De Buurt
De Buurt is a Dutch non-profit foundation that strengthens neighborhood social cohesion through free community programs, including pop-up campings, street benches, and greeting tiles, organized by 7,500+ volunteers across the Netherlands.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersAmsterdam, Netherlands
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What De Buurt does
Stichting De Buurt is a Dutch non-profit foundation headquartered in Amsterdam that strengthens social cohesion in Dutch neighborhoods by organizing joyful, low-barrier community activities. Founded in 2013 by Roderik Schaepman and Katusha Sol with the first Buurtcamping in Amsterdam's Oosterpark, the organization operates three core programs: De Buurtcamping (a three-day pop-up camping experience in public parks organized for and by residents), BuurtBankjes (street benches serving as casual neighborhood meeting spots), and Zwaaisteen (decorative sidewalk tiles encouraging greeting between neighbors). The organization complements these initiatives with De Buurtcampus, a 2026-launched training program that certifies volunteers as Buurtcamping managers.
De Buurt runs a community-led go-to-market model built on a volunteer network of 7,500+ Buurtmakers who organize activities hyper-locally, supported by a small central staff of 13+ paid employees led by Director Maarten Hupkes and Adjunct-Director Sadaf Hosseni. Activities are free for participants, with one-third of Buurtcamping spots reserved for minima (low-income participants) to ensure socioeconomic mixing. The Buurtraad (volunteer council) and a Supervisory Board chaired by Jeroen Plemp provide governance. The foundation holds CBF Erkend Goed Doel status (since 2020) and ANBI designation, with partnerships spanning Nationale Postcode Loterij (multi-year, 2024), Univé Buurtfonds (main partner, 2024), Oranje Fonds, VSBfonds, ANWB, ASML, Booking.com, and others.
Revenue is generated entirely through charitable donations, lottery contributions, and foundation grants rather than participant fees. As of 2022, programs spanned all 12 Dutch provinces with 53 Buurtcampings, 140+ BuurtBankjes, and continued municipal expansion through 2026. Marketing is conducted via website, social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), the BuurtBrief newsletter, and the BuurtBode blog, supplemented by national earned media such as the royal opening of Week tegen Eenzaamheid 2025.
De Buurt firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- De Buurt
- Legal name
- Stichting De Buurt
- Website
- https://de-buurt.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- De Buurt is a Dutch non-profit foundation that strengthens neighborhood social cohesion through free community programs, including pop-up campings, street benches, and greeting tiles, organized by 7,500+ volunteers across the Netherlands.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
De Buurt industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Social Cohesion Programs
- NAICS
- RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps (7212), RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Campgrounds (721211), Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)
- SIC
- Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Seasonal & Pop-Up Campsites (Event/Harvest/Temporary) (THAGAOAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Family & Recreation Campgrounds (Amenities/Activities Focus) (THAMAJAJ), Eco/Nature-Based Campgrounds (Sustainable/Off-Grid) (THAMAJAK)
Keywords
Where De Buurt is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Amsterdam
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
De Buurt business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Charitable Donations and Lottery Revenue: De Buurt receives funding from charitable lotteries including the Nationale Postcode Loterij, as well as donations from the public. The organization is recognized as an ANBI (public benefit organization) allowing for tax-deductible donations.
- Foundation and Corporate Partnerships: Partnerships with organizations like Univé Buurtfonds, Oranje Fonds, VSBfonds, and corporate sponsors ASML, Booking.com, ANWB, and Conclusion Consulting provide operational funding.
- Public Donations: Individual donors can contribute through the website donation option, with the organization holding Erkend Goed Doel (CBF recognized charity) status.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | — | Free community participation |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
De Buurt product offering
Product offeringCore offering
De Buurt organizes free, volunteer-led community programs that bring Dutch neighborhood residents together across socioeconomic and cultural divides. Its three core initiatives are De Buurtcamping (three-day pop-up camping in a local park where one-third of spots are reserved for minima), BuurtBankjes (street benches serving as casual meeting spots), and Zwaaisteen (decorative sidewalk tiles encouraging neighbors to greet each other), complemented by the De Buurtcampus training program for volunteer camping managers.
Product overview
De Buurt is a non-profit foundation (Stichting) that strengthens social cohesion in Dutch neighborhoods by organizing joyful, connecting activities. The organization operates three core community programs: De Buurtcamping (a three-day pop-up camping experience in local parks organized collaboratively with residents), BuurtBankjes (neighborhood benches placed in streets as casual outdoor meeting spots), and Zwaaisteen (cheerful sidewalk tiles that encourage residents to greet each other). These initiatives are complemented by De Buurtcampus, an education program that trains volunteers to organize their own Buurtcamping events. The organization functions as a social enterprise, recognized as an accredited charity (CBF) with ANBI status, and works with municipalities, local partners, and thousands of volunteers (Buurtmakers) nationwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- De Buurtcamping: A three-day pop-up camping in a park organized for and by neighborhood residents, with the goal of improving social cohesion. The concept divides spots equally between volunteers, paying campers, and those on low income.
- BuurtBankjes
- Zwaaisteen
Products and services
- De Buurtcamping A three-day pop-up camping experience in a local public park, organized for and by neighborhood residents. Spots are split between volunteers, paying campers, and minima (those with limited means), stimulating encounters between neighbors of diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.
- BuurtBankjes Neighborhood benches placed in streets that serve as casual outdoor meeting spots where residents can chat, connect, and host small activities. Hosts (BuurtBankjes ambassadors) receive a BuurtBankjesBox with decorations and materials to activate the bench.
- Zwaaisteen (Waving Stone) Cheerful decorative sidewalk tiles placed in public spaces that encourage people to greet each other. Available for municipalities and partners to order; serves as a small gesture with a big effect to promote casual social contact and reduce isolation.
- De Buurtcampus A volunteer training program that teaches Buurtmakers how to organize a successful Buurtcamping from start to finish. Co-sponsored by Univé Buurtfonds (main partner), it prepares volunteers to become certified Buurtcamping managers and run their own local community camping events.
Quantifiable outcome
- Creates thousands of neighborhood encounters annually through camping, bench, and waving stone programs
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use De Buurt
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
De Buurt technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
De Buurt partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Univé BuurtfondscoreMain partner (hoofdpartner) of De Buurt, specifically supporting the Buurtcampus training program. Helps realize as many new encounters as possible between residents who don't know each other across Dutch neighborhoods. The partnership began in 2024.
- Een tegen EenzaamheidcoreCollaborates on the national Week tegen Eenzaamheid (Week Against Loneliness), with royal opening by His Majesty the King in 2025.
- ANWBmajorDonates old tents from members for use at Buurtcampings, enabling camping for families who cannot afford equipment.
- Conclusion ConsultingminorCorporate partner providing consulting support.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
De Buurt competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Stayokay (Dutch Hostel Foundation): Dutch non-profit hostel operator that runs affordable, sustainable accommodations with a strong community/sustainability mission — adjacent comparison as another purpose-driven Dutch organization using overnight-stay experiences as a vehicle for social and environmental goals.
Direct peers
- LSA Bewoners: Dutch umbrella for active residents' organizations that strengthens local civic initiatives in disadvantaged neighborhoods — directly comparable mission of empowering residents to organize hyper-local community activities with central back-office support.
- Stichting Present: National Dutch non-profit that mobilizes volunteers to support people in need within their own neighborhoods — directly comparable volunteer-led, municipality-by-municipality activation model. Operates a similar grant-pass-through and local-chapter structure to De Buurt.
- JINC: Dutch non-profit that connects young people from disadvantaged neighborhoods to professionals and the working world through local volunteer-driven programs. Comparable in mobilizing corporate volunteers and operating through a national network of regional chapters.
- Krajicek Foundation: Dutch foundation that builds neighborhood sports facilities and activities in disadvantaged areas, often in partnership with municipalities and corporates. Highly comparable in mission (social cohesion via tangible local activities) and partnership model.
- Een tegen Eenzaamheid: National Dutch program (under the Ministry of Health) coordinating the Week tegen Eenzaamheid and a network of local anti-loneliness coalitions — direct co-organizer of the Royal opening event De Buurt hosted in 2025 and a key ecosystem peer in the loneliness space.
Broad incumbents
- Buurtzorg Nederland: Dutch neighborhood-based home-care organization founded on the principle that small, self-managing local teams deliver better outcomes than large institutions — a near-perfect philosophical mirror of De Buurt's hyper-local volunteer-led model. Both build civic infrastructure by activating local people in their own neighborhoods.
- Humanitas: One of the largest Dutch welfare non-profits, running volunteer-led programs that combat loneliness and social isolation through neighborhood-based activities — overlaps heavily with De Buurt's anti-loneliness mission and volunteer network.
Others
- Oranje Fonds: Dutch national fund that supports local community initiatives and is itself a major funding partner of De Buurt. Comparable in operating model (grant-making, local-chapter empowerment) but functions as a funder rather than a direct program operator.
Regional players
- Stichting Welzijn De Vierwindstreken: Regional Dutch welfare organization running volunteer-driven community, youth and loneliness programs in specific municipalities — comparable in service mix but geographically constrained to a single region rather than operating nationally like De Buurt.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
De Buurt social profiles
Digital presenceDe Buurt compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
De Buurt financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
De Buurt leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
De Buurt funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
De Buurt M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about De Buurt
What does De Buurt do?
De Buurt organizes free, volunteer-led community programs that bring Dutch neighborhood residents together across socioeconomic and cultural divides. Its three core initiatives are De Buurtcamping (three-day pop-up camping in a local park where one-third of spots are reserved for minima), BuurtBankjes (street benches serving as casual meeting spots), and Zwaaisteen (decorative sidewalk tiles encouraging neighbors to greet each other), complemented by the De Buurtcampus training program for volunteer camping managers.
Is De Buurt a public or private company?
De Buurt is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was De Buurt founded?
De Buurt was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is De Buurt based?
De Buurt is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does De Buurt make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Charitable Donations and Lottery Revenue is the primary driver. The others are foundation and Corporate Partnerships and public Donations.
Who are De Buurt's main competitors?
Stayokay (Dutch Hostel Foundation) is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are LSA Bewoners, Stichting Present, JINC, Krajicek Foundation and Een tegen Eenzaamheid. Broad incumbents are Buurtzorg Nederland and Humanitas. Oranje Fonds is listed as an others. Stichting Welzijn De Vierwindstreken is listed as a regional player.
Does De Buurt have an API?
No public API is recorded for De Buurt.
What industry is De Buurt in?
De Buurt's product category is Community Social Cohesion Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAGAOAH, Seasonal & Pop-Up Campsites (Event/Harvest/Temporary), with a secondary code of THAMAJAJ, Family & Recreation Campgrounds (Amenities/Activities Focus). Its NAICS code is 7212 and its SIC code is 7000.