Stiftungsnetzwerk Ruhr: the Ruhr Foundations Network

By working together, foundations can strengthen social cohesion in their city and region even more successfuly, especially in the densely populated Ruhr metropolitan area. This is the underlying idea of the Ruhr Foundations Network (Stiftungsnetzwerk Ruhr, SNR), whose steering committee members include the Wilo-Foundation.

Europe

Germany

Ruhr area

Funding period: 2018-2025

The Network was launched in 2016 in Essen in a joint decision by about 50 foundations from the Ruhr region. Since then, it has been the central platform for foundations from the region for exchanging experience and knowledge, forging networks and starting common initiatives. In addition to its own website (www.stiftungsnetzwerk.ruhr), which the Wilo-Foundation supported during the first three years when the website was first set up, there are annual meetings at different locations within the Ruhr area. During these meetings, which since 2019 have also been supported by the Wilo-Foundation, members exhange views and experiences on current initiatives and developments that are relevant for foundations.

Aufnahme zweier neuer Mitglieder in das Stiftungsnetzwerk durch Evi Hoch (Vorstandsmitglied der Wilo-Foundation und Lenkungskreismitglied im Stiftungsnetzwerk Ruhr) — Evi Hoch (board member of the Wilo-Foundation and steering committee member of the Ruhr Foundation Network) welcomes two new members: the Brost Foundation and the RWE Foundation
in the foundation network. Photo: Ehrenamt Agentur Essen e. V., Essen, Stiftungsnetzwerk Ruhr, Credit: Sven Lorenz

David Höltgen from the Wilo-Foundation moderated the panel discussion "More educational justice succeeds through cooperation" in 2024. Photo: Ehrenamt Agentur Essen e. V., Essen, Stiftungsnetzwerk Ruhr, Credit: Sven Lorenz

Today, representatives of the following organisations make up the SNR steering committee: E.ON-Stiftung, GLS Treuhand e.V., Haniel Stiftung, RAG-Stiftung, RVR Ruhr, Stifterverband, Wilo-Foundation. The network also receives funding from the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation and the KORTE Stiftung.

Förderpott.Ruhr

The Förderpott.Ruhr (Ruhr Promotion Fund) is a promotion fund for the entire Ruhr area launched by the Ruhr Foundations Network. Its aim is to provide targeted and unbureaucratic financial support to committed individuals and their organisations and in this way help them to realise their projects and initiatives. Under the motto “living together in the neighbourhood”, the fund supports ideas from different areas of life: sports and exercise, education, food and nutrition, health, integration, culture, mobility, nature, environment and social affairs. The underlying idea is to strengthen the self-organising capacity of districts and to stabilise committed civil society actors. Twice a year, a jury reviews the applications and awards prizes of between 500 and 5,000 euros to successful initiatives that benefit communities in the Ruhr area. The “Förderpott.Ruhr” was launched in 2019 and is now being supported financially by 14 foundations. The plan is for the fund to be expanded further and become the central support instrument for committed civil society actors in the town and city districts of the Ruhr area. The envisaged goal is to provide funding of at least 100,000 euros per year.

Foto Header: Ehrenamt Agentur Essen e. V., Essen, Stiftungsnetzwerk Ruhr, Credit: Sven Lorenz

Our funding partner

The association Ehrenamt Agentur Essen e.V., Essen, is an independent and multi-stakeholder partner for all generations, companies, institutions, associations and initiatives as well as for all topics and forms of citizen engagement in Essen. Above all, the association wants to be a point of contact for all people in Essen who want to get involved or are looking for voluntary support.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

The UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) forms the global framework for action for socially, economically and ecologically sustainable development. Our funding commitment also supports these sustainability goals. With this project, we are making a contribution to achieving the following SDGs:

What are the SDGs?