Foundations in the Canton of Ticino

With 824 foundations in 2022, Ticino is one of the Swiss cantons with the highest foundation density. The Swiss Foundation Report 2023 recorded a foundation density of 23,3 foundations per 10’000 inhabitants. The considerable number of grant giving organizations is due to numerous new foundations: While only 410 foundations were located in the canton of Ticino in 2000, the number almost doubled by 2020. In 2022, net growth amounted to only 0.8%.

Special Features & Focal Points in the Foundation Landscape in Ticino

The grant giving organizations themselves are broad in their thematic orientation and spread across several sectors. The steady increase in the number of grant giving organizations in recent decades clearly shows that philanthropy in Ticino is of great importance, both economically and socially.

One of the most important foundations in the canton is the Cenpro Foundation, short for: Centro Competenze Non Profit. This nonprofit foundation was established with the aim of increasing knowledge about philanthropy and supporting civil society cooperation. This makes it unique among Swiss foundations.

In addition to this special feature, the foundation landscape in Ticino is broad-based and covers a wide range of topics. The areas of social affairs, education, health, and art and culture are particularly dominant. However, research, science, development, politics, society and economy also have a high priority in the cantonal foundation system. Most of these grant giving organizations operate at the local level in Ticino. But there are also foundations that are active abroad under federal supervision.

Distribution of Grant Giving Organizations in Ticino

If you take a closer look at the foundations in the canton of Ticino, you will notice that many descriptions of grant giving organizations are written in Italian. This is because Ticino is one of the two Swiss cantons where Italian is the official language. The canton is located in the southern part of Switzerland and is largely surrounded by Italy. It is therefore not surprising that Ticino also has strong cultural ties with Italy.

In addition to Italian, German and Lombard dialects are also spoken in this part of Switzerland. Although Bellinzone is the capital of the Swiss canton, the district of Lugano, with the main town of the same name, is the most populous part of Ticino. This also has an impact on the foundation landscape: Most of Ticino’s grant giving organizations are located in this area.

For nonprofits: Collect donations online for your organization and projects or set up systematic digital fundraising.

Digital Fundraising & Collecting Donations in the Canton of Ticino

If you feel connected to the world of philanthropy, StiftungSchweiz is the place to be: the Swiss platform for charitable commitment is the right place to go for non-profit organizations, fundraisers and foundations working in Ticino. Thanks to intelligent search options and filter options in our foundation register, you can quickly and easily find the right grant giving organization in Ticino and throughout Switzerland. Donating itself is also easy with our digital donation platform: a donation button and an integrated donation form make charitable giving intuitive. As a non-profit or grant giving organization with your own profile, you also have the opportunity to get in touch with other non-profit organizations and present your projects.

StiftungSchweiz keeps you up to date on all the latest happenings in the world of nonprofit work. We provide you with the latest information with the help of our industry magazine, The Philanthropist, and our blog. You also have access to numerous publications, e-learning courses, events and much more. Whether you are a fundraiser, non-profit organization, grant giving organization or private individual: you will find what you are looking for at StiftungSchweiz.