VLGST - Vereinigung liechtensteinischer gemeinnütziger Stiftungen und Trusts e.V.

Name

VLGST - Vereinigung liechtensteinischer gemeinnütziger Stiftungen und Trusts e.V.

Legal name

Vereinigung liechtensteinischer gemeinnütziger Stiftungen und Trusts (e.V.)

Website

https://vlgst.li

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Association / Philanthropy Sector Representation

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services (FSAAANAI)

Keywords

• Charitable foundation advocacy
• Philanthropy association services
• Foundation governance training
• Grantmaking best practices
• Liechtenstein foundation sector

Headquarters

HQ city

Schaan

HQ country

Liechtenstein

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: VLGST is a non-profit association funded primarily through annual membership fees from charitable foundations and trusts. Entry fee is CHF 5,000 (one-time, split over up to 3 years on request). Annual fees range from CHF 1,000 to CHF 15,000 based on foundation assets. Associated partners pay separate fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

VLGST is a Liechtenstein non-profit membership association that represents the interests of charitable foundations and trusts in the principality. It delivers networking events, governance training, publications, advocacy, and a regular newsletter to its member foundations and associated partners, and positions Liechtenstein as an internationally recognised philanthropy location through partnerships with European associations and academic institutions.

Product overview

VLGST is a membership-based association representing charitable foundations and trusts in Liechtenstein. The organization offers a portfolio of membership services including access to the members-only area, the annual Philanthropie-Plattform event series (2024-2026), knowledge-sharing publications, and the VLGST Newsletter. Thematic offerings cover climate protection and partnership-based grantmaking processes. The association also provides networking platforms and resources for the Liechtenstein philanthropy sector, operating from its office in the Netzwerkstatt Alpen in Schaan.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mitgliedschaft (Membership) Core membership programme granting charitable foundations and trusts access to the VLGST members-only area, networking opportunities, governance training, and participation in association governance. Targeted exclusively at Liechtenstein-domiciled public-benefit foundations and trusts.
• Philanthropie-Plattform (Annual Conference) Annual flagship conference bringing together perspectives from humanitarian practice, international cooperation, and philanthropy, featuring presentations by member foundations and partner organisations. Open to the public via online registration.
• Publikationen (Publications) Knowledge-sharing publications including annual reports, guidelines on sustainable events, accounting recommendations, data protection information, and studies on Liechtenstein foundation law. Targeted at foundation boards, management, and advisors.
• VLGST Newsletter Regular newsletter service providing updates on VLGST activities, member news, events, and developments in the Liechtenstein philanthropy sector. Distributed via Mailchimp to subscribers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,300 charitable foundations domiciled in Liechtenstein represented through VLGST membership and advocacy

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• Philea – Philanthropy Europe AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean umbrella network for philanthropy associations. VLGST exchanges ideas with Philea and participates in European platforms, positioning Liechtenstein foundations within the broader European philanthropy ecosystem.
• SwissFoundations – Verband der Schweizer FörderstiftungencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss foundation association with which VLGST regularly exchanges ideas. Switzerland is a key reference market for Liechtenstein philanthropy.
• Center for Philanthropy Studies (CEPS), Universität BaselmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner providing research, education, and best practice guidance for foundations. CEPS organizes seminars on writing grant applications (Writing Good Proposals).
• proFonds, Dachverband gemeinnütziger Stiftungen der SchweizmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss umbrella association for charitable foundations. Regular exchange of ideas and best practices between VLGST and proFonds.
• Bundesverband Deutscher StiftungenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLargest national foundation association in Europe. VLGST maintains regular exchanges on governance standards, climate guidelines, and best practices.
• Verband für gemeinnütziges Stiften, ÖsterreichmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustrian association for charitable foundations. VLGST collaborates on topics of shared interest in the DACH region.
• SDG Allianz LiechtensteinmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLiechtenstein alliance for the UN Sustainable Development Goals. VLGST members contribute to SDG implementation in Liechtenstein, with joint events such as the 10-year SDG anniversary in November 2025.
• Universität Liechtenstein / Center für PhilanthropiecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic center at University of Liechtenstein dedicated to philanthropy research and education, co-branded with VLGST.
• Lehrstuhl für Gesellschafts-, Stiftungs- und Trustrecht, Universität LiechtensteinmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic chair specializing in foundation and trust law. Supports VLGST's work on legal development and scientific approaches to foundation and trust law topics.
• Stiftungsaufsichtsbehörde (STIFTA) / StifacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLiechtenstein Foundation and Trust Supervisory Authority. VLGST maintains an annual 'Behörden Treffen' (authority meeting) for members to exchange with STIFTA representatives.
• Liechtenstein FinancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial body promoting Liechtenstein as a financial center. Collaborates with VLGST on positioning Liechtenstein as a philanthropy location internationally.
• LGT (LGT Bank)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerMain sponsor of the Philanthropie-Plattform events (2024, 2025, 2026). Liechtenstein private banking group supporting the annual conference as Hauptsponsor.
• TAK Theater am KirchplatzminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue partner for the annual Philanthropie-Plattform events held at TAK Theater in Schaan.
• UnifinanzminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor and partner of the Philanthropie-Plattform 2026 event.
• Less is more (Weniger ist mehr) initiativemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiative of foundations and organizations from Germany, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein providing a toolbox for efficient, fair, and partnership-based grantmaking processes. VLGST promotes the less-is-more.org resources to its members.
• International Philanthropy Commitment on Climate ChangemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal climate initiative to which over 600 charitable foundations worldwide have committed. VLGST promotes this commitment to its members and encourages participation.
• Active PhilanthropymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization providing compact online courses and tools for integrating climate protection into foundation work. VLGST recommends Active Philanthropy's guides and courses to members.
• Amt für Auswärtige Angelegenheiten LiechtensteinmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLiechtenstein Foreign Affairs Agency. Partner at Philanthropie-Plattform 2026, showcasing Liechtenstein's humanitarian engagement through examples like Geneva Call.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Stiftungsaufsichtsbehörde (STIFTA): Liechtenstein's Foundation and Trust Supervisory Authority. Not a peer association but the regulator with which VLGST maintains privileged institutional access via its annual Behörden Treffen — relevant as the most consequential stakeholder in VLGST's operating environment.
• Center for Philanthropy Studies (CEPS), University of Basel: Academic center providing research and education on philanthropy. Not a competitor but a strategic partner of VLGST — both serve foundations with research, training, and best-practice content, and CEPS is explicitly identified by VLGST as a major academic partner.

Regional players

• Association of Charitable Foundations (UK): UK membership association for charitable foundations and grantmakers. Comparable in structure and value proposition (networking, advocacy, governance training) but serves the United Kingdom rather than the Liechtenstein/DACH market.
• Associazione Italiana delle Fondazioni e delle Casse di Risparmio (ACRI): Italian association of foundations and savings banks. Comparable membership-association model serving grantmaking foundations, but focused on the Italian market rather than Liechtenstein/DACH.

Direct peers

• SwissFoundations: The national association of Swiss grantmaking foundations. Direct peer to VLGST: same membership-based model serving grantmaking foundations in a neighboring DACH jurisdiction, and explicitly identified by VLGST as a core strategic partner for idea exchange.
• Bundesverband Deutscher Stiftungen: Germany's national foundation association — the largest in Europe. Direct peer to VLGST: comparable membership-association model serving grantmaking foundations, with whom VLGST maintains regular exchanges on governance, climate, and best practices.
• Verband für gemeinnütziges Stiften (Austrian Association of Charitable Foundations): Austria's national association for charitable foundations. Direct peer to VLGST: parallels Liechtenstein's association model in a neighboring DACH country and is identified by VLGST as a core strategic partner for DACH-region collaboration.
• proFonds: Swiss umbrella association for charitable foundations. Direct peer to VLGST: comparable membership model and DACH market focus, with whom VLGST explicitly maintains regular exchange of ideas and best practices.

Broad incumbents

• Philea – Philanthropy Europe Association: Pan-European umbrella for philanthropic associations and foundations. Comparable to VLGST in mission (sector representation, advocacy, knowledge exchange) but operates at a continental scale rather than a single jurisdiction; VLGST is connected as a member/partner network.

Emerging players

• European Venture Philanthropy and Social Investment (EVPA): European membership network for venture philanthropy and social investment practitioners. Partial overlap with VLGST's audience (foundations deploying capital for impact) but with a more venture-philanthropy / impact-investing focus and a pan-European rather than national remit.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vlgst

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about VLGST - Vereinigung liechtensteinischer gemeinnütziger Stiftungen und Trusts e.V.