Fondation de Luxembourg Marks Record Year in 2024 with €100m in Donations

On Thursday 15 May 2025, the Fondation de Luxembourg published its Annual Report 2024, reporting a new record in philanthropic giving with a strong focus on education and climate action.

According to the Fondation de Luxembourg, the organisation reached what it described as an “impressive milestone” by distributing nearly €100 million in cumulative charitable donations, marking what it called a “pivotal moment” in its philanthropic efforts. This development reflects growing support, particularly in Europe, and a strong focus on priority areas such as education (with an 88% increase in donations for educational projects) and the launch of the “Fondation pour le Climat.”

The Fondation de Luxembourg reported that, in 2024, it distributed €11.2 million to charitable projects, describing this as an “unprecedented” amount that reflects a “remarkable surge in generosity” from its donors. With these contributions, the total amount channelled to supported projects since the organisation’s creation reached nearly €100 million by the end of the year. The Fondation stated that these figures highlight its continued efforts to “facilitate philanthropic giving to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges.”

Following the celebration of its fifteenth anniversary at the start of 2024, the Fondation de Luxembourg expanded its reach by welcoming seven new foundations under its umbrella. This brought the total number to 119 by year-end (120 as of January 2025). These newly affiliated individual and corporate foundations contributed to over 340 projects across the Fondation’s five focus areas: education, health, poverty, climate change and culture.

Fondation de Luxembourg President, Henri Grethen, highlighted the generosity and long-term commitment of donors, stating: “The remarkable growth witnessed throughout the Fondation de Luxembourg’s journey, especially in 2024, stands in stark contrast to global projections of declining support for humanitarian causes. In an era of escalating global challenges and growing need, this momentum is not only encouraging – it is vital. We are deeply grateful to our founders for their unwavering commitment, which drives meaningful change through charitable initiatives worldwide.”

In 2024, the Fondation de Luxembourg recorded its highest increase in contributions for educational initiatives, with €3.5 million allocated - an 88% rise compared to the previous year. Supported projects ranged from science and technology programmes for youth in Luxembourg to multi-year efforts providing education for Afghan refugee children in Pakistan.

The foundation also reported a steady increase in support for climate and biodiversity-related initiatives, which accounted for 5% of outgoing project support in 2024, up from 3.3% the year before. As part of this focus, the Fondation pour le Climat was established in April 2024 to connect corporate donors with local research institutions and non-profits working on climate-related challenges.

While maintaining a strong presence in Luxembourg, the Fondation de Luxembourg continued to facilitate philanthropic giving globally. Of all supported projects, 74% were implemented in Europe (including Ukraine), with 43% directed specifically to Luxembourg. The remainder was distributed across Asia and the Middle East (12%), Africa (10%) and the Americas and Oceania (4%).

Tonika Hirdman, Director General of the Fondation de Luxembourg, highlighted the cross-border dimension of modern philanthropy, stating: "In today’s globalised world, modern philanthropy transcends borders, mobilising resources and compassion to tackle the most pressing global challenges. From our strategic position in the Grand Duchy, the Fondation de Luxembourg is proud to serve as a trusted and effective partner, enabling our international network of philanthropists to make meaningful, cross-border contributions to causes that matter.”

The Fondation de Luxembourg reported that 60% of its donors are residents of Luxembourg, with a further 20% coming from the Greater Region. The remaining contributors are based in countries including Portugal, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Italy, South Africa, Finland and Denmark.