Let’s build trust in 2025!
Greetings from Pierre Sellal, president of the Fondation de France.
For France, the most memorable event in 2024 was hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games—an event that only comes around every hundred years. But for historians of French politics, 2024 will probably be remembered as the year of four prime ministers, where France spent several months without a fully functioning government—a nearly unprecedented situation. It was also the year we had to face the fact that our public accounts and debt are out of control.
At first glance, patronage and philanthropy, at least as far as the Fondation de France is concerned, have not suffered from the wait-and-see attitude, interrogations and concerns that have come about in this political and economic context.
Trust was plentiful in 2024.
Philanthropy relies on the act of giving, on donations. When a person or company offers their skills, time, money or assets for a public interest project they believe in, they trust that the beneficiary—whether it is an association, hospital or cultural institution—will do what is required to achieve their objective. These relationships of trust between donors and beneficiaries are absolutely essential.
Philanthropy also means trust in the beneficiary’s ability to act. Charity, or benevolence, as it was called in the 19th century, aims to provide relief. Philanthropy, however, is meant to repair, prevent and build, reflecting the conviction that everyone can make an individual contribution to the common good.
But trust is not a given. It must be built and maintained. For an institution like the Fondation de France, building and maintaining trust has several components:
- Transparency: knowing how the donation will be used is important for more than just for tax purposes.
- Effectiveness: translating donations into actions in the public interest. Philanthropy is not charity, nor is it well meaning but ultimately ineffective actions. It’s a profession that requires expertise.
- Compliance: ensuring the donor’s wishes and choices are respected, as long as they are in the public interest.
- Assurance: guaranteeing respect for the donor’s wishes at all times, such as in the case of a legacy. As its very name indicates, this is a top priority for the Fondation de France.
- Responsibility: honouring the obligation and responsibility conferred on the Fondation when a donor trusts us with their selfless gift.
- Accountability: providing an accurate and timely account of how donations have been used.
Strengthened by the renewed trust of its donors, these principles will guide the Fondation de France’s activities and strategies for another year as we strive to inspire more people to philanthropy, strengthened by the conviction that the world is not doomed but can be improved through will and action, altruism and solidarity, the ability to work together and the resulting effectiveness.
The recent outpouring of generosity for the people of Mayotte, who were recently devastated by a violent cyclone, is an eloquent expression of this shared desire.
May 2025 be a year of renewed trust!
A very Happy New Year to everyone.
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