Schmid Stiftung

Name

Schmid Stiftung

Legal name

Schmid Stiftung

Website

https://schmid-stiftung.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Schmid Stiftung is a German charitable foundation providing free pro-bono systemic organizational development consulting exclusively to non-profit organizations, delivered through 80+ volunteer consultants trained at partner isb GmbH Wiesloch.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Organizational Development Consulting

NAICS

Other Management Consulting Services (541618), Human Resources Consulting Services (541612), Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Coaching, Mentoring & Facilitation Services (BPACANAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Governance, Controls & Internal Control Frameworks (EDABAJAL), Open Courseware & Course Modules (OCW) (EDAGAJAB)

Keywords

• Pro-bono consulting
• Organizational development
• Nonprofit advisory services
• Systemic consulting
• Foundation grantmaking

Headquarters

HQ city

Wiesloch

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Pro-bono service delivery: As a charitable foundation (gemeinnützige Stiftung des bürgerlichen Rechts) under German law, Schmid Stiftung provides all organizational development consulting services free of charge to non-profit organizations. Revenue is not generated; the foundation operates through foundation assets, donations, and volunteer labor.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Schmid Stiftung is a German charitable foundation that delivers professional, pro-bono organizational development (OE) consulting exclusively to non-profit organizations (NPOs). A network of 80+ volunteer systemic consultants (Dialogpartner) — all alumni of isb GmbH's 40-year-old training programs — deliver OE support across multiple formats including 1:1 coaching (OE-Reflexion), structured multi-stakeholder workshops (OE-Werkstatt), peer-learning forums (OE-Forum), virtual sessions, and introductory orientation days (Fördertag), as well as a career-orientation workshop for young adults (Finde Deine Startbahn).

Product overview

Schmid Stiftung is a German nonprofit foundation that provides pro-bono organizational development consulting services exclusively for other nonprofits. The organization operates a portfolio of interconnected service formats: OE-Reflexion (one-on-one consulting accompaniment), OE-Werkstatt (multi-stakeholder workshops), OE-Forum (peer-learning forums), Fördertag (introductory sessions), and Online-Sessions (virtual impulse and exchange sessions). For younger audiences, Finde Deine Startbahn offers career orientation workshops. Additionally, the foundation's partner organization isb GmbH offers isbGPT, a ChatGPT-based AI chatbot that Schmid Stiftung promotes and links to from its site as a free AI-powered organizational development assistant. Supporting content resources—Impulsvorträge, Geschichten, and 10-Minuten-Pause—provide thematic materials for self-guided learning. All services are offered free of charge to nonprofits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• OE-Reflexion A four-session, one-on-one pro-bono accompaniment service that pairs a nonprofit organizational leader with a volunteer Dialogpartner consultant to address a specific organizational development challenge through reflection, feedback, and impulses.
• OE-Werkstatt A structured dialogue format bringing multiple decision-makers from a single non-profit organization together with several pro-bono OE experts to provide feedback and develop implementation impulses on ongoing organizational development projects or decision-making systems.
• OE-Forum A peer-learning forum where representatives from multiple non-profit organizations bring their own OE cases, receive structured peer feedback from OE experts and fellow NPO representatives, and network with peers facing similar challenges; conducted in-person and online.
• Online-Sessions Regular virtual sessions combining a themed expert impulse on an organizational development topic with moderated peer exchange among non-profit organization representatives, facilitated by pro-bono dialogue partners.
• Fördertag Organisationsentwicklung An introductory online session for non-profit representatives to learn about the foundation and its pro-bono offerings, discuss organizational challenges, and determine which support format best fits their needs.
• Finde Deine Startbahn A residential weekend orientation and learning workshop for young adults (18+) providing career guidance through resource-oriented and communal development of possible professional futures, combining group exercises, peer feedback, and facilitated reflection.
• isbGPT A free ChatGPT-based AI chatbot developed by partner organization isb GmbH that provides conversational assistance for organizational development questions, drawing on 40 years of accumulated systemic consulting knowledge to serve as a virtual sparring partner.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple organizations supported annually across diverse sectors and sizes — from small volunteer-run associations to organizations with 80+ employees.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pro-bono Allianz DeutschlandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024A coalition of major pro-bono providers in Germany initiated by DSEE and implemented by UPJ. Members include UPJ Netzwerk, startsocial, CorrelAid, youvo, Haus des Stiftens, and Schmid Stiftung. The alliance operates a joint website (pro-bono-allianz.de) to make pro-bono support more visible and accessible to civil society organizations seeking non-commercial assistance in legal advice, marketing, organizational development, and IT.
• Nussbaum-Stiftung (Stuttgart)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Schmid Stiftung participated as an exhibitor and workshop provider at the Forum für gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt, and Stiftungsleitung Susanne Ebert served as a jury member for the Nussbaum Awards. Schmid Stiftung commits to supporting all winning organizations for one year with their organizational development needs.
• isb GmbH (Institut für systemische Beratung, Wiesloch)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation is closely connected to isb GmbH Wiesloch. All volunteer Dialogpartner are trained at isb. The foundation leverages isb's 40+ years of accumulated systemic consulting knowledge, methodologies, and culture. The isb campus platform is used to distribute impulse presentations and session recordings. isb developed and operates the isbGPT chatbot offered through the foundation.
• Drosos Stiftung (Zürich, Switzerland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-year cooperation focused on joint OE-Foren in Berlin with East German non-profit organizations and, since 2024, OE-Foren in Zürich with Swiss partner organizations. Drosos Stiftung provides financial support to Swiss cultural and youth welfare organizations and partners with Schmid Stiftung for organizational development support that Drosos cannot provide internally due to role conflicts.
• UPJ (Netzwerk für Engagement und Partizipation)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerUPJ provides a pro-bono legal advisory service for non-profit organizations (probono-rechtsberatung.de), which complements the organizational development offerings of Schmid Stiftung. Both organizations are members of the Pro-bono Allianz Deutschland.
• startsocialminorGTM or Marketing PartnerA nationwide competition for promoting voluntary social engagement. Schmid Stiftung participates in the Startsocial Alumni Network and offers joint pro-bono formats with startsocial, providing ongoing support to startsocial award winners.
• Stiftung Aktive BürgerschaftminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe foundation is a competence center for civic engagement of the cooperative financial group (Volksbanken, Raiffeisenbanken) and supports citizen foundations across Germany. Cooperation provides access to a broad network of civic engagement organizations.
• Dark Horse (Berlin)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDark Horse is a Berlin innovation development agency. Schmid Stiftung cooperates with Dark Horse in the context of the Design Thinking Coach training program, leveraging each other's expertise in innovation culture and organizational development.
• Bundesverband Deutscher StiftungenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe foundation is actively involved in the Bundesverband Deutscher Stiftungen (German Foundation Association), including providing methodological support at the Deutscher Stiftungstag. This engagement raises visibility and credibility within the German foundation community.
• Stiftungsnetzwerk Metabolregion Rhein-NeckarminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe foundation's leadership (Susanne Ebert) participates in the steering group of this regional foundation network. Schmid Stiftung contributed to the 2nd Stiftungstag MRN in Mannheim (October 2024), raising visibility among regional foundations and civil society actors.
• Schader Stiftung (Darmstadt)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchmid Stiftung participates in the Darmstadt Days of Transformation (Darmstädter Tage der Transformation) as a member of the steering committee alongside Hochschule Darmstadt, IHK Darmstadt, and Schader Stiftung. Focus area is sustainable development, bringing together science, practice, and different stakeholders.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• PHINEO gAG: German non-profit consulting firm that analyzes, advises, and certifies social-sector organizations. Comparable as a specialized consultancy helping NPOs professionalize operations and demonstrate impact, though focused on social investment analytics rather than systemic OD.
• startsocial: National pro-bono competition and alumni network for social initiatives in Germany. Joint member of the Pro-bono Allianz with Schmid Stiftung; both deliver free capacity-building support to German NPOs via structured programs.
• youvo e.V. German non-profit matching creative professionals (designers, copywriters, strategists) with NPOs on pro-bono projects. Direct structural parallel to Schmid Stiftung as a Pro-bono Allianz member offering specialized volunteer capacity to civil society.
• CorrelAid: Germany-based non-profit connecting data science volunteers with civil society organizations for pro-bono projects. Fellow Pro-bono Allianz member with overlapping volunteer-broker model and NPO client base.
• Haus des Stiftens: German non-profit providing infrastructure, services, and digital tools to civil society organizations. Pro-bono Allianz partner with overlapping target market (NPOs seeking non-commercial support).
• UPJ — Netzwerk für Engagement und Partizipation: Germany's leading pro-bono infrastructure network for civil society. Co-founding partner with Schmid Stiftung in the Pro-bono Allianz Deutschland, providing complementary legal advisory for NPOs; directly comparable as a free consulting intermediary serving non-profits.
• Stiftung Aktive Bürgerschaft: German competence center for civic engagement that supports Bürgerstiftungen and civic initiatives nationwide. Active cooperation partner of Schmid Stiftung with directly overlapping target market (German NPOs seeking capacity-building support).

Broad incumbents

• Bertelsmann Stiftung: One of Germany's largest operating foundations, running programs that support civil society reform and NPO capacity. Functionally adjacent — large foundation with pro-social mission and broad engagement — though vastly larger in resources and scope.
• Ashoka Deutschland: Global social entrepreneur support organization with German presence. Comparable as a large, established player providing capacity-building and network support to mission-driven organizations across a wider portfolio than Schmid Stiftung's OE focus.

Others

• isb GmbH (Institut für systemische Beratung): Wiesloch-based systemic OD training institute and the methodological parent of Schmid Stiftung. Closely related as the source of all Dialogpartner consultants, the isbGPT chatbot, and the 40-year content library.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/schmid-stiftung

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Schmid Stiftung