The endowed fund Stichting Aelwijn Florisz is celebrating its 35th anniversary and is making an extra € 100,000 available this year. The fund is looking for initiatives that truly make a difference for young people aged 0-25 in the Rotterdam-Rijnmond region. Do you have a good idea? Then this call might be a great match. Read on to find out how you can enter!

Who is the call for?

Stichting Aelwijn Florisz is looking for initiatives with a social character that are, as much as possible, conceived, organized and carried out by volunteers. The impact on young people is central. The fund contributes to concrete project costs needed to actually carry out a social project. To be eligible, a project proposal must come from a foundation or association.

About the anniversary call

Because of the anniversary, the fund has deliberately chosen to make room for larger initiatives, say chairman Bert Huisman and secretary Rineke Keijzer of the fund. That is why there is a minimum amount of € 25,000 for the project proposals that can enter. With this, the board hopes to challenge organizations to think bigger and submit plans they might not otherwise put forward.

In its assessment, the board looks primarily at the concrete elaboration of an idea. Which activity or activities, for which target group, what goal and what intended social value does the applicant have in mind? The most concrete applications stand the best chance.

How can you submit an application?

Do you have a good idea that contributes to the well-being of young people in the Rotterdam-Rijnmond region? Then submit a preliminary application:

• Describe your plan in a preliminary application of no more than 1 A4 page; give a very brief explanation of the activity, target group, goal, social impact and rough budget.
• Send the preliminary application no later than September 1, 2026 to Rineke Keijzer, secretary of Stichting Aelwijn Florisz, secretaris.st.aelwijn.florisz@gmail.com, mentioning "Jubileumactie".
• Around mid-September you will hear whether your preliminary application may proceed to the next round.
• Promising projects will receive an invitation to submit a full project application. They will have until mid-November to do so.
• The winner(s) of the anniversary campaign will be announced in December.

Who is Stichting Aelwijn Florisz?

Stichting Aelwijn Florisz has been supporting social, community and medical initiatives in the Rotterdam-Rijnmond region since 1991. The foundation arose from the merger of four funds, each of which supported people in vulnerable positions in its own way.

The name refers to the Rotterdam monk Aelwijn Florisz, who was known in the Middle Ages for his care for the poor and the sick. That social commitment still forms the basis of the fund today and is reflected in the projects the fund supports.

Normally, the fund mainly provides contributions to small-scale projects. The anniversary campaign deliberately makes room for larger projects. "With a bit more financial room, you might be able to fulfil a wish that would otherwise not be feasible," explains Bert Huisman. It is precisely these new ideas that the fund wants to reach. The first step has deliberately been kept accessible. Initiatives only need to submit a short preliminary application, so that good ideas get every opportunity to show themselves.