What VSBfonds does

VSBfonds is a Dutch philanthropic foundation that provides donations (not loans or equity) to social, societal, and cultural initiatives across the Netherlands, alongside scholarships for MBO, HBO, and WO students. The foundation originated from the Maatschappij tot Nut van 't Algemeen ('t Nut), one of the Netherlands' oldest civic organizations, and operates as an independent ANBI-status (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling) public benefit entity headquartered in Utrecht. It runs two core product lines: (1) Donaties, organized under six program lines within the Mens & Maatschappij theme (counteracting prejudice and discrimination, personal potential and skills, meeting others, volunteer engagement, living together in neighborhoods, and meeting places) and Kunst & Cultuur; and (2) Beurzen, scholarships for vocational and university students. Its customers are grassroots initiative organizers, nonprofits, neighborhood associations, and individual students in the Netherlands; the foundation explicitly states no initiative is too large or too small and that societal impact determines award decisions.

The underlying technology consists of a digital application platform (digitaalaanvragen.vsbfonds.nl) supporting year-round submissions with no deadlines, a Quickscan eligibility checker that determines qualification within two minutes, and a separate platform for applicants without KvK (Chamber of Commerce) registration capped at €2,500. The organization layers this digital infrastructure with a nationwide network of regional advisors (regioadviseurs) organized across all twelve Dutch provinces, who provide pre-application Speeddate consultations, application review, and ongoing support. Co-funding from multiple sources is required, positioning VSBfonds as one of several funders rather than a sole sponsor, and applicants must submit at least four months before project start. VSBfonds also publishes a Hulp en Kennis knowledge hub with templates, guides (including the co-developed Toolbox Buurtbaan with Movisie and Handleiding Buurtmaken met ABCD), and participates in multi-funder coalitions such as Programma SAMEN with VNG, Stichting DOEN, and Oranje Fonds.

The business model is grantmaking, not commercial revenue generation: VSBfonds receives donations from its founding parent and other sources, then disburses them to qualifying applicants, with co-funding requirements from other sources to ensure proportional impact. Geographic restrictions confine funded initiatives to the European Netherlands. Go-to-market is hybrid — self-serve digital applications for smaller projects and direct regional advisor engagement for larger or more complex ones — with channel partnerships via crowdfunding platforms Voordekunst and Voor je Buurt, and listing on the FindNFund aggregator of 1,200+ Dutch funds. The organization is privately held as a foundation with no disclosed funding rounds, headcount, or financial statements, and as of 2025 has awarded 230 scholarships with an exceptionally high volume of donation applications honored.

Name

VSBfonds

Legal name

VSBfonds

Website

https://vsbfonds.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

VSBfonds is a Dutch ANBI-status philanthropic foundation that provides donations for social and cultural initiatives and scholarships for MBO, HBO, and WO students across the Netherlands, operating via a digital application platform and a nationwide network of regional advisors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic Foundation / Grantmaking

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

akta.pro primary industry

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Philanthropic foundation
• Social grants
• Cultural funding
• Student scholarships
• Community initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Utrecht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations for Social Initiatives: VSBfonds provides donations (not loans or equity) to support social, societal, and cultural initiatives in the Netherlands. There is no minimum or maximum donation amount specified, though the requested amount should be proportional to funding from other sources.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

VSBfonds is a Dutch philanthropic foundation that provides donations (not loans or equity) to social and cultural initiatives across the Netherlands, organized under two themes — Mens & Maatschappij and Kunst & Cultuur. It also awards scholarships (Beurzen) to mbo, hbo, and wo students. Its offering is distributed through a digital application platform, a Quickscan eligibility tool, regional advisors covering all Dutch provinces, and speeddate consultations, supported by a knowledge center with templates, guides, and publications.

Product overview

VSBfonds is a Dutch philanthropic foundation operating two core product lines: (1) Donaties — donations for social and cultural initiatives organized under six program lines (Vooroordelen en discriminatie tegengaan, Eigen mogelijkheden en vaardigheden, Anderen ontmoeten, Inzet van vrijwilligers, Samen leven in de buurt, Ontmoetingsplekken) within the Mens & Maatschappij theme, and for Kunst & Cultuur initiatives; and (2) Beurzen — scholarships for mbo, hbo, and wo students. These are supported by a digital application platform (Digitaal Aanvragen), a Quickscan eligibility checker, regional advisor speeddate consultations, and a Hulp en Kennis knowledge center offering templates, guides, and publications including the Toolbox Buurtbaan and ABCD manual.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Donaties (Donations for Social & Cultural Initiatives) Core grant/donation program for social and cultural initiatives in the Netherlands, organized under two themes — Mens & Maatschappij (People & Society) and Kunst & Cultuur (Art & Culture). VSBfonds provides donations (not loans or equity) to support initiatives from neighborhoods, villages, and cities throughout the Netherlands. The requested amount should be proportional to funding from other sources, with no minimum or maximum specified.
• Beurzen (Scholarships for Students) Scholarship/beurs program for mbo (vocational), hbo (higher professional), and wo (university) students in the Netherlands. Students apply via a dedicated digital platform and are supported by institutional contact persons at their schools. In 2025, VSBfonds awarded 230 scholarships to students.

Quantifiable outcome

• 230 VSBfonds Beurzen awarded in 2025
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• VoordekunstminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCrowdfunding platform partnership for cultural projects. VSBfonds contributes to successful crowdfunding campaigns on the platform. Cannot apply for donation at VSBfonds for the same project.
• Voor je BuurtminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCrowdfunding platform partnership for social projects. VSBfonds contributes to successful crowdfunding campaigns. Cannot apply for donation at VSBfonds for the same project.
• NUTfondscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNUTfonds is the fund from 't Nut (Maatschappij tot Nut van 't Algemeen), the organization from which VSBfonds originated. Since 2016, applications can be submitted through VSBfonds' online system. Maximum donation is €5,000. Same project can be submitted to both funds.
• Vereniging van Nederlandse Gemeenten (VNG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in Programma SAMEN - a two-year collaboration between eight resident initiatives, their municipalities, VNG, and three funds (VSBfonds, Stichting DOEN, Oranje Fonds) to sustainably support and finance valuable initiatives.
• Stichting DOENcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Programma SAMEN for sustainable support of resident initiatives.
• Oranje FondscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Programma SAMEN for sustainable support of resident initiatives.
• MovisieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Buurtbaan initiative - supporting key persons in neighborhoods to transition from volunteer to (paid) professional. Movisie and VSBfonds work together to provide tailored support to initiatives focusing on people whose livelihood security is under pressure.
• ABCD-netwerkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Handleiding Buurtmaken met ABCD (Asset Based Community Development) guide.
• LSA bewonersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Handleiding Buurtmaken met ABCD and De Expeditie program for learning between resident initiatives and welfare organizations.
• Fair Practice Gids ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNine cultural funds (VSBfonds, Cultuurfonds, Nederlands Filmfonds, Fonds Podiumkunsten, etc.) collaborated with Platform ACCT, Kunsten '92, and Ink Social design to create the Fair Practice Guide.
• FindNFundminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlatform bringing together over 1200 funds, helping initiatives search and apply to matching funds.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Oranje Fonds: National Dutch foundation focused on social cohesion and volunteer initiatives. Direct peer because VSBfonds and Oranje Fonds co-fund Programma SAMEN and serve overlapping applicant pools in neighborhood-building and social participation across the Netherlands.
• Stichting DOEN: Dutch grantmaking foundation backing innovative social initiatives and cultural entrepreneurs. Direct peer given the SAMEN partnership and overlapping focus on Dutch social/cultural innovation and durable funding relationships.
• Kansfonds: Dutch foundation funding initiatives that strengthen social participation of people in vulnerable circumstances. Direct peer in the social cohesion / participation space, addressing overlapping themes such as poverty, loneliness, and neighborhood connection.
• Fonds21: Dutch foundation funding cultural participation and heritage (formerly VSBfonds partner Stichting Doen in adjacent cultural space). Direct peer addressing Dutch cultural and historical participation, with overlapping applicant segments in amateur arts and community heritage.
• NUTfonds (Stichting Het Nut): Heritage sibling fund of VSBfonds, originating from Maatschappij tot Nut van 't Algemeen. Since 2016, NUTfonds applications are processed via VSBfonds' online platform, making this the closest structural peer with a co-administered application flow.
• Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds: Major Dutch cultural grantmaking foundation supporting arts, heritage, and culture. Direct peer because VSBfonds and Cultuurfonds co-developed the Fair Practice Guide and both fund Kunst & Cultuur initiatives across the Netherlands.

Emerging players

• Fonds Podiumkunsten: Dutch public fund for performing arts (theater, dance, music). Emerging player peer because VSBfonds' Kunst & Cultuur program and Fonds Podiumkunsten both fund Dutch cultural producers, though VSBfonds is more focused on community-level cultural participation.
• Nederlands Filmfonds: Dutch public fund supporting film production and development. Emerging player peer because both are cultural-focused Dutch funders collaborating in the Fair Practice Gids Consortium, though Filmfonds targets film-specific productions versus VSBfonds' broader cultural scope.
• Stichting Vluchteling (Dutch Refugee Foundation): Dutch foundation supporting refugees in the Netherlands. Emerging player peer given overlapping beneficiary populations — VSBfonds funds Buddy to Buddy and Huiskamer voor Vluchtelingen Eindhoven, intersecting with Stichting Vluchteling's mission.

Others

• Stichting Move4Thought: Adjacent Dutch social-impact organizations within the FindNFund ecosystem of 1,200+ funds. Others category because while not directly comparable in scale or focus, Move4Thought and similar smaller Dutch funders compete for the same grassroots applicant pool that VSBfonds serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/vsbfonds
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vsbfonds
• Instagraminstagram.com/vsbfonds.nl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 VSBfonds