The Network of European Foundations, based at Philanthropy House on Rue Royale 94 in Brussels, Belgium, emerged in 1977 from an earlier initiative by Belgian philanthropist Raymond Georis to foster cooperation among foundations. Registered formally in 2002, it operates as a not-for-profit platform where around 13 member foundations, including the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, King Baudouin Foundation, and Open Society Foundations, pool resources for joint projects.
NEF's structure includes a general assembly for approvals, a small back-office team, and steering committees from funding foundations. Over four decades, it has responded to European milestones: post-1989 Berlin Wall fall with East-West bridging efforts; 2004 EU enlargement via civil society initiatives; and recent crises like migration and Brexit through solidarity programs.
Current projects span democracy (European Fund for the Balkans, European AI Fund, Civitates for civic space and journalism); social inclusion (Alliance for Gender Equality, European Programme for Integration and Migration since 2005, TransForm for community care); and international development (Jafowa, PEHRC). Funding from members and donors like Mott, which granted nearly $5 million since 2000, sustains these efforts. NEF emphasizes learning, regranting, and agility amid Europe's evolving challenges.