De Buurt

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.

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

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

• Community building programs
• Neighborhood social cohesion
• Volunteer-led initiatives
• Charitable nonprofit foundation
• Local community events

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Public Donations: Individual donors can contribute through the website donation option, with the organization holding Erkend Goed Doel (CBF recognized charity) status.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core 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

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Univé BuurtfondscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMain 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 EenzaamheidcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on the national Week tegen Eenzaamheid (Week Against Loneliness), with royal opening by His Majesty the King in 2025.
• ANWBmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonates old tents from members for use at Buurtcampings, enabling camping for families who cannot afford equipment.
• Conclusion ConsultingminorOthersCorporate partner providing consulting support.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging 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

• Facebookfacebook.com/debuurtnl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stichtingdebuurt
• Instagraminstagram.com/debuurtnl

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about De Buurt