Fondazione Santagata, on behalf of Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, is carrying out a research and monitoring activity within the framework of the initiative “Cantiere Cultura e Salute 2025”. The study, conducted in collaboration with the University of Turin and the Cultural Welfare Center, focuses on the mechanisms and impacts of trust-based philanthropy applied to cultural and social organizations that are beneficiaries of development grants.

Context

The project originates from the allocation of 20 unrestricted development grants by Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo to organizations operating at the intersection of culture and health. This choice represents a significant shift from traditional funding models based on project calls and restricted grants, and offers the opportunity to observe how greater decision-making autonomy may affect project capacity, innovation, network-building, and organizational sustainability.

The work is part of a broader international reflection on trust-based philanthropy, an approach that places trust, shared responsibility, and the reduction of bureaucracy at its core, fostering the emergence of innovative practices and more resilient organizational models.

Objectives

The initiative aims to:

  • Analyze the mechanisms introduced by unrestricted philanthropy compared to more prescriptive grantmaking models.
  • Assess whether greater autonomy fosters innovation, experimentation, and organizational strengthening.
  • Explore the impact of trust in the relationship between funders and grantees.
  • Provide a critical and up-to-date interpretation of the transformations underway in the philanthropic system, with a specific focus on the Cantiere Cultura e Salute 2025 initiative.

Expected Results / Impact

The project aims to produce:

  • Brief profiles of the 20 participating organizations and a mapping of their resources and skills.
  • In-depth case studies on 5–7 emblematic organizations, including a comparative analysis of the strategies adopted.
  • A final research report, including an executive summary and operational recommendations.

Partners

  • University of Turin – Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti De Martiis
  • Cultural Welfare Center

Funder

  • Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo