Fondazione Unipolis

What Fondazione Unipolis does

Fondazione Unipolis is the corporate foundation (Fondazione d'impresa) of Gruppo Unipol, one of Italy's largest insurance and financial groups, headquartered in Bologna and operating as an Ente del Terzo Settore (ETS). It functions as a grant-making and project-co-design vehicle, distributing funding from its parent endowment to high-impact social projects implemented by third-sector organizations, public institutions, and territorial networks across Italy. Its primary commercial analog is the annual Bando ACT competitive grant program, structured around three thematic pillars: Disuguaglianze (inequalities of geography, generation, gender, and origin), Mobilità (safe and sustainable mobility), and Welfare (psycho-physical well-being and access to social-health services). Beyond grant-making, the foundation directly designs and operates social programs including MonopattinON (youth road-safety education), Libere (art-based empowerment for migrant girls), Orizzonti (vulnerable mothers), Stay Chill (youth mental health), P.A.S.S.I. (migrant healthcare in Foggia), Caring is Sharing (Care Leavers), Dai valore alla vita (school road-safety), stradAbile (disability mobility), and 1.000 giorni insieme (early-childhood health).

There is no proprietary technology platform; the operational backbone is a project co-design methodology combined with an online application portal (online formulario) replacing earlier PEC-based submissions. Grant economics are capped at 100,000 euro per project, with co-funding requirements of 20–75% of total project budget and a maximum 24-month duration. Bando ACT 2024 committed approximately 371,000 euro across six projects; Bando ACT 2025 expanded to 437,000 euro across five selected projects drawn from 743 applications; Bando ACT 2026 has been announced with winners. Direct-project spending, 12-person staff operations, compliance infrastructure (including a whistleblowing platform aligned with D. Lgs. 24/2023 and EU Directive 2019/1937), and communications channels (newsletter, social, earned media) together represent the foundation's full operating footprint.

The business model is non-commercial: revenue inflows consist almost exclusively of parental endowment from Gruppo Unipol, with no external fundraising rounds, licensing, or product revenue. Customer (grantee) segments include third-sector organizations (APS, ETS, social cooperatives), schools and educational institutions, and beneficiary populations (migrants, youth, women, the elderly, persons with disabilities, autistic individuals, Care Leavers). Geographic reach spans at least 12 Italian regions, with direct delivery in cities including Bologna, Milan, Rome, Naples, Genoa, Turin, Padua, Verona, Bari, Bergamo, La Spezia, Trento, Campobasso, Cagliari, Avellino, Frosinone, and Foggia. The foundation is governed by Consigliera Delegata Marisa Parmigiani and Program Manager Francesco Moledda, and operates within an institutional ecosystem that includes Assifero, the European Transport Safety Council, and the Consigli Regionali Unipol.

Name

Fondazione Unipolis

Legal name

Fondazione Unipolis ETS

Website

https://fondazioneunipolis.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Corporate foundation of Gruppo Unipol, funding and co-designing high-impact social projects across Italy through the annual Bando ACT competitive grant program and direct initiatives targeting inequality, safe mobility, and welfare for vulnerable populations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropy and Corporate Social Responsibility Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL), Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

Keywords

• Corporate foundation
• Grant programs
• Social impact funding
• Third sector support
• Philanthropy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bologna

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Unipol Group endowment / corporate funding: Fondazione Unipolis is a corporate foundation of Gruppo Unipol. It receives its primary funding from the Unipol Group and distributes it as grants to social projects. No commercial revenue streams are described.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Fondazione Unipolis is the corporate foundation (fondazione d'impresa) of Gruppo Unipol that funds and co-designs social impact projects across Italy. It awards grants to non-profit organizations through its annual Bando ACT call for proposals (up to €100,000 per project), covering three thematic areas: Disuguaglianze (inequalities), Mobilità (mobility), and Welfare. The foundation also directly implements educational and social inclusion programs such as MonopattinON, Libere, Stay Chill, and Bella storia.

Product overview

Fondazione Unipolis is the corporate foundation of Unipol Group that promotes equity and autonomy for vulnerable people by funding and implementing social impact projects. The foundation operates through competitive grant programs (Bando ACT) and directly managed projects across three strategic areas: Disuguaglianze (inequality and educational gaps), Mobilità (sustainable and safe mobility), and Welfare (psycho-physical wellbeing). Key initiatives include educational programs like MonopattinON and Dai valore alla vita, social inclusion projects like Libere and Orizzonti, youth support programs like Stay Chill and Caring is Share, and community health initiatives like P.A.S.S.I. and 1.000 giorni insieme.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bando ACT
• MonopattinON
• Libere
• P.A.S.S.I.
• Orizzonti
• Caring is Sharing
• Stay Chill
• S.P.A.C.E.
• Dai valore alla vita
• stradAbile
• Bella storia

Quantifiable outcome

• 890 students educated on road safety across 13 schools through MonopattinON
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DottcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Technical partner for MonopattinON project since 2025. Dott is a micromobility sharing company that provides electric scooters for training, expert technicians, and gadgets for participants. Operates under a broader memorandum of understanding (protocollo d'intesa) with Unipolis and CRU for promoting road safety in sustainable mobility.
• CRU – Consigli Regionali UnipolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Regional Councils of Unipol Group that collaborate in the MonopattinON project, providing local support and community connections in cities of operation. Active in Liguria, Lombardy, Piedmont, Lazio, Veneto, and other regions.
• Ares Sociale Società Cooperativa (Campobasso)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Lead organization for IPERSPAZIO! project, selected under Bando ACT 2025 in the Disuguaglianze category. Based in Campobasso. Receives 100,000 euro contribution from Unipolis.
• Associazione Diversamente ODV (Cagliari)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Lead organization for Io vado – Percorsi per l'autonomia e la sicurezza stradale con ragazzi autistici project. Selected under Bando ACT 2025 in the Mobilità category. Receives 37,500 euro contribution from Unipolis.
• Legambiente Nazionale APScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Lead organization for S.P.A.C.E. project (Strade scolastiche Partecipate per l'Accessibilità, la Cura e l'Equità). Selected under Bando ACT 2025 in the Mobilità category. Receives 99,855 euro contribution from Unipolis. Operates in Avellino, Cagliari, Frosinone, and Padova.
• Agorà Società Cooperativa Sociale (Genova)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Lead organization for AttivaMente project, selected under Bando ACT 2025 in the Welfare category. Partners include AUSER Liguria, ASD Unione Sportiva San Marziano, C.U.S. GENOVA ASD, Fondazione Teatro Il Sipario Strappato, Regione Liguria, and UILDM Genova ODV.
• Farsi Prossimo ONLUS scs (Milano)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Lead organization for Stay Chill project, selected under Bando ACT 2025 in the Welfare category. Receives 100,000 euro contribution from Unipolis. Partners include Argòt APS, Agesci zona Milano, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Fondazione Caritas Ambrosiana, and Fondazione per gli Oratori Milanesi.
• Dedalus Cooperativa SocialecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Lead organization (capofila) for the Libere project under Bando ACT 2024. Dedicatedalus is an active cooperative in the design and management of social services targeting exclusion of vulnerable groups, local economy, and territorial development. Implements ArtEducazione approach for young women with migratory backgrounds in Naples.
• Gomitoli APScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner organization in the Libere project. Born from Officine Gomitoli, an Intercultural Center for coexistence among differences, working on promoting social and personal opportunities for adolescent and young migrants in Naples. Contributes art and beauty-based intervention methodology.
• Solidaunia – La Daunia per il mondocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Lead organization for P.A.S.S.I. project, selected under Bando ACT 2024 in the Disuguaglianze category. Based in Foggia. Receives 45,824 euro contribution from Unipolis. Operates mobile health units and physical clinics offering free healthcare assistance.
• ARPJTETTO ETS (Roma)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Lead organization for Orizzonti project, selected under Bando ACT 2024 in the Disuguaglianze category. Receives 97,455 euro contribution from Unipolis. Operates in Rome, working with vulnerable mothers and children.
• Associazione Lorenzo Guarnieri Onlus (Firenze)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Lead organization for Dai valore alla vita project, selected under Bando ACT 2024 in the Mobilità category. Receives 88,520 euro contribution from Unipolis. Non-profit founded in 2010 promoting road safety and legal culture. Partners include ASAPS, FDX, Giunti Scuola, and La Fabbrica.
• Associazione Agevolando APS ETScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Lead organization for Caring is Sharing project, selected under Bando ACT 2024. Receives 94,000 euro contribution from Unipolis. Italy's first association of and for Care Leavers (young people leaving foster care). Partner: CISMAI ETS.
• European Transport Safety Council (ETSC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023International partner for the City Flows project. ETSC is an international nonprofit organization working on road safety policy. Annual international appointment organized with Unipolis.
• AssiferominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Italian philanthropy network and association of foundations and funding organizations. Fondazione Unipolis is a member and participates in the network.
• Gruppo UnipolcoreOthers · 1 January 2023Fondazione Unipolis is the corporate foundation (Fondazione d'impresa) of Gruppo Unipol. The foundation receives its primary funding from the Unipol Group and operates in synergy with Unipol's CSR and social impact objectives. Unipol Group is one of Italy's largest insurance and financial groups.
• Bit MobilityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Technical partner for the original MonopattinON project (2022-2024). Provided electric scooters, expert technicians, gadgets, and free sharing service vouchers in cities of operation (Milan, La Spezia, Bergamo). Replaced by Dott from 2025.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Assifero: Italian association of grantmaking foundations and philanthropic organizations; Unipolis is a member. Relevant as a sector infrastructure body that influences the regulatory and operating environment for Italian foundations.
• European Foundation Centre (Philea): Pan-European philanthropy association representing over 10,000 foundations. Comparable as an infrastructure/advisory body that shapes best practices for European foundations, with which Unipolis's ETSC partnership signals existing engagement.

Direct peers

• Fondazione Cariplo: One of Italy's largest philanthropic foundations, funding social inclusion, environment, and welfare projects through competitive calls across northern Italy. Directly comparable as a major Italian grantmaking foundation with similar thematic priorities and territorial scope.
• Fondazione CRT: Turin-based grantmaking foundation originating from banking-sector assets, deploying competitive grant programs across social welfare, education, and culture. Comparable as a multi-thematic Italian grantmaker with similar annual cycle.
• Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei: Corporate foundation of Eni focused on sustainable development, energy poverty, and social inclusion. Comparable as another major Italian corporate foundation with thematic focus on welfare and inequalities.
• Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo: Large Turin-based Italian grantmaking foundation funding welfare, education, and social innovation projects. Comparable operating model (competitive grant calls + directly managed projects) and similar scale ambition.
• Fondazione TIM: Corporate foundation of Telecom Italia (TIM) supporting digital inclusion, education, and youth programs. Comparable as a corporate foundation with similar thematic priorities around digital and social inclusion.
• Fondazione Snam: Corporate foundation of energy infrastructure company Snam, funding social inclusion and environmental sustainability projects. Comparable as a corporate foundation using grant-making to deliver CSR outcomes.
• Fondazione Con il Sud: Southern Italy-focused grantmaking foundation funding social infrastructure projects in disadvantaged regions. Comparable geographic-peripheral focus (Unipolis operates in southern regions like Campania, Calabria, Molise) and similar grantee model.
• Fondazione Vodafone Italia: Corporate foundation of Vodafone Italia focused on digital inclusion and youth empowerment. Comparable as a corporate foundation funding social impact projects through grants to third-sector organizations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fondunipolis
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCgfEtbnGWEUWRSG6Qf0hscQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/fondazioneunipolis
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fondazione-unipolis
• Instagraminstagram.com/fondazioneunipolis

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Fondazione Unipolis