Humanistisch Verbond (The Dutch Humanist Association)

What Humanistisch Verbond (The Dutch Humanist Association) does

Humanistisch Verbond (The Dutch Humanist Association) is a non-profit membership association (vereniging) founded on February 17, 1946, in Amsterdam, operating as the principal organized body for secular humanism in the Netherlands. It serves approximately 19,000 members through 30 local departments and working groups, with a staff of around 107 at the national office in Amsterdam, and reaches an additional ~50,000 newsletter subscribers. Its functional remit spans the full lifecycle of a humanist worldview: early-stage meaning-making through courses and conversation groups, mid-life engagement through advocacy programmes (eco-humanism, gender identity, freedom of thought, polarisation and connection), and end-of-life services through trained volunteer funeral speakers, humanist chaplains placed in healthcare/defence/prisons, and the four-jurist Team Nalatenschap & Executeurs.

The organization's product portfolio is service- and experience-led rather than technology-led — there is no proprietary software, no app, and no AI/ML capability. Core products include humanist spiritual care, funeral speakers (approximately 450 funerals annually), the HUMANIST magazine, walking programmes (Humanistisch Wandelen, Camino van Vrijheid), seasonal celebrations, festivals (Mag Het Licht Aan, Avond van de Dood, Socrates Summerschool), physical conversation tools (Eindigheidscake, OverBruggen, Voor Hierna-box, Uitvaartwensenboekje), and a webshop. It is the founding national organization behind Humanists International (1952) and the Verklaring van Amsterdam.

Revenue is generated from four streams: recurring membership fees from ~19,000 members, donations (including periodic gifts eligible for Dutch tax relief), testamentary bequests and executor service fees (approximately half of the annual budget, per the organization), and ancillary programme income. Distribution is hybrid: direct membership and digital channels nationally, complemented by the 30-afdelingen network for in-person programming. The organization holds ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling) tax-exempt status, CBF-erkenning since 2001, and in December 2022 absorbed Stichting Steunfonds Humanisme to consolidate legacy operations. In February 2026 it launched an 80-year jubilee campaign spanning billboards, cinema, and radio across 15 Dutch municipalities.

Name

Humanistisch Verbond (The Dutch Humanist Association)

Legal name

Humanistisch Verbond

Website

https://humanistischverbond.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Humanistisch Verbond is an 80-year-old Dutch non-profit association serving ~19,000 members across 30 local departments with secular spiritual care, funeral speakers, executor and bequest services, advocacy programmes, and community events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Secular Humanist Association Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Business Associations (813910), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Spirituality & Personal Growth Publishing (Mindfulness, Contemplative, New Age) (MPAJAHAH)

Keywords

• Humanist spiritual care
• Funeral guidance services
• Estate executor services
• Secular life counseling
• Membership association services

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: The association generates revenue through membership contributions from approximately 19,000 members who pay annual dues.
2. Legacies and bequests (nalatenschappen): Team Nalatenschap & Executeurs manages bequests and estates left to the organization. The team handles approximately half of the Humanistisch Verbond's budget through inheritance bequests and legacies, with a portion invested in bonds and stocks for long-term sustainability.
3. Donations: The organization accepts donations from supporters, with periodic giving options offering tax advantages for donors in the Netherlands.
4. Executor services: The team Nalatenschap & Executeurs provides executor services for individuals without family members to manage their affairs after death, generating professional service revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Humanistisch Verbond is a Dutch non-profit association providing humanist spiritual care, funeral speakers, and executor/legacy services to its ~19,000 members and the wider Dutch public. It also runs educational courses, philosophical walking programs, advocacy campaigns (euthanasia, LGBTQ+ rights, climate), and publishes the HUMANIST magazine. Its programs are delivered through 30 local departments and a national office in Amsterdam.

Product overview

The Humanistisch Verbond is a Dutch humanist association offering a comprehensive portfolio of programs, services, and products centered on humanist philosophy, meaning-making, and community support. The organization operates on a platform model combining direct services (humanist spiritual care, funeral speakers, courses, walking programs), advocacy programs (eco-humanism, freedom of thought, gender identity), events (Socrates Lecture, Van Praag Prize, Avond van de Dood), and a webshop with physical and digital products. Core service areas include end-of-life support (funeral speakers, bequest management, advance directives), life questions and meaning (spiritual care, courses, conversation groups), and seasonal/celebration events. The organization also publishes the HUMANIST magazine, maintains local chapters, and runs youth programs (Jonge Humanisten). Founded in 1946, it has approximately 19,000 members across 30 regional departments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Humanist Spiritual Care (Humanistisch geestelijke verzorging) Confidential humanist chaplaincy and life-question counseling for individuals, plus on-site spiritual care delivered in healthcare, defense, prisons, and workplaces via trained humanist chaplains.
• Funeral Speakers (Sprekers bij uitvaarten) Trained humanist speakers craft and deliver meaningful non-religious funeral speeches and ceremonies for families, helping articulate farewells in the deceased's tone and memories.
• Team Nalatenschap & Executeurs (Legacy and Executor Services) Legal team managing bequests and providing professional executor services for individuals without family members to handle their estates, testamentary wishes, and funeral arrangements.
• Humanist Courses (Cursussen) Structured educational courses for members and the public on humanist philosophy, personal values, and meaningful living, delivered through national and local channels.
• Humanist Walking (Humanistisch Wandelen) Guided walking tours combining physical activity with humanist philosophical exploration and dialogue, helping participants discover themselves and others.
• i mindLife individual guidance One-on-one guidance on meaning and life questions for working people in the Netherlands, offered by spiritual caregivers and reimbursed through participating employers.
• HUMANIST Magazine (HUMANIST tijdschrift) Bi-monthly publication by Humanistisch Verbond featuring journalistic interviews, in-depth essays, and personal stories about humanity, distributed to members and available by subscription.
• Humanist Webshop Online store selling humanist-inspired products including books, conversation cards, activity books, and end-of-life planning materials such as the Voor Hierna-box and Uitvaartwensenboekje.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~450 funerals conducted annually by volunteer speakers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Humanists InternationalflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1952The Humanistisch Verbond was founded in Amsterdam in 1952 and established the umbrella organization Humanists International, which coordinates humanist organizations worldwide. The Dutch organization continues to be a member and endorses the Amsterdam Declaration, which defines humanist principles internationally.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Monuta: Dutch funeral services and end-of-life planning provider operating in the same market where Humanistisch Verbond's funeral speakers and executor services compete/collaborate; adjacent rather than directly competing on worldview-aligned services.
• COC Nederland: Dutch LGBTQ+ advocacy organization that partners with Humanistisch Verbond on shared advocacy positions (e.g., gender identity programs); comparable in Dutch nonprofit advocacy scale and member-base structure but with a narrower issue mandate.

Regional players

• American Humanist Association: The US national humanist organization pursuing analogous advocacy, member services, and secular community-building, comparable in mission but operating in a different and more religious geographic context.
• Council of Australian Humanist Societies: Australian federation of humanist societies providing ceremonies, advocacy, and community services, comparable in worldview mission but serving a different geography.

Direct peers

• Humanists UK: The UK's national humanist organization providing analogous membership services, humanist ceremonies (funerals, weddings, namings), pastoral care in institutions, and advocacy for secularism. The closest direct counterpart in scope and mission.
• Humanisterna (Swedish Humanist Association): Sweden's humanist association offering secular ceremonies, membership services, and humanist life stance advocacy in a similarly secularized Nordic market with overlapping service lines.
• Norwegian Humanist Association (Human-Etisk Forbund, HEF): Norway's largest humanist organization providing secular ceremonies, pastoral care in state institutions, and membership-based life-stance services, directly comparable in size, mission, and service portfolio.
• Humanistischer Verband Deutschlands (HVD): Germany's national humanist association offering humanistic life counseling, secular ceremonies, youth programs, and member services, with ~20,000+ members and a parallel non-religious worldview advocacy mission.

Emerging players

• Centre for Secular Space: A UK-based advocacy organization promoting secularism and separation of religion from public life, overlapping with Humanistisch Verbond's Vrijdenkplaats and freedom-of-thought programs but narrower in service scope.
• Het Humanistisch Archief: A related Dutch institution preserving humanist heritage and documents; intersects with Humanistisch Verbond's editorial and canon work but operates as a separate archival body rather than a service-providing association.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/humanistischverbond
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/humanistisch-verbond-the-dutch-humanist-association-

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Humanistisch Verbond (The Dutch Humanist Association)