How much capital does the KBF have now?

The assets of the KBF consist of two blocks: assets belonging to the KBF itself and those belonging to the Funds that it manages. The market value of the Funds’ asset portfolios is 1.032 million euros, far more than the assets of the Foundation itself, which amount to 376 million euros (figures from 2022).

Legally the assets all belong to the KBF. The assets of the Funds, however, can only be used to further the aims of each individual Fund, according to the strict criteria that were defined when it was set up. These are resources that have been donated to serve the public interest. They are donated via the Foundation, not to the Foundation itself.
The Foundation’s assets have been increasing, particularly in the past ten years and it is mainly the assets of the Funds that are growing much faster, thanks to the generosity of numerous philanthropists who make donations during their lives or through wills and bequests.

There are broadly three explanations for the increase in assets. First of all, philanthropy has clearly gained in popularity. There is a large group of people who lived through the Second World War and then saw the years of economic growth. Almost one in six people from this generation have no direct descendants. Many of these people are actively thinking about what should be done with their wealth after they die. On the other hand people from the Baby Boomer generation, born after WWII, are increasingly attracted to the idea of doing something in a structured way to serve the public interest while they are still alive.

Another explanation is that both groups can contact the Foundation’s Centre for Philanthropy to ask for guidance or help if they wish. In recent decades the Centre has become expert in advising and creating solutions to respond to donors’ wishes in flexible ways. Donors are also welcomed who do not have large amounts of wealth to give away but still want to find a solution on the right scale that will allow them to have an impact.

Along the way, considerable expertise has been acquired in supporting cross-border philanthropy. The King Baudouin Foundation, KBF United States, KBF Canada and Transnational Giving Europe all have their own role within the KBF Family as a global philanthropic enabler.

They provide services targeting all cross-border philanthropy - from other countries to Belgium, from Belgium to other countries and between third countries. As a result these forms of philanthropy have increased in scale and this has contributed some of the growth in assets.

Finally, a smaller part of the growth in the Foundation's assets can be accounted for by the active investment approach that has always been followed.