status for tax benefits, emphasizing low overheads—under 10 percent of funds go to administration. This setup has drawn progressive donors seeking alternatives to siloed philanthropy, though it navigates tensions between donor expectations and activist autonomy.