Foundations, public grants and crowdfunding: how to fund a cultural or social project in Switzerland. A practical guide from a fundraiser who raised over CHF 200,000 in 2025.
In Short
Fundraising in Switzerland typically combines three main sources of income: public funding, grant-making foundations and community fundraising, including crowdfunding. Successful institutional fundraising is not simply about submitting applications—it starts with a clearly defined project, followed by a realistic budget, a well-prepared funding proposal and, only then, the identification of the right funders.
Planning ahead is essential. Institutional fundraising usually requires a lead time of 12–18 months, and the grant is normally paid only after the project has been completed and properly reported: a first instalment is often possible, but it has to be requested explicitly.
For organisations working across Switzerland, the Italian-speaking region deserves particular attention. Ticino and the Italian-speaking valleys of Graubünden have their own funding ecosystem, cultural context and institutional landscape. Understanding these differences is often the key to building successful fundraising strategies in the region.
What Common Fundraising Advice Leaves Out
If you work in the cultural or social sector, you’ve probably heard advice such as “apply to a foundation,” “look for public grants,” or “try crowdfunding.”
The advice itself is sound. The problem is that it rarely comes with an explanation of how the system actually works.
This guide is designed to fill that gap.
Its purpose is to explain how fundraising works in Switzerland, where organisations should begin, and which steps transform a promising idea into a project that can realistically secure funding.
It is written for cultural and social organisations raising funds in Switzerland, as well as for national and international organisations that already understand fundraising in general but need to navigate the particularities of the Swiss funding landscape—especially in Italian-speaking Switzerland.
What Institutional Fundraising Actually Means
One of the biggest misconceptions about fundraising is that it simply means finding someone willing to give you money.
Institutional fundraising works very differently.
Its purpose is to develop projects that are sufficiently robust, well structured and credible to convince foundations, public institutions and other grant-makers that they deserve financial support.
The distinction may seem subtle, but it fundamentally changes the way organisations approach fundraising.
Individual donations can often be requested directly.
Institutional funding, on the other hand, must be earned through careful planning.
Projects need clearly defined objectives, realistic budgets, measurable outcomes and a convincing implementation plan. The funding proposal is simply the document that brings all of these elements together.
For organisations that depend on grants and institutional support, learning how to work in this way makes the difference between relying on occasional opportunities and building a fundraising system capable of generating sustainable income over time.
Equally important is credibility.
Funders are not only assessing the quality of an individual project—they are assessing whether an organisation can successfully deliver what it promises and report on it transparently afterwards.
Each well-managed project strengthens that credibility. Each successful report makes the next funding application easier.
Over time, fundraising becomes cumulative: trust built today creates opportunities tomorrow.
Put like that, it sounds like an activity. In practice it is a function: someone who keeps the calendar, the relationships with funders and the reporting going all year round. In most organisations that role does not exist, and the work falls to people who already have plenty else to do. Here is what building an institutional fundraising function inside an organisation involves.
The Three Main Sources of Funding in Switzerland
Most cultural and social initiatives in Switzerland are financed through a combination of different funding sources.
Very rarely does a single organisation fund an entire project.
Successful fundraising is about creating a balanced funding mix in which different contributors complement one another.
This approach does more than diversify income.
It also strengthens credibility.
Foundations are generally more inclined to support projects that already have backing from public institutions, municipalities or local communities. Likewise, public funders often look favourably on initiatives that have already secured support from respected foundations.
Each funding source reinforces the others.
The three main funding channels are:
| Funding source | What it includes | Best suited for | Where to start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public funding | Federal institutions, cantons, municipalities and Swisslos-funded programmes | Projects with cultural, educational or social value | Cantonal cultural offices, municipal funding programmes, the Federal Office of Culture, Pro Helvetia |
| Grant-making foundations | Private foundations that finance external projects | The primary funding channel for many cultural and social organisations | ASFESI, Fundraiso, SwissFoundations |
| Community fundraising & crowdfunding | Individual donations, fundraising campaigns and community initiatives | Building local support while complementing institutional funding | Crowdfunding platforms and your existing community |
The real lesson is not found in any single row of this table.
It lies in how the three funding sources work together.
The strongest funding strategies combine public grants, foundation support and community engagement into a coherent financial plan where each contributor strengthens the confidence of the others.
Public Funding
Public funding is available at several levels, and each operates according to its own priorities, eligibility criteria and application procedures.
At the federal level, organisations may be eligible for support from institutions such as the Federal Office of Culture and Pro Helvetia. At the cantonal level, every canton manages its own funding programmes, often supported in part by Swisslos proceeds. Municipalities also provide funding for projects that create cultural, educational or social value within their communities.
One of the most common mistakes made by organisations working nationally is assuming that funding systems operate in the same way across Switzerland.
They do not.
A funding strategy that works in Zurich cannot simply be replicated in Bellinzona. Every canton has its own priorities, deadlines, assessment criteria and institutional culture. Understanding those differences is an essential part of successful fundraising.
Grant-Making Foundations
Grant-making foundations represent one of the most important funding sources for cultural and social organisations in Switzerland.
They are also among the most misunderstood.
Switzerland counts 13,782 charitable foundations (end of 2025) — one of the highest densities in the world. The opportunity is real; so is the need for targeted research.
Every foundation exists to pursue a specific charitable purpose, defined in its statutes. That purpose determines exactly which projects it is allowed to support.
For this reason, successful fundraising is never about sending as many applications as possible.
It is about identifying the foundations whose mission genuinely aligns with your project.
Submitting an application to a foundation whose objectives do not match your initiative is almost always a waste of time—for both the applicant and the foundation.
Nationally, SwissFoundations is the umbrella organisation representing Swiss grant-making foundations. In Italian-speaking Switzerland, ASFESI plays a similar role for regional foundations.
Community Fundraising and Crowdfunding
Community fundraising and crowdfunding generally contribute a smaller share of a project’s overall budget than foundations or public institutions.
Their value, however, extends well beyond the amount of money raised.
A successful crowdfunding campaign demonstrates something institutional funders care deeply about: that real people already believe in the project.
When a foundation sees that a community has invested time, attention and financial support in an initiative, it gains confidence that the project addresses a genuine need rather than existing only on paper.
For that reason, crowdfunding should not be seen as an alternative to institutional fundraising.
It works best as part of a broader funding strategy.
Fundraising in Italian-Speaking Switzerland
This is the area where national and international organisations most often underestimate the complexity of the Swiss fundraising landscape.
Switzerland is not a single funding market.
It is a country made up of several linguistic and cultural regions, each with its own institutions, funding traditions and professional networks.
Italian-speaking Switzerland—which includes Ticino and the Italian-speaking valleys of Graubünden—is a distinct fundraising environment in its own right.
It has its own grant-making foundations, its own public funding programmes and its own cultural ecosystem.
For organisations based in German- or French-speaking Switzerland, these differences are often more significant than they first appear.
Language is only one part of the equation.
Funders, partners and stakeholders also operate within their own regional networks, professional relationships and cultural expectations.
Projects that appear deeply rooted in their local communities tend to be viewed much more favourably than initiatives that feel as though they have simply been imported from elsewhere.
Switzerland also has one of the highest concentrations of charitable foundations anywhere in the world.
Ticino has a foundation density above the national average, and it ranks second among Swiss cantons for net growth, with strong growth in 2025.
At first glance, this seems like excellent news for organisations seeking funding.
In reality, it creates a highly competitive environment.
Because there are so many foundations, each receives far more applications than it can possibly support.
Success therefore depends less on the number of applications submitted and far more on the quality of the selection process.
Choosing the right foundations is considerably more valuable than contacting dozens of unsuitable ones.
Understanding who funds what is especially important in a relatively small region such as Ticino.
Databases such as Fundraiso and Spheriq (formerly StiftungSchweiz), together with umbrella bodies such as SwissFoundations and proFonds — and, for Italian-speaking Switzerland, ASFESI — are an excellent starting point for identifying potential funders.
However, databases only tell part of the story.
The real work begins when you study each foundation’s statutory purpose, examine the projects it has previously supported and assess whether your initiative genuinely fits its priorities.
Relationships also matter.
In a close-knit funding environment, reputation, credibility and local knowledge carry significant weight.
One of the most common mistakes national organisations make is launching projects in Ticino without establishing meaningful local partnerships.
Even when the project itself is strong, it can still appear disconnected from the regional context.
Local funders notice that immediately.
Where to Start: Project, Budget, Proposal, Funders
One question comes up more often than any other:
“Which foundations should we approach?”
It is an entirely reasonable question.
It is also the last question you should ask.
Successful institutional fundraising follows a logical sequence, and changing that order is one of the most common reasons funding applications fail.
In reality, funders don’t fund writing. They fund programs. Clarity doesn’t come from writing harder. It comes from planning well.
The Grantsmanship Center
The process I use with organisations always follows four stages.
1. Define the project.
Clarify exactly what the project aims to achieve.
Who are the beneficiaries?
What outcomes are expected?
How will success be measured?
If someone unfamiliar with the project cannot understand it after reading a short summary, the project is probably not yet ready for fundraising.
One more thing most guides never mention: do not design the project in isolation and only then look for money. A project designed in a vacuum is built on hypothetical funding rather than on the real possibilities of the funding landscape.
Designing with funders in view also keeps the door open to co-design. Many Swiss foundations value being involved while a project is still taking shape — an organisation that arrives with a finished, non-negotiable project has already given up that opportunity.
2. Build the budget.
The budget is much more than a spreadsheet.
It is the project translated into financial terms.
Income and expenditure should be realistic, balanced and supported by a credible funding strategy.
Foundations usually examine the budget before anything else because it immediately reveals whether a project has been properly planned.
3. Prepare the funding proposal.
Only once the project and budget are complete should the funding proposal be written.
Although every foundation requests information in a slightly different format, the underlying content remains largely the same: project description, objectives, implementation plan, budget, funding plan and expected impact.
4. Identify the right funders.
Only now is it time to select the organisations you intend to approach.
A shortlist of ten to fifteen foundations whose objectives genuinely match the project is almost always more effective than sending generic applications to a hundred organisations.
A carefully targeted proposal respects both your own time and that of the funder—and dramatically increases your chances of success.
Each of these stages deserves much deeper discussion.
The following guides explore each topic individually, covering project budgeting, writing successful funding proposals, identifying suitable funders and understanding how Swiss grant-making foundations evaluate applications.
One principle, however, should always remain the same:
Project first. Budget second. Proposal third. Funders last.
Reversing that order is one of the most common reasons otherwise promising applications are rejected.
A Real-World Example: Gwenstival
Fundraising principles are easier to understand when you see how they work in practice.
One example is Gwenstival, the festival celebrating the twentieth anniversary of Radio Gwendalyn.
Like many cultural projects, it did not begin with a list of potential funders. It began with a clearly defined vision.
The first step was to shape the project itself: its objectives, target audiences, programme, expected outcomes and partnerships.
Only once those elements were in place did we move on to developing the financial plan.
The budget combined several funding sources, including private foundations, public institutions and local partners. Rather than relying on a single contributor, the strategy spread the financial responsibility across multiple funders, making the project both more resilient and more credible.
The funding proposals were then tailored individually for each organisation. Although the core project remained the same, every application highlighted the aspects that were most relevant to the particular funder’s mission and priorities.
That approach ultimately secured approximately CHF 45,000 in external funding.
The result was not the product of one exceptional application.
It was the outcome of a structured fundraising process carried out in the right order.
Timing Matters More Than Most Organisations Realise
One of the biggest surprises for organisations approaching institutional fundraising for the first time is how long the process actually takes.
Unlike private donations or sponsorships, foundation funding rarely moves quickly.
Many Swiss foundations meet only two to four times each year to review applications.
Some have a single annual deadline.
Others assess requests continuously but still require several months before reaching a decision.
Even after approval, funding is normally released only once the project has been completed and the final report has been accepted: a first instalment is often possible, but it usually has to be requested explicitly.
For that reason, experienced organisations usually begin institutional fundraising 12 to 18 months before a project’s planned delivery.
That timeline is not bureaucracy for its own sake.
It reflects the way the Swiss funding system is designed to operate.
Leaving fundraising until the last minute dramatically reduces the number of opportunities available and often forces organisations to compromise by applying to funders that are not genuinely aligned with their projects.
Planning ahead creates better choices.
The Five Most Common Fundraising Mistakes
Over the years, I have noticed that unsuccessful funding applications tend to fail for the same reasons.
The projects themselves are often worthwhile.
The mistakes occur much earlier in the process.
Applying to the wrong foundations
A foundation can only support projects that fall within its statutory purpose.
Sending applications simply because a foundation has money available is one of the fastest ways to receive a rejection.
Research always comes before writing.
Building the budget last
Many organisations treat the budget as an administrative document prepared shortly before submission.
In reality, it is one of the most important parts of the entire application.
A strong budget demonstrates that the project has been carefully planned, financially understood and realistically costed.
Writing for insiders
Funding applications are often written by people who know the project inside out.
The assessor does not.
Avoid internal jargon, unexplained acronyms and assumptions.
If someone unfamiliar with the organisation cannot understand the project after one reading, the application needs more work.
Starting too late
Institutional fundraising rewards preparation.
Projects planned only a few months before delivery usually miss the funding cycle of many foundations.
The earlier fundraising becomes part of project planning, the greater the number of realistic funding opportunities available.
Depending on a single funder
Very few organisations are willing to finance an entire project on their own.
Foundations generally feel more confident supporting initiatives that already have backing from other contributors.
A diversified funding plan demonstrates both credibility and financial resilience.
In practice, a credible funding plan draws on at least four to six different sources. A project financed entirely by one funder is not a funding strategy — it is a commissioned project, with all the fragility that implies.
Fundraising Is About Building Long-Term Relationships
Many organisations think of fundraising as a sequence of individual applications.
In reality, successful fundraising is relationship management.
Every project delivered successfully strengthens an organisation’s reputation.
Every accurate report increases a funder’s confidence.
Every transparent conversation builds trust.
Over time, these relationships become far more valuable than any single grant.
Organisations that consistently deliver what they promise find that fundraising gradually becomes easier—not because more money becomes available, but because more people are willing to invest in them.
That is why reporting is just as important as applying.
A well-written final report is often the first step towards securing the next grant.
When Does It Make Sense to Bring in a Fundraising Consultant?
There is no single answer.
Some organisations seek external support because they have never applied for institutional funding before.
Others already have fundraising experience but lack the internal capacity to manage multiple applications alongside their day-to-day operations.
Others simply want an experienced second opinion before submitting an important proposal.
Whatever the reason, external support is usually most valuable at the beginning of the process—before deadlines become urgent and before applications have already been written.
Fundraising is far easier to build correctly from the start than to repair later.
A fundraiser’s job isn’t simply about bringing in the money. It’s about helping donors achieve their vision of what the world can be through philanthropy.
Eva E. Aldrich, President & CEO of CFRE International
In 2025 this work brought around CHF 200,000 to the projects of Radio Gwendalyn, with dossiers addressed to funders such as Migros Kulturprozent, Pro Helvetia, Drosos and Ernst Göhner. This is the work I do for Swiss cultural and social non-profit organisations. If you want to know whether your project is ready to be submitted, get in touch.
There is a difference, though, between getting help with one application and building a function inside the organisation that stays once the help ends. If the difficulty is not a particular dossier but the fact that nobody has yet had the time to look after this continuously, I have written a page on how an institutional fundraising function gets built from scratch.
Continue reading
If you would like to explore individual aspects of fundraising in more detail, these guides provide a practical next step:
- How to Find Funding in Switzerland
- Swiss Grant-Making Foundations
- How to Write a Funding Proposal
- How to Build a Project Budget
- Five Mistakes That Get Funding Requests Rejected
- Expanding into Italian-Speaking Switzerland
Together, these guides form a complete roadmap for organisations seeking institutional funding in Switzerland.
Frequently asked questions
Can I do fundraising on my own, without help?
Yes, especially at the start and for small projects — this guide is exactly for that. Working with a professional makes sense when the stakes grow, when time is short, or when you want to build stable fundraising instead of chasing every project from scratch.
How far in advance should I move?
As a rule of thumb, 12–18 months before the project is delivered. Less is possible, but under six months most foundations drop out, because their meetings for that project have already passed. Foundation boards decide only a few times a year, and the contribution is normally paid after reporting — a first instalment is often possible, but it has to be requested explicitly. The organisation must be able to pre-finance costs and plan well ahead.
My organisation is small — is it still worth it?
Yes. Foundations fund projects, not size. What counts is the fit between the project, the budget and the funder’s purpose — not how large the organisation is. A small but well-built project beats a large but confused one.
We operate nationally but not in Ticino — how do we reach Italian-speaking Switzerland?
Treat it as its own region, not an extension of the German- or French-speaking market. It has its own funders (ASFESI, local foundations), its own cantonal rules, and its own language and cultural codes. The fastest route is to work with someone who knows the local funders and can present your project credibly in Italian — the specific gap most national and international organisations have here.
How much does fundraising support cost?
It depends on the mandate: single-project consulting, a monthly retainer, or a part-time engagement. One thing is fixed: the fee is never a percentage of the funds raised — a practice professional fundraising associations advise against, because it creates conflicts of interest and undermines donor trust.
Do Swiss foundations cover operating costs?
As a rule, foundations fund a service delivered to beneficiaries — usually free of charge or nearly so — rather than organisations as such. Structural costs are covered by allocating them in fair proportion across the project budgets that rely on them. Designing that allocation well is one of the places where professional budget work pays for itself.
How can Swiss nonprofits attract funders?
Funders are rarely attracted; they are convinced. What convinces them is verifiable credibility: a professional online profile that states clearly who you are, who governs you and what you have already accomplished — funders check, and so do the AI tools they increasingly use for research — together with a track record built progressively from local funders upward and partnerships with recognised institutions.
Planning to apply for a grant? Let’s find out whether your project stands a real chance of being funded. Book a free 20-minute call—no strings attached.
