What EPIM does

EPIM (European Philanthropic Initiative for Migration) is one of Europe's largest and longest-standing philanthropic collaboratives, founded in 2004 and hosted by the Network of European Foundations (NEF) in Brussels. It operates as an initiative under NEF and functions as an ecosystem curator and field catalyst rather than a traditional re-granter: EPIM pools contributions from 16 foundation members and deploys them through strategic, proactive (non-open-call) grantmaking to civil society organizations, migrant-led initiatives, and ecosystem actors across Europe. The organization structures its programmatic work around four thematic clusters — Dignified Work and Housing, Building Inclusive Societies in Central and Eastern Europe, Shaping the Future of European Migration Governance, and a Political Response Opportunity Innovation Fund — and convenes the field through the EPIM Forum (inaugurated November 2024), Learning Journeys, and a bespoke Learning Framework for impact measurement.

EPIM does not offer commercial products or services; it has no proprietary technology platform, API, or app surface. Its core "technology" is institutional: a first-of-its-kind collaborative systems mapping process on European migration governance, a mixed governance model (Executive Council, Forum, Cluster Committees, and Committees of Practitioners and Experts), and curated relational infrastructure connecting foundations, civil society, and migrant-led organizations across at least 12 European countries. Operational modalities include direct grantmaking (typically €50,000 pilots to multi-hundred-thousand-euro cluster anchors), narrative cultivation and thought leadership (annual reports, articles, LinkedIn, newsletter), and in-person convening.

The business model is a pooled philanthropic fund. Revenue consists entirely of contributions from 16 Foundation Members (including Robert Bosch Stiftung, Porticus, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Oak Foundation, King Baudouin Foundation, Compagnia di San Paolo, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, and others); no commercial pricing, fees, or product revenue exists. Go-to-market is community-led: EPIM proactively maps the migration ecosystem and engages aligned initiatives rather than issuing open calls. The organization is led by Co-Directors Sophie Ngo-Diep and Hrishabh Sandilya and is governed by a team of seven staff and consultants under a co-leadership structure that was formalized alongside the 2023 Process of Change and April 2024 rebrand.

Name

EPIM

Legal name

European Philanthropic Initiative for Migration

Website

https://epim.info

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

EPIM is one of Europe's largest philanthropic collaboratives, pooling contributions from 16 foundation members to fund, convene, and curate civil society and migrant-led organizations advancing belonging and democratic resilience across Europe's migration ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic Collaborative Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee, Migration & Displacement Support (BPAGABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE), Infrastructure, Housing & Community Development (BPAGABAL), Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK)

Keywords

• Philanthropic collaborative
• Migration grantmaking
• Ecosystem curation
• Refugee support funding
• Civil society philanthropy

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Collaborative Fund: EPIM operates as one of Europe's largest and longest-standing philanthropic collaboratives, funded by a network of foundation partners. As a collaborative grantmaker, EPIM receives contributions from member foundations and deploys them through strategic grantmaking to support the migration ecosystem across Europe. Revenue is not generated through commercial means but through pooled philanthropic resources from foundation members.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

EPIM is one of Europe's largest and longest-standing philanthropic collaboratives. It funds and nurtures alliances and partnerships, curates the migration ecosystem, and cultivates a shared narrative for belonging and democratic resilience. Its work is organized around four thematic clusters: Dignified Work and Housing; Building Inclusive Societies in Central and Eastern Europe; Shaping the Future of European Migration Governance; and a Political Response Opportunity Innovation Fund. Grantmaking and ecosystem convening are delivered through the EPIM Forum (a Social Lab), Learning Framework, and systems mapping initiatives.

Product overview

EPIM (European Philanthropic Initiative for Migration) is a philanthropic collaborative organization, not a product or technology company. It funds and nurtures alliances and partnerships within the migration ecosystem across Europe. Its programmatic work includes grantmaking through thematic clusters (Dignified Work and Housing, Building Inclusive Societies in Central and Eastern Europe, Shaping the Future of European Migration Governance, and Political Response Opportunity Innovation Fund), the EPIM Forum as a Social Lab for ecosystem collaboration, a Learning Framework for impact measurement, and systems mapping initiatives. EPIM does not offer commercial products or services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dignified Work and Housing Cluster Grantmaking and convening cluster that funds and supports interventions on precarious employment, deskilling, labour exploitation, and discrimination in housing and employment markets for migrants in Europe.
• Building Inclusive Societies in Central and Eastern Europe Cluster Grantmaking cluster helping societies in Central and Eastern Europe negotiate migration, belonging, and strengthen civil society and democratic practices, building upon Ukraine response solidarity.
• Shaping the Future of European Migration Governance Cluster Grantmaking cluster funding interventions on alternatives to detention, borders, and EU mobility based on a first-ever systems map of migration governance.
• Political Response Opportunity Innovation Fund An agile fund that responds to opportunities arising in the migration ecosystem, enabling rapid response to emerging political openings and challenges.
• EPIM Forum A Social Lab for the migration ecosystem that brings together civil society, government, private sector, migrant activists, journalists, and philanthropists for collective sensemaking, learning, and visioning.
• Learning Framework and Learning Journeys Impact measurement framework and immersive sensemaking experiences that bring together civil society and foundation partners for learning.
• Deskilling Pilot Grants Programme Pilot grant programme addressing deskilling of migrants through accreditation, job training, language teaching, and community socialisation initiatives.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 24 projects supported in CEE since 2022
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Network of European Foundations (NEF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPIM is an initiative by the Network of European Foundations (NEF), an association of leading European foundations dedicated to strengthening philanthropic cooperation. NEF is based in Brussels at Philanthropy House and currently hosts 8 philanthropic collaboratives.
• PhileaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhilea is an Ecosystem Partner of EPIM. EPIM's co-directors were interviewed by Philea on co-leadership, and EPIM contributes to Philea's knowledge and network in the philanthropy sector.
• Othering and Belonging Institute (UC Berkeley)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Othering and Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley is an Ecosystem Partner of EPIM. EPIM collaborates with the Institute's Democracy and Belonging Forum on belonging frameworks and narrative change work.
• International Alumni Center (iac Berlin)minorStrategic or Co-development Partneriac Berlin is an Ecosystem Partner that facilitated the Three Horizons Framework session at the inaugural EPIM Forum, helping participants explore how to be in relationship with others in the ecosystem.
• Democracy and Belonging ForumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Democracy and Belonging Forum is an Ecosystem Partner collaborating with EPIM on belonging frameworks. The Forum's leadership team includes Building Belonging collaborative leaders working with EPIM on new visions for migration.
• Ariadne NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAriadne Network is an Ecosystem Partner of EPIM, contributing to the network of organizations working on migration and social change in Europe.
• Open Space CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOpen Space Collective is an Ecosystem Partner of EPIM, working on migration ecosystem facilitation and convening.
• PLACE NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPLACE Network is a Civil Society Partner of EPIM, working on place-based approaches to migration and belonging across Europe.
• AMIGA (Agency for Migration and Adaptation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMIGA is a migrant-led agency and Civil Society Partner supported by EPIM since 2022, providing mental health and psychosocial support to Ukrainian refugees in Prague and working with Czech healthcare professionals.
• MigActminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMigAct is a migrant-led Civil Society Partner supported by EPIM since 2024 in collaboration with AMIGA, focused on enabling civic participation for people with migration backgrounds in Prague.
• Asociația Comunitățile Viitorului (ACV / Communities of the Future)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerACV is a Civil Society Partner co-founded by Claudia Șerbănuță in Romania in 2022, supported by EPIM since May 2024 for LibHub, reimagining public libraries as hubs for newcomers.
• Czech Migration ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Czech Migration Consortium unites 20 migrant-supporting organisations and is a Civil Society Partner of EPIM, focusing on advocacy, intercultural education, and grassroots migrant-led organizations.
• MareenaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMareena is launching Slovakia's first platform for organisations working on refugee and migrant inclusion. EPIM supports this initiative, with founding partners including Centre for Research of Ethnicity and Culture, Human Rights League Slovakia, Milan Šimečka Foundation, Caritas, Slovak Humanitarian Council, and People in Need Slovakia.
• With Wings and RootsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWith Wings and Roots, founded by Christina Antonakos-Wallace, is a Civil Society Partner supported by EPIM for Belonging Beyond Borders: A Global Network in 2025, advancing new narratives for migrant justice.
• eLiberareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnereLiberare is a Romanian civil society organisation focused on preventing human trafficking and sexual exploitation. EPIM has supported the scaling of its Kompass project in Romania and Moldova since June 2023.
• Jobs4RefugeesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJobs4Refugees is a Berlin-based Civil Society Partner supported by EPIM through a €50,000 deskilling pilot grant to expand work with SMEs facing labour shortages and support refugees in securing long-term positions.
• ACOF (Associació Comissió de Formació de la Coordinadora de la Llengua)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerACOF is a Civil Society Partner in Spain supported by EPIM through a €50,000 deskilling pilot grant to tackle deskilling in Catalonia through accreditation, language teaching, and community socialisation.
• KaribuminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKaribu is a Civil Society Partner in Spain supported by EPIM through a €49,090 deskilling pilot grant to address deskilling through workshops with businesses, job orientation, and language classes.
• Hungarian Helsinki CommitteeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Hungarian Helsinki Committee, directed by Anikó Bakonyi, has been supported by EPIM since 2021. The organization focuses on protecting the rights of refugees through human rights monitoring, counselling, advocacy, and reporting, including the Right to Know projects.
• NO CAPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNO CAP, co-founded by Yvan Sagnet, is a Civil Society Partner supported by EPIM since January 2023 for the Spartacus project to reduce exploitation of migrant workers in the Italian agricultural sector.
• Chico Mendes (Giuste Terre)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGiuste Terre (formerly Chico Mendes), with Projects Director Gianantonio Ricci, is a Civil Society Partner implementing the Spartacus project alongside NO CAP with EPIM support since January 2023.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ariadne Network: European philanthropic peer network focused on migration and social change; explicitly named as an EPIM Ecosystem Partner and serves the same cohort of European foundations funding migration and refugee rights, making it the closest direct comparable.
• Network of European Foundations (NEF): EPIM's parent organization and host; NEF convenes leading European foundations and hosts 8 philanthropic collaboratives (EPIM among them) at Philanthropy House in Brussels, operating the same pooled-funding and foundation-collaboration model.
• Philea (Philanthropy Europe Association): European association representing philanthropy infrastructure; named as EPIM Ecosystem Partner and serves overlapping foundation members, operating as a knowledge/network intermediary rather than a direct grantmaker.

Broad incumbents

• Robert Bosch Stiftung: Major German foundation and EPIM Foundation Member (contributing €500k to EPIM's CEE cluster); funds migration, democracy, and inclusion across Europe with overlapping thematic priorities, though it operates its own bilateral grantmaking rather than only through collaboratives.
• King Baudouin Foundation: Belgian public-benefit foundation and EPIM Foundation Member; comparable as a European pooled-funding and grantmaking entity with overlapping migration and democratic-resilience interests but a much broader thematic mandate.
• Open Society Foundations: One of the largest global foundations funding migration, refugee rights, and democratic governance; overlaps heavily with EPIM's mission but operates at vastly greater scale and global geographic footprint.
• Porticus: International foundation coordinating philanthropic initiatives across education, justice, and migration; an EPIM Foundation Member with overlapping European migration funding interests, but operates a broader portfolio across multiple causes.
• International Organization for Migration (IOM): UN-related intergovernmental organization working on migration governance across Europe and globally; comparable in subject matter but operates at vastly larger scale as a regulatory/operational body rather than a philanthropic collaborative.

Emerging players

• Migration Policy Institute (MPI) Europe: Think tank producing research and policy analysis on migration governance in Europe; overlaps with EPIM's "Shaping the Future of European Migration Governance" cluster but focuses on research and policy advice rather than grantmaking.

Others

• European Programme for Integration of Migrants (EPIM predecessor): EPIM itself under its former name; relevant only as the historical lineage of the organization and not as a separate peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/epim-european-philanthropic-initiative-for-migration
• Xx.com/theepim
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheEPIM

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about EPIM