Large foundations shape Swiss philanthropy

Switzerland is among the countries with a high density of foundations. Charitable foundations play an important role in areas such as education, science, health, culture, Environment or social cohesion. They differ not only in terms of their funding areas but also in terms of size, asset structure, and operating methods.

The Swiss Foundation Report 2026 shows that the total assets of charitable foundations amounted to 159.6 billion Swiss francs in 2025, reaching a new record high. As of the end of 2025, there were also 13,782 active charitable foundations listed in the Commercial Register. Some of these foundations have particularly large endowments and are therefore able to provide substantial funding.

However, it is not possible to definitively determine which foundation is considered the “largest” or “richest.” Not all foundations make their financial information publicly available, and the composition of their assets varies. Nevertheless, there are several Swiss foundations that, based on their published assets and annual reports, rank among the country’s most financially robust nonprofit organizations.

An Overview of Switzerland’s Largest Foundations

The Jacobs Foundation is one of Switzerland’s best-funded grant giving foundations. As of the end of 2023, it managed assets totaling approximately 6.1 billion Swiss francs. Following a restructuring of its ownership in 2025, the Jacobs Foundation now has even more liquid assets and can therefore diversify its portfolio more broadly. The foundation focuses on the development of children and young people and is particularly committed to improving educational opportunities. To this end, it collaborates with researchers, education authorities, and other partners, and supports projects and research programs in various countries.

The Ernst Göhner Foundation is one of Switzerland’s major grant giving foundations. Its assets consist of equity investments, real estate, and other long-term investments. The foundation supports projects and organizations in the fields of culture, the environment, social issues, education, and science. Its focus is on Switzerland, with a particular emphasis on fostering exchange between the country’s various regions.

The Jakob and Emma Windler Foundation , on the other hand, has a strong regional focus. Its funding activities are concentrated in the canton of Schaffhausen and the Stein am Rhein region. Among other things, it supports people in financial distress, small businesses, cultural institutions, youth organizations, and charitable projects. The foundation also awards scholarships and is committed to preserving the historic townscape of Stein am Rhein. With assets of over 1.3 billion Swiss francs, the Jakob and Emma Windler Foundation is one of the largest charitable foundations in Switzerland. A large portion of its assets consists of holdings in Novartis.

Unlike many traditional grant giving foundations, the Kühne Foundationoperates primarily on an operational basis and implements its own programs and projects. Its key focus areas include logistics, medicine, climate, and culture. The Kühne Foundation’s financial strength is based on its close ties to the Kühne+Nagel Group and other assets of Kühne Holding AG. For 2026, the foundation plans to allocate approximately 65 million Swiss francs from its own funding. Together with additional third-party funding, it has a total budget of approximately 135 million Swiss francs.

Assets as the Foundation for Long-Term Support

A foundation’s assets form the financial basis for its charitable activities. Large foundations often hold equity interests in companies, real estate, and securities, and invest their assets for the long term. The income generated from these investments can be used to finance the foundation’s grantmaking activities.

Foundations pursue a variety of investment strategies and asset structures. For large foundations in particular, the professional management of the foundation’s assets can be a key prerequisite for fulfilling the foundation’s purpose over the long term. However, the size of the assets alone does not indicate how much a foundation distributes annually or which projects it supports.

The Swiss foundation landscape is not made up solely of large organizations with substantial assets. A large proportion of foundations operate at the local or regional level and have significantly smaller financial resources. Together, large and small foundations make Switzerland one of the world’s leading centers for philanthropy and charitable engagement.

In the Spheriq Foundation Directory , you’ll find both large and small nonprofit foundations from Switzerland. Using the search and filter functions, you can find organizations specifically by their areas of activity and funding focus. On Spheriq, you can network with other philanthropic stakeholders and discover more knowledge and helpful tools. The Spheriq blog provides updates on current developments and relevant topics related to the Swiss foundation sector.