According to NPO Data Lab, a joint project of the Center for Philanthropy Studies and PPCmetrics, there were nearly 14,000 charitable foundations active in Switzerland at the end of January 2026.
The following chart provides an overview of the distribution of foundations within Switzerland:According to SwissFoundation (Swiss Association of Charitable Foundations), the average number of foundations per 10,000 inhabitants in Switzerland is 15.2, which is one of the highest figures worldwide. These charitable foundations pursue a wide range of different goals. They promote educational opportunities, support research into and the fight against existing diseases, support cultural institutions and artists, and are involved in environmental issues, development issues, and other charitable or social causes.
The types of foundations can be divided into basic groups based on the nature of their activities:
Foundations that primarily award grants for specific purposes. Grant-making foundations are non-profit foundations that are not dependent on donations or contributions to finance their activities, as they have their own assets and finance their grant-making activities from the income or assets themselves.
Foundations that primarily implement their own programs and projects. The core business of an operating foundation is not to award grants, but to implement the foundation's purpose through its own services or projects.
Foundations that implement their own programs and projects and award a significant portion of their funds in the form of grants.
In Switzerland, grant-making foundations account for about half of all charitable foundations.
