About the Foundation
A private philanthropic institution investing in humanity's future through patient, long-term commitments across governance, education, global development, and the arts.
Founded by Nicolas Berggruen, the Nicolas Berggruen Foundation is dedicated to addressing the most consequential challenges facing humanity through patient, long-term investment in ideas, institutions, and individuals. Our work is grounded in the conviction that the most enduring change comes from building — and sustaining — institutions that can outlast the individuals who shape them.
Nicolas Berggruen is a businessman and philanthropist who founded the Berggruen Institute in 2010 to develop ideas that shape political, economic, and social institutions for the 21st century. A signatory of the Giving Pledge since 2010, Mr. Berggruen has committed the majority of his wealth to philanthropy, with the Foundation serving as the vehicle for that commitment.
The Foundation pursues philanthropy not as charity, but as institutional investment. We support universities, think tanks, museums, and civil society organisations whose work will compound over decades. We support individual scholars and fellows whose research will reshape the questions our societies ask.
Most of our grants are multi-year, often renewable. We believe that institutions need stability to take intellectual risks, and that the most important questions cannot be answered on annual reporting cycles.
Our work spans six continents. In each region, we partner with local institutions and individuals who understand their context better than we ever could. The Foundation provides resources, convening power, and connection — not direction.
We support inquiry without dictating conclusions. The scholars, institutions, and communities we fund pursue their own questions in their own ways, and we measure success by the quality and durability of the work — not by alignment with any particular view.
This Onboarding Application Collection Portal is the secure, authenticated channel through which the Foundation receives application details from invited grant recipients, partner institutions, and verified collaborators. Access is granted exclusively through personalised links issued by Foundation administrators.
NICOLAS BERGGRUEN