BCP is a group of exceptional musicians! They are truly world-class professionals. At every concert, I am blown away anew by their musicality, the subtle communication between players as they perform, and the inspiration I get as an amateur musician myself. I really appreciate being able to attend their concerts closer to home rather than having to trek to a bigger city. This group is an East Bay treasure!

This donation is from the Lorren family and Lorren Brothers in memory of our grandfather, PVT Etha Nettles of the 2nd Infantry division who died August 25th 1944 in the Battle of Gouesnou. Thank you for honoring the soldiers that gave their lives.

Thank you ATA and Craig for screening my short film, From the Same Family: An Intimate View of Globalization when I first moved to S.F., it meant so much to a young filmmaker. I'm happy to contribute, thank you! 

In memory of my great-cousin, Robert John McGrath who was killed in the battle of Gouesnou on August 31, 1944.

Lest we forget.

We thank the town of Gouesnou for an unforgettable inaugoration.


Alexandra and Mark Sirugue-MacLeod.

This is San Francisco to the core. Our Cinematheque is also at risk of going dark. Keep the lights on.

So thankful for this space existing in the city! We need to keep it alive for future generations 

Brining back FADE was Jay's dream. Help us honor our late friend's final wish by donating to this campaign. 

So glad I wandered in that day, changed my life. Long live ATA!

I believe in the power of camp, and especially the work being done at Camp Karabin

Founded in 2006, the Benicia Chamber Players’ mission is to provide a classical chamber music concert series to underserved East Bay areas including Benicia, Lafayette, Piedmont and Vallejo. Our aim is to cultivate a community of local and other world-class professional musicians with a love of playing chamber music who are dedicated to sharing that love with audiences.

Benicia Chamber Players

The City of Gouesnou is building a memorial in tribute to the American Heroes who fell on its territory during the summer of 1944.

The City of Gouesnou is located in Brittany, in the far Western France. In the vicinity of Brest, a port city whose harbour was at the time one of the most important in the country, our city particularly suffered during World War II. On August 7, 1944, the first day of the siege of Brest by the Eighth Army, 43 innocent people were murdered by German troops in the hamlet of Penguérec : this was the largest massacre of civilians perpetrated in Brittany during the War.

During the following days and until the beginning of September 1944, probably more than 210 G.Is belonging to the 2nd and 8th Infantry Divisions of the US Army fell in Gouesnou, in particular during the battles of Bourgneuf-Fourneuf and Kergroas.

**Every year, the City of Gouesnou honor hero soldiers and civilian victims, because here in Gouesnou, we consider that it is our duty to remember the past for the sake of history and transmission, particularly to the youngest generation.** So, the elected officials and residents of Gouesnou, in close collaboration with various associations, the local university and schools, strive to maintain and make accessible to as many people as possible the history of the Second World War, its victims and in particular the soldiers who fought to the point, for some, of losing their lives.

In order to make sure that we never forget and to avoid the recurrence of past tragedies, the City of Gouesnou has been multiplying initiatives : annual tributes to soldiers and victims, financing of historical research, organization of commemorative events for the general public, publication of a comic book.

**In 2025, the year of the 80th anniversary of the Victory, the City of Gouesnou and the local Association Les Amis du Patrimoine has decided to show, in an even stronger way, its respect and gratefulness towards the American soldiers who fell during the summer of 1944 for its Liberation and that of all of France.** Our project which got started last January, involves building a memorial in their honor, representing a life-size G.I., sitting on blocks of stone, holding his rifle in his hands. Behind him stands a monumental doorway symbolizing freedom and transition, the passage from darkness to light, the heavy sacrifice of these men who came from across the Atlantic to drive out the enemy and help us regain our Freedom. This monument will honor the memory of each of these men and will offer their families a true place where to recollect.

**We would like to inscribe the names of all the soldiers who fell in Gouesnou on this memorial. For that purpose we continue to study, with historians, academics and volunteers, all available archives.** We are also fortunate in being helped in our work by members of The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fourndation, a contact made thanks to the American Society of Le Souvenir Français.

The inauguration of the Gouesnou's US Memorial is planned for next November. On this very special day, we hope to see the presence of the soldiers' families, as well as all those who contributed to its achievement.

The City of Gouesnou, Les Amis du Patrimoine and all their partners are proud to presented to the American public as part of a crowdfunding campaign whose purpose it is to supplement the funds provided by the City and French donors. **We would consider it as a great honor if you accepted to support our project (budget : $ 300 000) as it would certainly help us achieve our goal of building a memorial worthy of the American heroes who fell in Gouesnou, back in 1944, fighting for our Freedom.**

Gouesnou US Memorial, in tribute to the American Heroes fallen in August 1944 (France)

Artists' Television Access is an all-volunteer, artist-run, underground and experimental media arts gallery founded in 1984.

Artists’ Television Access is a San Francisco-based, artist-run, non-profit organization that cultivates and promotes culturally-aware, underground media and experimental art. We provide an accessible screening venue and gallery for the presentation of programmed and guest-curated screenings, exhibitions, performances, workshops and events. We believe in fostering a supportive community for the exhibition of innovative art and the exchange of non-conformist ideas.

Artists' Television Access

OPEN DOORS NYC invests in the creativity and leadership of Black and brown wheelchair users. 

**Led by the Reality Poets, OPEN DOORS** **NYC** is a collective of disabled artists, nursing home residents, advocates, and allies. We make art, perform, and host workshops, conversations, and events around community-building and disability justice. We are a fiscally sponsored project of the Center for Transformative Action, an independent 501c3 organization. 

OPEN DOORS NYC

Our Legacy is a nonprofit organization that focuses on serving Ukraine.  It received its nonprofit status in 2012.

We are committed to supporting disciple-making movements in all areas of society! There are 7 major programs that we support:

Sports Discipleship 

Camp Karabin

Holistic Students

International Missional Internship

Fatherhood

Sustainability

Our Legacy

Dancers' Group promotes the visibility and viability of dance. We serve San Francisco Bay Area artists, the dance community and audiences through programs and services that are as collaborative and innovative as the creative process itself.

Donations to [Dancers’ Group](https://dancersgroup.org/) ensure we’re able to communicate with over 2,100 free community members about jobs, auditions, grants, discounts to classes/performances and more.

Your support also helps us provide a variety of free programs and services that include ***In Dance***, the annual **Bay Area Dance Week** festival, and our work to provide financial resources to artists through the **Fiscal Sponsorship** program and grants to artistis and organizations through the **CA$H Dance** program.

Dancers' Group

The Van Gogh Academy preserves and promotes Van Gogh’s legacy through education, research, and public engagement.

The Van Gogh Academy is an international non-profit organization dedicated to the study of Vincent van Gogh’s life and art.

Founded and presided over by Dr. Wouter van der Veen—an accomplished Van Gogh scholar with 25 years of high-level experience—the Academy aims to deepen and disseminate knowledge about Van Gogh’s work and legacy.

Our mission is to advance research, preserve our collections, encourage innovation, and provide an immersive approach to the various places where Vincent van Gogh lived and worked. We uncover and analyse documents and artworks to deepen our understanding of Van Gogh’s environment, times and influences. 

Moreover our ambition is to make Van Gogh’s life and work accessible to a broad audience through high-quality educational programs, workshops, and scholarly initiatives.

Inspired by his relentless pursuit of truth in art, we foster a spirit of discovery to preserve his legacy in its most authentic form.

Van Gogh Academy

An endowment protecting the Los Cedros cloud forest forever.

Held in the mists of the Ecuadorian Tropical Andes, a scientific station works with local communities to protect a cloud forest known as Los Cedros (“The Cedars”). The station encourages artists, educators, and researchers to connect with and learn from Los Cedros, whose walking palm trees and old growth lift racket-tail hummingbirds and critically endangered brown-headed spider monkeys into the clouds. Decades of interdependent artwork and scientific discovery from the station—including over 100 publications—factored into the 2021 [decision of Ecuador’s highest court](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/dec/02/plan-to-mine-in-ecuador-forest-violate-rights-of-nature-court-rules-aoe) to ban extractive practices in the forest by upholding Los Cedros’ constitutional rights to exist and to thrive.

This ruling set a monumental precedent for worldwide Rights of Nature efforts. Yet mining companies continue to apply pressure to Los Cedros communities and Ecuadorian authorities—and if mining comes to pass in Los Cedros, it will devastate one of the most biodiverse and endemic forests in the world. Home to thousands of wildlife species, Los Cedros spans 6000 hectares of mostly primary forest habitat. There, the threatened spectacled bear builds a tree bed to feast on aguacatillo berries (tiny avocados), and the elusive jaguar has left her tracks on the banks of waterfalls. In the abundant green shadows, undiscovered fungi, insects, and orchids flourish. A glass frog hides his heartbeat under a leaf.

As one of the rare places where humans can still drink directly from cascading rivers, this refuge also protects numerous watersheds crucial to downstream communities. So, the Los Cedros Fund will prove that the station’s approach of sustainably partnering with the cloud forest and surrounding communities is best for Pachamama—all of Mother Earth, including humans—in the long term.

The Los Cedros Fund is growing an endowment for the cloud forest to be financially self-sufficient. Honoring all who’ve protected the forest for decades, the Los Cedros Fund aims to offer this new watershed of perennial support to the forest to keep artistic, educational, and scientific collaborations flowing.

We can only achieve this mission through the kindness and generosity of thoughtful donors like you.

Los Cedros Fund

A Historic Concert Hall in the centre of Amsterdam. Its superb acoustics place it among the finest concert halls in the world.

The Concertgebouw: A hall of and for music lovers

Back in 1881, leading members of the community took the initiative to build a concert hall, and it was thanks to members of the public that The Concertgebouw was inaugurated in 1888. To this very day, it is still the general public and private funds which keep the hall open. In fact, only five per cent of The Concertgebouw’s annual income is provided by the state. Indeed, The Concertgebouw intends to remain a private institution in the future. Obviously, support from the private sector is essential to ensuring that the hall can continue to welcome musicians and audience members alike, both today and in the future.

To safeguard The Concertgebouw’s existence, the Concertgebouw Fund Foundation was established in 2000. The fund contributes to the renovation and restoration of the hall and supports a variety of education projects which is one of its main goals. Perhaps you yourself have toyed with the idea of supporting the Concertgebouw and thus helping to secure its future. The Concertgebouw Fund offers a variety of options to help make that idea a reality. In exchange, you’ll be able to enjoy many special privileges as a patron of the Concertgebouw Fund.

History: The beginning of The Concertgebouw

The beginning
The date is 15 September 1881. Six illustrious Amsterdam citizens come together to breathe life into the ‘Provisional Committee to build a concert hall’. The Park Hall theatre in the Plantage area was about to be demolished, the Felix Meritis building was too small, and Amsterdam’s Crystal Palace was uncomfortable and notorious for its poor acoustics. A few months earlier, the weekly paper De Amsterdammer denounced the sad state of the capital city’s music scene. 'While the leaders of all self-respecting cities abroad have made sure their cities are graced with good concert halls, our government has declared that these ill-fated ‘arts’ are not its responsibility,’ the paper reported.

Construction commences
To determine a suitable location, the committee turns to Pierre Cuypers, the architect of the Rijksmuseum which was being built at that time. He helps negotiate the purchase of a plot of land near the new museum, just outside the city limits, in the middle of the Nieuwer-Amstel fields. On 7 March 1882, plans were completed for a public limited company with a capital sum of 400,000 guilders, for which shares could be purchased for 1000 guilders. On 8 July 1882, the company N.V. Het Concertgebouw was officially founded, even though only 250,000 guilders in shares had been sold.

Dolf van Gendt
There was no requirement for a particular building style, as long as the end result would fit on an area of 130 x 55 metres, be constructed for a budget of 300,000 guilders, and provide space for around 2000 concertgoers. After some bickering, a design was chosen – albeit a scaled-down version – from Amsterdam’s most frequently patronised architect, Adolf Leonard (Dolf) van Gendt, the creator of many famous buildings, including the Hollandsche Manege, Frascati, De IJsbreker and the Gallery of the Crystal Palace.

Grand opening
The Concertgebouw was completed in late 1886. However, due to a lack of confidence on the part of the funders as well as the necessary difficulties with the municipality of Nieuwer-Amstel (for example, with respect to filling in a small canal, paving the access roads and installing street lights), the grand opening of the long-awaited building was only celebrated on Wednesday 11 April 1888.

Famous acoustics: The secret of the Main Hall

Unparalleled acoustics
So what is the secret of the world-famous acoustics of the Main Hall of The Royal Concertgebouw? Is it just a coincidence that Dolf van Gendt, considered by his family to be completely devoid of musical talent, was able to create a perfectly resonant hall? In the time that The Concertgebouw was taking shape, the science of acoustics was still considered a mysterious combination of many different and undefinable factors. Professional recording equipment was only developed in the 20th century; at the time, architects only had successful examples to look to.

As a result, the Recital Hall is nearly identical to the renowned oval hall in the Felix Meritis building, while the Main Hall – in terms of design and materials used – was based on the large concert hall of the Neue Gewandhaus in Leipzig, Germany. In later restorations, the original design and finishing details of the halls were left intact as much as possible to preserve the sensitive acoustics. Because even the most advanced equipment is unable to unmask the secret of the Main Hall’s unparalleled acoustics.

Het Concertgebouw Fonds

The Berliner Philharmoniker, founded in 1882 as a self-governing orchestra.

"To the limits and beyond"  
The Berliner Philharmoniker – a world-class orchestra    

Outstanding expertise, uncompromising commitment to music: that is the Berliner Philharmoniker. In passionate interpretations, they make the great works of the repertoire shine and open up new horizons with performances of exciting contemporary music. 

Legendary chief conductors have left their mark on the orchestra's history and sound. Today they thrill a worldwide public in the Philharmonie and on tour, during live broadcasts and on acclaimed recordings. 

Communication with audiences will also be their focus in the future, whether in the concert hall or in the media. With digital programming, with education projects, but above all with concerts that enable listeners to experience the inexhaustible power and intensity of classical and contemporary music first-hand.   

The Berliner Philharmoniker Foundation

Collective of passionate musicians uniting for specific tours in Europe and across the world.

An orchestra committed to creating and sharing exceptional experiences in classical music.  
 
The Mahler Chamber Orchestra (MCO) was founded in 1997 based on the shared vision of being a free and international ensemble, dedicated to creating and sharing exceptional experiences in classical music. With 45 members spanning 20 different countries at its core, the MCO works as a nomadic collective of passionate musicians uniting for specific tours in Europe and across the world.

Mahler Chamber Orchestra gGmbH 

The Foundation's operations are mainly in Palestine and in the United Kingdom through the Mosaic Rooms.

We support children, teachers, and young artists in the fields of culture and education 
 
The A. M. Qattan Foundation (AMQF) is an independent, non-profit organization working in the fields of culture and education, with a focus on children, teachers, and young artists. Founded and registered as a charity in the United Kingdom in 1993, the Foundation operates mainly in Palestine, Lebanon and the UK. Our Vision   A just, free, enlightened, and tolerant society with an active global presence that embraces dialogue and produces knowledge, art, and literature Our Mission   Achieve a dynamic cultural environment that is conducive to the production of emancipatory thought and knowledge Our Values Rights and dignity for all; Freedom, pluralism, dialogue, and the production of knowledge; A spirit of collegial productivity; The courage to act justly and ethically. Strategic Goals 2020–2024 Develop and disseminate cultural output to a wide public, encouraging it to become more active and responsive; Strengthen existing cultural, artistic, and educational structures to make them more dynamic and capable of producing critical and emancipatory thought and knowledge; Work towards an ecosystem conducive to the Foundation's role and mission; Promote the A. M. Qattan Foundation as a pioneering institution and an inspiring model; Ensure financial sustainability.

A.M. Qattan Foundation

Empowering Palestinians since 1983 through education, culture and relief programs in Palestine and beyond. Together, we build hope

**Taawon (Welfare Association)** is a **non-profit**, **civic organization** launched in **Geneva** in the year **1983**, upon the initiative of a group of **Palestinian and Arab economists** and intellectuals.
**Taawon has become one of the largest organizations operating in Palestine and the diaspora camps in Lebanon**, whereby it touches the lives of **more than one million Palestinians** on an annual basis, with half of these beneficiaries being **women**.
**Since its establishment, Taawon has invested funds reaching nearly US $900 million, dedicated to development and relief programs.**

**Taawon’s record** over the past 40 years reflects a journey full of achievements reinforced by **strong partnerships**.
Taawon’s long and rich experience has enabled it to:

- Overcome **obstacles** and **difficult conditions** due to the **Israeli occupation**
- Find **innovative and creative solutions** to crises
- Remain responsive to needs despite **social and economic instability**

Taawon maintains a presence in:

- **Palestine**
- **Jordan**
- **Lebanon**
- **Switzerland**
- **Great Britain** (via its sister organization)

Its **interventions reinforce the steadfastness** of **Palestinian citizens** in **Palestine** and the **refugee camps in Lebanon**.

**Taawon aims to:**

- **Empower Palestinian individuals** and **civil society institutions**
- Strengthen **identity**, **freedom**, **democracy**, and **human values**
- Preserve **Palestinian cultural heritage**, highlighting its **unique position**
- Unleash the creative energies of **youth**, **women**, and **children**
- Provide **equal opportunities** for all segments of society
- Promote **creativity** and **excellence** despite the most difficult circumstances

**Taawon works in partnership** with civil society organizations through:

- Purposeful planning
- High-standard policies

Guided by:

- The **Universal Declaration of Human Rights**
- The **United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)**
- The **Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity**

🏅 *Awards & Recognition:*

- **Taawon Awards for Excellence & Creativity**, granted annually to those advancing **sustainable development in Palestine** 
- Recipient of the **Mahatma Award (2018–2020)** for **COVID‑19 humanitarian efforts** [taawon.org](https://www.taawon.org/en/content/awards-received?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

***Our Vision****:*

*“To envision the Palestinian people as citizens of an independent, free, democratic Arab Palestine, living in dignity, prosperity and self‑fulfillment.”*

Taawon (Welfare Association)

An institute dedicated to spreading and applying humanity's deepest and most consequential ideas.

Understanding how knowledge grows (the primary concern of *epistemology*) is one of the most fundamental questions that humanity has ever asked. Because the growth of knowledge plays a role in every human endeavor–from science to politics to creating artificial intelligence to raising children to entrepreneurship–getting the answer wrong necessarily leads to blind alleys and errors. Fortunately, Karl Popper, David Deutsch, and other thinkers have discovered and elaborated upon the right answer: that knowledge grows via conjecture and criticism.

Such a simple idea (the entire theory of which is called *critical rationalism*) has an enormous number of practical implications for all of the aforementioned fields and any other in which humans can make progress. While the revolutions brought forth by Newton, Darwin, and Einstein were profound and improved mankind's lot in the universe, even they were limited to particular strands of human endeavors. But epistemology is universal for any problem a person or society faces. Therefore, spreading critical rationalism and its implications will dissolve barriers to progress that most people do not even know stand in their way.

Conjecture Institute Inc

The Rivanna Area Queer Center provides a safe refuge for all LGBTQIA+ people 
in Charlottesville and the surrounding counties.

LGBTQIA+ people need spaces of our own where we can take refuge, build resilient communities, and organize for our collective liberation. RAQC provides a safe and loving home for the queer community in Charlottesville and the surrounding counties. Programming at RAQC addresses multiple areas of need: support groups, peer counseling, and on-site mental health professionals contribute to the emotional wellbeing of our community. Classes and workshops on topics as diverse as screen printing, foraging, and self defense address our physical and creative needs. Social events like mixers, parties, and performances ensure that our region’s vibrant queer culture continues to flourish. In addition to our own programming, RAQC also serves as a safe and accessible space where all local queer organizations and individuals can host their own events.

Rivanna Area Queer Center (RAQC)

The Rijksmuseum is the national museum of the Netherlands. We tell the story of 800 years of Dutch history, from 1200 to now. 

**In everything we do we are vastly reliant on external donations and support. Much of the Rijksmuseum collection has been brought together thanks to individual gifts. All our activities, from exhibitions to research, are made possible thanks to your generous support. Whether your donation is large or small, every bit helps. So donate and support the Rijksmuseum!**

A museum of art and history with a representative survey of Dutch art and history since the Middle Ages, the Rijksmuseum has on display 8,000 objects of art and history, from their total collection of 1 million objects, among which are some masterpieces by Rembrandt, Frans Hals, and Johannes Vermeer. The museum also has a small Asian collection which is on display in the Asian pavilion.

The Rijksmuseum links individuals with art and history. 

At the Rijksmuseum, art and history take on new meaning for a broad-based, contemporary national and international audience. As a national institute, the Rijksmuseum offers a representative overview of Dutch art and history from the Middle Ages onwards, and of major aspects of European and Asian art. The Rijksmuseum keeps, manages, conserves, restores, researches, prepares, collects, publishes, and presents artistic and historical objects, both on its own premises and elsewhere**.**

Rijksmuseum 

Fondazione Marea unites the Sicilian diaspora to fuel social enterprises and create reasons to stay, return, or move to Sicily.

FONDAZIONE MAREA OVERVIEW

Fondazione Marea aims to be a catalyst for positive transformation for Sicily, harnessing the resources and skills of Sicilians who are scattered around the world. We are a community of Sicilians by birth, adoption and at heart, united by the desire to build a prosperous future for our homeland.

Marea's Vision:  A Sicily with opportunities to stay, return, and arrive. We envision in the long term a dynamic, stimulating, resilient, forward-looking Sicily, attractive to new talent, capable of maximizing its potential, a gateway to the Mediterranean.

Marea's Mission: We aggregate resources and skills of the Sicilian community around the world, to nurture the birth and growth of social enterprises in Sicily.

We enable every person, wherever they are, to actively contribute to the future of Sicily through the generative power of philanthropic investment and social entrepreneurship.

The Foundation is based on three fundamental pillars:

1. Strengthening the link between Sicilians of the diaspora and the changemakers in Sicily
2. Supporting social enterprise ventures 
3. Promoting local development

Our goal is to build an ecosystem of social entrepreneurship, creating job opportunities to break the cycle of depopulation and generate systemic change for the economic, social and cultural development of Sicily.

THE BIRTH OF MAREA 

Marea is a shared dream, a project born out of love for Sicily and the desire to transform this land into a place of opportunity, hope, and growth. It represents an extraordinary community of people with the courage to believe in this dream and the determination to realize it. The idea became a reality in June 2024, starting from zero with a call from Sicily that reached every corner of the world.

The Fondazione Marea-Ente Filantropico ETS was established on December 18, 2024 (video summary) thanks to a six-month Capital Campaign that saw the extraordinary participation of 423 Pioneers (individual donors), the involvement of 3 Sicilian Community Foundations,  €423,000 raised, and the creation of an initial Foundation endowment of €150,000. 

FONDAZIONE MAREA’S IMPACT 

The Foundation aims to turn the tide on Sicily's depopulation phenomenon by significantly reducing the number of people leaving the island in the long term, stopping the talent drain by retaining and attracting young Sicilian graduates and talent, creating more job opportunities in Sicily by reducing NEET status, and developing the philanthropic sector in Southern Italy by closing the gap in the investment by foundations compared to Northern and Central Italy.

UNDERLYING PROBLEMS

Fondazione Marea addresses two main problems:

1. Sicily is endangered. The lack of job opportunities is causing the depopulation of Sicily, forcing young people with high potential to emigrate and condemning many others to NEET status.

According to SVIMEZ - Association for the Development of Industry in Southern Italy data, every year 50,000 people leave Sicily, and the percentage of talented young graduates leaving Sicily in search of opportunities has increased fivefold over time, from 6 percent in 2001 to 32 percent in 2021. In 2080, it is estimated that Sicily will have only 2.8 million residents. Moreover, the Migrantes Foundation 2024 report reveals Sicily to be the Italian region with the highest rate of expatriates, more than 826,000 people. These numbers tell of a veritable diaspora. What is happening profoundly changes the demographic, social, cultural and economic structure of the territory, impoverishing the community and effectively desertifying the Mezzogiorno.

2. The lack of investment by foundations. Foundations play an important role in modern societies: they are private nonprofit institutions that act in the public interest. Because of their history and wealth, they are capable of making a significant impact and can contribute to the growth and development of communities.

Southern Italy has historically suffered from a persistent shortage of foundations, due to the limited circulation of capital and the lack of a philanthropic culture in the area. Meanwhile, Northern and Central Italy benefit in many ways from the presence in their regions of foundations that invest in local businesses and nonprofits, acting as intermediaries between the public and private sectors.

STRATEGY

Fondazione Marea's strategy is based on transforming the diaspora from a threat into an opportunity. It is an innovative model that gathers economic resources and volunteer expertise from the Sicilian community scattered around the world and channels them in a concrete way to support projects with a potential for high social impact. Following the principles of Venture Philanthropy, the Foundation identifies ideas and projects of new social enterprises, Third Sector entities established in corporate form, which play a crucial role in solving social and environmental problems, to respond to the emerging needs of local communities and promote collective welfare. This is currently still a pioneering corporate structure for our local context, with only 63 social enterprises registered in corporate form in the Third Sector across Sicily as of April 11, 2025, compared to 3,334 social cooperatives.

After a regional open call, Marea accompanies each project with incubation and acceleration programs and access to strategic resources. It is Sicilians themselves –  those who have emigrated, returned, stayed, are native or adopted – who supply both a startup fund and the “talent bank,” becoming mentors to the new social entrepreneurs. These new social enterprises generate lasting value in the local area, creating jobs and improving the quality of life. With careful monitoring of results and indicators for measuring social impact, the Foundation collaborates with other Third Sector entities, companies and institutions to complement this commitment by Sicilians and for Sicilians.

THE STARTUP SUPPORT PROGRAM 

Fondazione Marea's startup support program is a structured approach to nurture the birth and growth of social enterprises in Sicily. It is composed of pre-incubation and incubation paths, aimed at both embryonic projects and businesses that have already been established for less than a year. The program offers tailored training, mentoring, access to strategic resources and a dedicated mentor to guide participants through the various stages of development. The goal is to create a social innovation ecosystem, engaging Pioneers (the Foundation's donors), experts, entrepreneurs, networks and investors to generate lasting and systemic impact in Sicily. The program also includes an accelerator track for more mature social enterprises, with the goal of supporting the scalability and replicability of these projects.

The first edition of the startup support program will be launched in May 2025 and will have two simultaneous tracks: one incubation and one acceleration.

The program will be aimed at social enterprises or ETS already established (but not more than 1 year old) or individuals/groups of people who have concrete proposals for social enterprises with implications for the Sicilian context and legal and operational headquarters (including future) in Sicily. Projects can deal with areas that respond to issues and challenges of the Sicilian region such as environment (water risk, drought and fire, agriculture), social (inclusion, immigration), or underutilized tangible and intangible resources.

After a promotional roadshow across Sicily to connect with people potentially interested in participating, at least nine projects (one for each province in Sicily) will be selected to participate. 

The incubation track will last three months in a hybrid mode (online and in-person) with dedicated coaches and access to vertical mentoring sessions. There will be 3 in-person sessions of 3 days each  with theoretical lectures, workshops, hands-on labs, masterclasses, 1-to-1 planning moments, and testimonials.

After the final event to present the social enterprise ideas to the entire Marea Pioneers’ community, projects that meet the requirements for potential growth will be eligible for funding opportunities from the Foundation.

Concurrent with the incubation track will be an acceleration program: A number of social enterprises established for at least 1 year will be selected during an open call based on their track record, impact generated, and potential for scalability and replicability. Over three months, the enterprises will participate in an accelerator with customized training, coaching and mentoring tailored to their needs and those of the market.

Unlike other startup programs, after the formal incubation or acceleration journey, each project will receive long-term assistance through 3 years of mentorship to support the development at the most critical time of a new venture.

Fondazione Marea

The Tanging Yaman Foundation is a non-profit Philippine organization which bridges the generosity of countless Filipinos. 

Tanging Yaman Foundation, Inc. (Tanging Yaman), a non-profit Philippine organization, was established in 1992 when Fr. Manuel "Manoling" Francisco, SJ first performed his original liturgical music with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO). Almost every year, Fr. Manoling would perform with the PPO or the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra.

 

These concerts, entitled Tanging Yaman: Himig at Pananalig, graced the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Meralco Theatre, the UP Theatre, and other major Philippine theaters. The concerts even went on tour to Batangas, Quezon Province, and Ifugao.

 

In addition to the orchestra, these Tanging Yaman concerts featured choirs like Bukas Palad, Hangad, Bungang Himig, Tinig Barangka, the Pansol Choir, and popular artists like Basil Valdez, Dulce, Ogie Alcasid, Ariel Rivera, Jamie Rivera, and Nolyn Cabahug. Apart from celebrating Filipino music and Filipino faith, the concerts also raised funds for institutions that build and nurture local communities.

 

Some of the beneficiaries of the Tanging Yaman concerts were have been the Sibol-Hesus School for gifted public school children of Mr. Onofre Pagsanghan; the Alagad ni Maria Youth Center in Infanta; the Quezonians Home for the Aged; the Kiangan, Ifugao Scholarship Fund; the Diocesan Seminary in Lipa, Batangas; Our Lady of the Pentecost Parish in Loyola Heights; Mary the Queen Parish in San Juan; the Ateneo de Manila High School Scholarship Fund; and the School of Living Tradition in Benguet.

 

Tanging Yaman Foundation, Inc. has then evolved from being an annual liturgical concert to being a conduit foundation, bridging the generosity of countless Filipinos here and abroad to the vital needs of their fellow men and women in the Philippines.

 Tanging Yaman Foundation, Inc.

Our mission is to improve the quality of life of young people and their families in Fayette, Readfield, Manchester, Mt. Vernon, and Wayne by providing access to educational and recreational opportunities as well as resources to enable them to meet family needs so they can participate fully in our community.

We are a volunteer organization. Your donations will go directly to the development and implementation of programs for youth in the community as well as direct aid for families and their children.

Steve DeAngelis Community Fund

MOWAA is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation, expansion, and celebration of West African arts and culture.

At the core of MOWAA’s vision is a commitment to inspiring the next generation of creatives in West Africa. By re-evaluating the concept of the museum in a 21st century African context, MOWAA seeks to ensure relevancy to contemporary artists, artisans and cultural professionals.

To do this, we provide exceptional infrastructureand programmes for the preservation, display, research, learning and exchange in arts and culture in a range of locations from our world-class facilities and campus in the heart of the historic district of Benin City, Nigeria.

MOWAA

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We are a nonprofit, so instead of charging fees we rely on the generosity of donors like you.

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Benicia Chamber Players

Gouesnou US Memorial, in tribute to the American Heroes fallen in August 1944 (France)

Gouesnou US Memorial, in tribute to the American Heroes fallen in August 1944 (France)

Artists' Television Access

Artists' Television Access

Artists' Television Access

Culture