Funding transformational initiatives
Our grants fund partners to work collaboratively on brave initiatives that can contribute to systemic industry change.
We aim to work closely with our partners across the lifecycle of a grant. By strengthening relationships with them, we can better understand how to support their work, build the field and create an enabling environment.
India
India is the world’s second largest producer of cotton and first in organic cotton. Here, Laudes Foundation operates on two fronts. On farming practices we work with partners to ensure that farmers’ livelihoods are viable, crops are regenerative, and land is restored. And on production practices we work to tackle the systemic issues behind the forced and child labour that is often associated with cotton production. As in all regions, gender, equity and inclusion plays a major role in all our work in India.
Bangladesh
As one of the world's largest garment exporters, Bangladesh has been both an example of progress and a hotspot for poor working conditions. Here, Laudes Foundation is working with partners to improve working conditions of factory workers and strengthen local communities, focusing particularly on empowering women and girls.
Brazil
EvLaudes Foundation is tackling the crisis of climate change and inequality in Brazil through its partnerships with IDH and Labora: Decent Work Fund.
Europe
Europe is an important hub for the built environment and the global work in the new economy and fashion. In the built environment, Laudes Foundation is working with its partners to help create healthy, inspiring and carbon neutral spaces. In fashion and the new economy, Laudes Foundation is working with its partners to foster the transition to new business models, encouraging innovation, collaboration and original thinking.
Mexico
Until the end of 2023, Laudes Foundation will continue to manage grants that were made by C&A Foundation to improve working conditions, eradicate forced and child labour and to strengthen the communities where the factories (or maquilas) are located. A major focus of this work concerns the empowerment of women workers.
Pakistan
Pakistan is one of the world’s largest producers of cotton. Its current organic cotton production is small but its potential is large. Here, Laudes Foundation is working with partners to ensure regenerative farming practices are generative viable livelihoods for farmers.
Turkey
The garment industry is core to the Turkish economy. With the influx of Syrian refugees, the risk of exploitation and poor working conditions is high. Here, Laudes Foundation is working with partners to protect and empower Syrian refugees working in the apparel industry - especially women - to prevent abuses in the workplace.
Tanzania
Africa’s budding apparel industry and its growing cotton production have made Tanzania - currently the largest producer of organic cotton on the continent - a country with enormous potential. Here, Laudes Foundation is working with its partners to develop resilient farming by supporting farmer training and certification.
Indonesia
Indonesia is ranked amongst the top ten largest garment-producing countries and faces many issues with poor working conditions, especially for women workers. Here, Laudes Foundation is working with its partners to reduce non-compliance with labour laws and to empower women to negotiate for better working conditions.
What we fund
Architects Climate Action Network
Systemiq
Meridian Institute
Université catholique de Louvain
Meridian Institute
Rang De UK
Sustainable Finance Lab
University of Surrey
Green Finance Institute Ltd
University College London
Institute for future-fit economies gemeinnützige UG (haftungsbeschränkt)
The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York
PERI Support Fund Inc
New Economics Foundation
New Economics Foundation
The Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change
Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis
Ownership Futures
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
Centre For Innovation In Voluntary Action
Community Initiatives
The Royal Institute of International Affairs Chatham House
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
Anthropocene Fixed Income Institute
Ceres
The B Team
Finance Watch
Follow This
Centre For Innovation In Voluntary Action
The Sunrise Project Australia Limited
European Climate Foundation
Fairshare Educational Foundation
Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility
Institute for future-fit economies gemeinnützige UG (haftungsbeschränkt)
Tax Justice Network
The Club of Rome
Institute for Public Policy Research
Community Initiatives
European Environmental Bureau
Dezernat Zukunft e.V.
Institute for Public Policy Research
Centre for International Sustainable Development Law
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
World Resources Institute
Third Generation Environmentalism Ltd
University of Surrey
Council on Economic Policies
Ceres
The Prince of Wales’s Charitable Foundation
European Network on Debt and Development Asbl
Climate Strategies
Influence Map
Fairshare Educational Foundation
University College London
University College Dublin
The Club of Rome
Peers for the Planet
Stichting Universiteits Fonds Eindhoven
The Chancellor, Masters, and Scholars of the University of Cambridge
Positive Money Europe
Institute for European Environmental Policy
Accela Research Ltd
University College London
The Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change
Net Zero Lawyers Alliance Ltd
Anthropocene Fixed Income Institute
The Royal Institute of International Affairs Chatham House
World Resources Institute
European Environmental Bureau
Finance Watch
Follow This
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
Doughnut Economics Action Lab
Green New Deal UK
Strategy and Communications Group Limited
Reclaim Finance
International Institute for Sustainable Development
Council on Economic Policies
Finance Ideas B.V.
Carbon Tracker Initiative Limited
British Institute of International and Comparative Law
Tax Justice Network
Swiss Philanthropy Foundation
The Waste and Resources Action Programme
Icebreaker One Ltd
Coöperatieve Circle Economy UA
Trustees of Tufts College
Frank Bold Society
University College Dublin
Healthy Building Network
The Ex'tax Project Foundation
Follow This
Universal Owner Initiatives Ltd
Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis
Reclaim Finance
Council on Economic Policies
Peers for the Planet
The Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change
ImpactAssets Inc.
The Finance Innovation Lab
Institute for future-fit economies gemeinnützige UG (haftungsbeschränkt)
Institute for European Environmental Policy
The Sunrise Project Australia Limited
Balanced Economy Project
The Royal Institute of International Affairs Chatham House
University College London
Fairshare Educational Foundation
Climate Strategies
Institute for future-fit economies gemeinnützige UG (haftungsbeschränkt)
ISEAL Alliance
Chempolis Oy
CAB International
Stiftung Auxilium
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH
EcoAgriculture Partners
Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis
Landscape Finance Lab
Pesticide Action Network, UK
IDH The Sustainable Trade Initiative
IDH The Sustainable Trade Initiative
Forum for the Future
Pesticide Action Network, UK
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH
Esplar Centro De Pesquisa E As
Canopy
Tracker Group Limited
Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC)
AS-PTA Assessoria e Serviços a Projetos em Agricultura Alternativa
Stichting Fashion for Good
Diaconia
Wood Mackenzie Asia Pacific Pte Ltd
IDH The Sustainable Trade Initiative
Accelerating Circularity, Inc.
Canopy
Stichting Fashion for Good
Environmental Coalition on Standards (ECOS)
ISEAL Alliance
Fairshare Educational Foundation
Fashion for Good B.V.
Stichting Fashion for Good
Aga Khan Foundation
Social Accountability International, Inc.
Institute for Sustainable Communities
Stichting Fashion for Good
IDH The Sustainable Trade Initiative
Stichting Fair Trade Advocacy Office
IDH The Sustainable Trade Initiative
Biomimicry Institute
Global Witness
Stichting Fashion for Good
Fashion for Good B.V.
EcoAgriculture Partners
Material Innovation Institute
Foundation for Educational Innovations in Asia
SOS Corpo Instituto Feminista para a Democracia
Cornell University
End Modern Slavery Initiative Foundation
DIEESE - Departamento Intersindical de Estatística e Estudos
Model Alliance
Associação Franciscana De Solidariedade - Sefras
Rede de Desenvolvimento Humano (Redeh)
Sherpa
Shimmy Technologies, Inc.
Trade Union Rights Centre
DBA Global Labor Justice- International Labor Rights Forum
The Freedom Fund
Shift Project Ltd
Networks Matter
Fundo Brasil de Direitos Humanos
Bangladesh Center for Workers Solidarity (BCWS)
Danish Institute for Human Rights
NorthEastern University
Anti-Slavery International
The Center for Advanced Defense Studies, Inc.
Pia Sociedade Dos Missionarios - Missão Paz
Fashion Revolution CIC
Panorama Global
Business and Human Rights Resource Centre
Thomson Reuters Foundation
Solidarity Center
Refugee Support Center (RSC)
New Venture Fund
Praxis UK
Federacao De Orgaos Para Assistência Social E Educação - Fase
The Wikirate Project e.V.
Awaj Foundation
Steelworkers Humanity Fund
Rutgers Law School, Center for Corporate Law and Governance
Transparentem
Eiris Foundation
Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting
Shift Project Ltd
Fashion Roundtable Organisation Ltd
Komitee für UNICEF Schweiz und Liechtenstein
HomeNet South Asia Trust
Tax Justice Network
Assoc Direitos Hum Em Rede (Conectas)
Stichting Fair Trade Advocacy Office
European Coalition for Corporate Justice
In general, we do not accept unsolicited proposals. If you have an initiative that is in alignment with our theory of change, please fill out our contact form. Our team reviews all grant requests regularly and if there's a fit with the work of the foundation, we will be in touch.
Once you have spoken with a team member you will be asked to prepare a summary of your initiative. This gives us a good initial understanding of how your initiative fits with our strategy. If we decide there is a good fit, you’ll be invited to submit either a proposal light (for funding requests below EUR 100k) or a full proposal (for all requests of EUR 100k and more).
Every proposal we receive is sent to one of our programme managers. It's their job to begin the due diligence process and they'll look at whether your initiative and our programme objectives complement each other, while considering your organisation's capacity to deliver. Our partner assessment process also includes a risk assessment and background screening for new partners.
We have different approval processes depending on the grant amount requested:
- Applications for funding below EUR 500k are approved by Laudes Foundation’s management team and for proposals between EUR 250- 500k, we also consult two external experts.
- All funding requests for EUR 500k or more require the approval of our Investment Committee, which meets four times a year.
Once your proposal light or proposal is approved, we'll create a legally binding contract between your organisation and Laudes Foundation. This will include intended results, evaluative criteria and evidence, reporting deliverables, and a payment schedule.
We appreciate that applying for grants takes a lot of time and energy, and we aim to make our process as constructive and efficient as possible.
Proposal Light
If you're applying for a grant of less than EUR 100,000, you need to fill out a proposal light.
Please don't submit a proposal light until you have contacted us.
Proposal
If you are applying for a grant of more than EUR 100,000, then - after speaking to a programme manager - you will need to submit a proposal with a detailed description of your initiative.
The document includes an activity-based budget (please, find an optional budget template to download below), a Gantt chart and rubrics framework. In our rubrics section, we describe the specific interventions within the system we focus on to maximise our contribution. Rubrics are an important tool to help us measure and learn with our partners, as we collectively seek to contribute positive changes within a complex and changing economic system.
We would encourage you to discuss this part of the proposal template with the programme manager before beginning your submission.
The programme manager will provide feedback on your first draft of the proposal, including input from the Effective Philanthropy team on the rubrics framework.
View the Laudes Foundation rubrics here.
Templates & documents
Requirements and guidelines:
Frequently asked questions
What is Laudes Foundation responding to?
Laudes Foundation was created to respond to the convergence of two global crises - inequality and climate breakdown - whose solutions require new levels of bravery and ambition globally. The global economic system’s relentless pursuit of growth and returns have brought the world to a tipping point. Humanity must change course. And we have the means to do so
What is the relationship between Laudes Foundation and C&A Foundation?
As C&A Foundation celebrated its 5th anniversary of making fashion a force for good, the team took the opportunity to evaluate its work and the changes in the industry and in the world over the past years. They realised that fashion’s issues were much bigger than the industry alone. The issues are systemic. So, they took a bold decision to launch Laudes Foundation to build on the industry-changing work of C&A Foundation in the fashion industry, but also take this approach and apply it to new industries – starting with the built environment. And importantly, to begin working to influence capital so that investments encourage good business practices. Thus, C&A Foundation’s work became the fashion programme of Laudes Foundation and the brand was retired.
How does Laudes Foundation work across its programmes?
We have two industry verticals: Fashion and the Built Environment. And we have one cross-cutting programme, Finance and Capital Market Transformation, that works across our industry verticals. This area will work with financial actors as well as with the industry actors to foster a shift in the global financial system. It will also influence investments in fashion and the built environment, to explore how finance can be used to encourage or foster innovation and good business practice.
What does the name mean?
Laudes (pronounced Lah-oo-des) Laudes is derived from the Latin word for 'praise’. It alludes to the Canticle of the Sun (Laudes Creaturarum), a song that celebrates all of creation as one family, and refers to the 2015 papal encyclical, Laudato si': On Care for Our Common Home. The encyclical presents the current interconnected social and environmental crises as the result of the pursuit of limitless growth. It calls us all to enter into debate, seek new ways of understanding progress, and invites the world of business to play a unique role. Touching on the shared Catholic heritage of the Brenninkmeijer family entrepreneurs, Laudes reveals both inspiration and purpose: to move towards the vision set out in Laudato si'. At the same time, Laudes is an invitation to draw our own inspirations and traditions, believe that change is possible, and join together to build a just and regenerative economy.
In what geographies does Laudes Foundation work in?
The organisation is global in nature, with offices in the Netherlands, Switzerland, the UK, India, Brazil, Hong Kong and Bangladesh. Our Finance and Capital Markets Transformation programme operates globally, while our work in the Built Environment focuses on Europe and the UK, and Fashion works within the most relevant apparel producing countries in South and South-East Asia and Brazil.
Is Laudes Foundation a Catholic organisation?
Laudes Foundation is not a Catholic organisation. The name is a reflection of the heritage and inspiration of the Brenninkmeijer family.