Foundations in the Canton of Zurich
The canton of Zurich leads the Swiss foundation landscape with an impressive total of 2,218 foundations. The diversity and scope of its foundations make the canton a shining example of philanthropic work.
Canton of Zurich: Foundations Top the List in a Switzerland-wide Comparison
The canton of Zurich will remain Switzerland’s leading location for foundations in 2025. With 2,218 foundations, Zurich is well ahead of the cantons of Bern and Geneva, reaffirming its role as a central hub of Swiss philanthropy.
Foundations in the Canton of Zurich
In 2025, the canton of Zurich recorded 35 new foundations and 42 liquidations, bringing the total number of foundations to a high but slightly volatile level. Despite this volatility, Zurich remains the undisputed leader in a national comparison and is home to a substantial portion of the approximately 13,782 active foundations in Switzerland.
Education, Social Issues and Art and Culture: the Main Areas of Activity of Zurich’s Foundations
What causes do Zurich-based foundations primarily support? A clear trend can be seen in the foundations’ missions: A particularly large number of foundations are active in the areas of social welfare, education, and the arts and culture. However, there are also many grant giving foundations active in the fields of research and science, health, politics, society and the economy, as well as environmental protection and animal welfare.
In terms of their main areas of activity, Zurich’s foundations thus mirror the Swiss average: the dominant areas of focus in Switzerland are social services, arts and culture, education, and recreation and sports.
Many of Switzerland’s largest and most important funding organizations have their roots in the canton of Zurich. For example, the Swiss Study Foundation—Switzerland’s largest foundation dedicated to supporting students—has its headquarters in Zurich. The prominent Jacobs Foundation, which is active in the field of child and youth development, is also based in Zurich.
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Actively strengthening Zurich as a foundation location
The Canton of Zurich is taking targeted steps to further strengthen its status as a leading foundation hub by improving the tax framework. In early 2023, the Zurich government decided to create more attractive conditions for charitable foundations: A key change is the adjustment of tax practices, which now allow for appropriate compensation for foundation board members and treat charitable activities abroad the same as those within the country. This makes the canton more attractive to internationally active foundations. In addition, the new practice enables impact investments, provided that the returns generated are reinvested in charitable causes, which represents an innovative expansion of funding opportunities. These adjustments reflect the revised legal requirements for foundations and are based on consultations with federal and cantonal supervisory authorities as well as a legal opinion, all of which collectively promote a modern and effective foundation system in the Canton of Zurich.
In addition to adapting the tax regulatory framework, the Canton of Zurich, in collaboration with SwissFoundations, has taken further measures to strengthen the canton’s position as a foundation hub. Three additional initiatives have been launched: The establishment of a coordination and contact center by the Department of Economic Affairs, which offers advice on the establishment and location of charitable foundations; the launch of the information platform www.stiftungen.zuerich, which ensures greater transparency in the foundation sector and provides an online information desk; and the introduction of the event series “Foundation Talks Canton of Zurich,” which promotes dialogue between policymakers and the foundation sector and aims to foster closer collaboration in order to enhance Zurich’s international standing as a foundation hub.
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