Charitable Foundations in the Canton of Zurich
An innovative location packed with international appeal
Diversity that matters
Find out which foundations are based in the Canton of Zurich and what they do
Foundations in Zurich
Home to more than 2,200 charitable foundations and featuring a modern, foundation-friendly environment, the Canton of Zurich is one of the world’s leading locations for foundations. Find out why here.
A warm welcome!
Charitable foundations have an important role to play in the Canton of Zurich. They support a wide range of purposes, including cultural and social activities, educational and research topics, as well as environmental issues. Foundations not only promote innovation and pioneering initiatives; they are also important cooperation partners of diverse stakeholders from industry, research and government.
In 2021, Zurich’s Government Council set the goal of strengthening the foundation sector and boosting its international appeal.
A crucial part of this goal was achieved in February 2024, when the Canton of Zurich adjusted its tax exemption practice for charitable foundations, thus significantly improving conditions in favour of a modern and effective foundation system for national and international foundations.
More information: Media Release of the Canton of Zurich (in German) / Interview with Carmen Walker Späh in The Philanthropist
Online Info
Are you looking for general information, guidance or advice? You will find a broad range of information on foundation-related topics in the section below.
What is a foundation?
How to set up a charitable foundation
Legal framework
Education and continuing education
Networks and associations
Information Desk
News from the Zurich Foundation Sector
Our news portal is your go-to for the latest information, news and event listings from Zurich’s foundation sector. Note that all texts are published in their original language.
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UBS und Swisscom gründen Deeptech-Stiftung
Zürich – UBS und Swisscom haben als Gründungspartner die Stiftung Deep Tech Nation Switzerland ins Leben gerufen. Sie soll sicherstellen, dass Start-ups und Scale-ups im forschungsintensiven Deeptech-Bereich besseren Zugang zu Kapital für Weiterentwicklung und Wachstum erhalten.
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Gebert Rüf Stiftung fördert drei Start-ups aus Bern und Zürich
Bern/Zürich – Die Gebert Rüf Stiftung unterstützt im Rahmen des InnoBooster-Programms drei neue Projekte mit je 150’000 Franken. Die Start-ups sind Pace Locator aus Bern sowie UpCircle und Layered aus Zürich.