Opportunities

Opportunities is sponsored by Demeter Foundation. Demeter Foundation seeks innovative economic solutions for better integration of vulnerable communities, offering both financial and non-financial support to selected projects.

Our work, our missions - Demeter foundation Taking upon Demeter's legend: with the right tools you can thrive Until not long ago, gift aid was the most common funding mechanism for social good. Unfortunately over the last 30 years the magnitude of social issues which must be taken care of has escalated, demanding new ways to bring societal solutions that could be scaled, duplicated, autonomized financially.

As an increasing number of philanthropists come from entrepreneurship and technology, market-based societal solutions have become better accepted and a natural complement to bring lasting responses. NGOs and SOCIAL ENTERPRISES’ NON-FINANCIAL SUPORT governance set-up or improvements, creation of performance measurement indicators, assistance in fund-raising A CATALYST OF BOTH SOCIETAL AND ECONOMICAL SUSTAINABILITY.

As Demeter funds mostly pilot programs and newly established organizations, of which the business models are rarely profitable yet, we prefer to rely upon a mix of a small gift aid combined with an interest-free loan for a period of 5 - 7 years.

For that purpose, Demeter supports mainly programs that enable: the creation of social enterprises or integration activities that can become partly or wholly self-funded through the development of sustainable activities, the economic (re-)insertion of vulnerable populations, the access to longer term funding for the NGO or social enterprise during its expansion phase, with a view to reaching financial self-autonomy, the use of innovative funding tools which repayment terms are based upon the success of the program they sponsor; and help aligning better the NGO / social enterprise and Demeter’s interests.

Such innovative funding tools can be: Charitable Matching Pledges Bullet Repayment or Instalments-Based Loans Active follow-on participation Demeter founders, together with the leaders of the supported humanitarian programs, are actively engaged at several levels: organisation or participation in steering comittees active role in government bodies (Investment Committee or Management Board) without being involved in daily operations to avoid creating potential conflicts.

Finding the right balance The foundation strives to always distinguish the role of the investor/funder (Demeter) and the entrepreneur (the association’s management board). Demeter is never the project´s implementer.