For more than 30 years, the VU Center for Philanthropic Studies has been closely monitoring giving behaviour in the Netherlands, publishing its findings in book form every two years. This year, the presentation of the anniversary edition coincided with a special edition of Philanthropy Day.
And, as luck would have it, Philanthropy Day on 26 June at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam happened to fall on the hottest day of the year. ‘Yes, the red weather warning did mean that a few more people who had registered decided not to come, but despite that, it was a very successful day,’ VU researcher and organiser Stephanie Koolen-Maas recalls.
Extra special
The programme certainly reflected the occasion: interactive expert sessions in the morning, the presentation of the first copy of Geven in Nederland 2026 to Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands, and Humberto Tan as the day’s host. The day ended on a particularly special note with the farewell lecture by Professor Theo Schuyt, founder of the VU Center for Philanthropic Studies and of its pioneering longitudinal research into philanthropy in the Netherlands. It was Theo who brought this type of philanthropy research from the United States to the Netherlands in the 1990s. To this day, the Netherlands and the US remain the only countries where research of this kind is conducted in this way and on this scale. ‘That made this anniversary edition particularly special,’ says Stephanie. ‘More than 30 years of research into giving behaviour in the Netherlands, and the 15th edition of the book. Theo has, of course, played an indispensable role in all of that.’
Valuable information
For decades, the research and its accompanying book have been a key reference point in the world of Dutch philanthropy. They map out the figures, target groups, developments and trends across the sector. ‘It provides valuable information for fundraisers at charities, but also for endowed foundations, the charity desks of financial institutions and companies looking to shape their social engagement – in fact, for anyone with an interest in philanthropy,’ Stephanie explains.
Trends and developments
A diverse audience was brought up to speed on the research findings during the afternoon plenary session. The results show, for example, that Dutch donors still give around €5.5 billion to charitable causes (2024). ‘But an increasingly large share of donations is coming from an increasingly small group of donors. We see that among both individuals and companies,’ Stephanie explains. ‘Those donors also tend to be more highly educated and wealthier than average. At the same time, we are seeing an increase in the proportion of donations coming from legacies. That is hardly surprising when you consider the demographic development of the post-war generation as it grows older. It is also a generation that has already been generous during its lifetime.’ The giving behaviour of younger generations is equally distinctive. ‘Gen Z clearly has less financial scope and tends to demonstrate its commitment in other ways, such as through volunteering.’
Golden age
These are just some of the research findings and topics explored in Geven in Nederland 2026 and during Philanthropy Day. ‘They show the value of the research,’ says Stephanie. ‘We are now living in what Theo predicted years ago would be the “golden age of philanthropy”. At the same time, we know there is still a great deal of work to be done when it comes to the giving behaviour of younger generations and, for example, people from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. How can we maintain and strengthen their engagement with charitable causes? There is certainly no shortage of research for us to carry out at the Center for Philanthropic Studies in the years ahead.’