Quality, innovation, accessibility and more
Our donor-advised funds dedicated to higher education are mobilizing to help students and institutions. They focus on two main fronts: making higher education more accessible through scholarships for students in financial need, and helping educational institutions develop by funding campus improvements (renovations, new teaching tools, etc.) and pedagogical innovations. They committed a total of over 11 million euros in 2020 through their combined alumni networks, as well as through numerous partner enterprises.
Bringing together diverse talents
Donor-advised funds like these are on the increase. Whereas management schools like Essec and Audencia were the first to use this philanthropic tool, now all kinds of institutions are creating funds, from schools of gastronomy (Fondation Gilles et Gérard Pellisson, who assist the Institut Paul Bocuse), to engineering schools (Fondation Georges Besse), to fashion institutes (Fondation de l’Institut Français de la Mode). Today Fondation de France has close to 40 donor-advised funds that are dedicated to higher education.
Created by individuals or businesses, these donor-advised funds offer scholarships that allow students without sufficient financial resources to pursue their studies. For example, every year the Fondation Vallet helps young French, Beninese and Vietnamese students – 50,000 scholarships have been awarded since the fund was created in 1999! The Fondation des Territoires aux Grandes Écoles brings individuals and businesses together to grant merit scholarships, giving talented high school students from rural areas access to quality higher education.
Taking on the health crisis
The Covid-19 crisis has shown a harsh spotlight on the issues facing students in need. To cope with this emergency, higher education institutions have been able to rely on their donor-advised funds, which have actively offered food and financial and psychological support, among other types of assistance. For example, at the Fondation emlyon business school, a wide network of alumni, parents and partners are working together to help some 300 students. The school has also organized health seminars and set up a psychological support unit that includes online support groups, help lines available 24/7 and assistance for students with disabilities.
