What Fundação CSN does

Fundação CSN is a non-profit social foundation founded in 1961 in Congonhas, Minas Gerais, and currently headquartered in São Paulo with its main operational hub in Volta Redonda, Rio de Janeiro. Owned and controlled by Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (Grupo CSN), the foundation functions as the group's social arm, delivering free education, culture, community articulation, and project curation programs to vulnerable populations in Brazilian municipalities adjacent to CSN's industrial footprint. Its programmatic portfolio spans approximately 20 distinct lines including Garoto Cidadão (sociocultural development for 9-18 year-olds), Capacitar Hotelaria e Serviços and Capacitar Para Crescer (professional qualification), two technical schools (ETPC and CET), apprenticeship and internship intermediation (Conexão Aprendizagem, Jovem Aprendiz, Integração de Estágio), scholarship programs (Ganhar o Mundo for US universities, Bolsa de Teatro and Bolsa de Música), cultural diffusion (Centro Cultural, Tambores de Aço, Histórias que Ficam documentaries, Polo de Street Art), environmental education (PEA), and elderly engagement (Os Bailes da Vida, Resgatando Saberes). As of 2025 the foundation operates across 38 cities in 6 Brazilian states, reaching approximately 6,219 youth directly and 456,104 people across cultural actions annually.

The foundation uses a hybrid non-commercial revenue architecture rather than a traditional pricing model. Funding flows from three principal sources: (1) own business unit revenues generated by Hotel-escola Bela Vista, Vila Business Hotel, ETPC and CET schools, and apprenticeship program fees; (2) tax incentive funding via Brazilian Leis de Incentivo (including Lei de Incentivo à Cultura and Lei Rouanet) administered through the foundation's Curadoria process, which selects and pre-selects third-party social, cultural, health, and sports projects for sponsorship; and (3) direct contributions from Grupo CSN. CEBAS certification (Portaria SERES MEC 591/2020) underpins eligibility for many of these flows. In 2025, R$36 million was channeled through fiscal incentive laws supporting 106 initiatives across 13 states; cumulative 2003-2021 social investment reached R$391 million. Programs are delivered free to beneficiaries, with referral pathways through municipal Social Assistance Reference Centers (CRAS), child protection councils, and Child/Adolescent Rights Funds; the foundation holds no proprietary technology products and operates with no external shareholders or venture capital.

Strategically, Fundação CSN has executed a four-pillar operating model (Education, Culture, Articulation, Curadoria) and is governed by a Deliberative Council and Fiscal Council composed of Grupo CSN executives, chaired by CSN president Benjamin Steinbruch. Leadership includes President Monica Fogazza and General Manager André Leonardi. Since 2021 the foundation has pursued unit-level geographic expansion, broadening its beneficiary segments (most recently into elderly populations in 2024), and adding new scholarship verticals (Bolsa de Teatro, Bolsa de Música) alongside an emerging technology training pilot (Programando o Futuro). A 2022-built Articulation Management function, developed jointly with CSN Inova, formalized a Theory of Territorial Economic Change framing. National recognition includes the Prêmio Hugo Werneck 2025 national sustainability award and multiple SESI/ODS and São Paulo municipal diversity seals.

Name

Fundação CSN

Legal name

Fundação CSN

Website

https://fundacaocsn.org.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Fundação CSN is a non-profit corporate foundation and social arm of Brazilian steelmaker Grupo CSN, delivering free education, culture, employability, and environmental programs to vulnerable communities across 38 cities and 6 Brazilian states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Foundation Programs

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Foundations & CSR Grantmaking (BPAGAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN), Field-of-Study & Discipline-Specific Funding (EDAIAOAD), Community Center Education Programs (EDAAAFAB)

Keywords

• Social foundation programs
• Technical education scholarships
• Cultural development initiatives
• Youth vocational training
• Community social investment

Headquarters

HQ city

São Paulo

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices24 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Own business unit revenues: Resources generated by business units including hotel management, school administration, CSN-funded scholarships, and remuneration from apprenticeship and environmental education programs.
2. Tax incentive funding (Leis de Incentivo): Resources incentivized and direct contributions from Grupo CSN through fiscal incentive laws directed at projects such as Garoto Cidadão. In 2025, R$36 million was mobilized through fiscal incentive laws supporting 106 initiatives.
3. Project curation and third-party sponsorship: Selection and sponsorship of projects from external organizations via various fiscal incentive laws. Between 2003 and 2021, CSN invested over R$391 million in social responsibility actions.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Fundação CSN is the social arm of Grupo CSN, delivering free education, culture, articulation, and project curation programs in Brazilian communities near CSN operations. It runs technical schools (ETPC, CET), scholarship programs (Ganhar o Mundo, Bolsa de Teatro, Bolsa de Música), youth development programs (Garoto Cidadão), professional qualification (Capacitar Hotelaria, Jovem Aprendiz), cultural and environmental education projects, and curates fiscal incentive funding for third-party social initiatives.

Product overview

Fundação CSN is the social arm of Grupo CSN operating as a multi-program social responsibility platform focused on education, culture, articulation, and project curation. The organization offers a diverse portfolio of programs including: Garoto Cidadão (sociocultural development for vulnerable youth), Capacitar Hotelaria e Serviços and Capacitar Para Crescer (professional qualification), Conexão Aprendizagem/Jovem Aprendiz/Integração de Estágio (employment bridge programs), Escolas Fundação CSN (ETPC and CET technical schools with scholarship programs), Ganhar o Mundo (international scholarships), Bolsa de Teatro and Bolsa de Música (arts scholarships), Mentoria Cidadã (mentorship), Centro Cultural Fundação CSN (cultural space), Histórias que Ficam (documentary program), Programando o Futuro (tech training), Polo de Street Art (urban art), Tambores de Aço (steelpan music group), PEA (environmental education), Os Bailes da Vida and Resgatando Saberes (elderly programs), Curadoria (project selection), and Articulação (community engagement). The organization connects Grupo CSN's social investments with UN Sustainable Development Goals across 38 territories in Brazil.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Garoto Cidadão Sociocultural program providing human development for children and adolescents aged 9-18 in social vulnerability, offering activities in music, theater, dance, visual arts, and citizenship during afterschool hours.
• Capacitar Hotelaria e Serviços Professional qualification program for youth aged 16-29 seeking first employment in hospitality and services sector, offering 228 hours of theoretical and practical training at managed hotels.
• Capacitar Para Crescer Social project providing youth empowerment and job preparation for ages 14-17 through 240-hour courses over 5 months, focusing on behavioral skills valued by employers.
• Conexão Aprendizagem Bridge between young job seekers and companies through Young Apprentice and Internship Integration programs, managing recruitment, hiring and support processes.
• Escolas Fundação CSN (ETPC and CET) Technical schools offering scholarships: ETPC in Volta Redonda and CET in Congonhas, providing technical courses and secondary education.
• Ganhar o Mundo International scholarship program for young women offering English courses, selective processes, academic experience in New York, and full scholarships at Barnard College.
• Bolsa de Teatro Scholarship program for youth from Garoto Cidadão demonstrating theatrical talent, providing full scholarships at Escola Superior de Artes Célia Helena in São Paulo.
• Bolsa de Música Scholarship program for youth from Tambores de Aço pursuing university degrees in music.
• Mentoria Cidadã Partnership between Fundação CSN and CSN providing professional development mentorships to Garoto Cidadão youth through volunteer CSN collaborators.
• Centro Cultural Fundação CSN Cultural diffusion space for community expression and artistic development, housing multiple arts languages and performances.
• Histórias que Ficam Documentary support program offering consulting, funding and diffusion, having enabled 14 documentaries and supporting 34 audiovisual professionals.
• Programando o Futuro Pilot project for web developer training offering back end (150h) and front end (150h) programming courses at ETPC in Volta Redonda.
• Polo de Street Art Urban art and graffiti formation project featuring Arigô Parade contest, graffiti workshops at Ninhos do Arigô, and Beco do Arigô cultural space.
• Tambores de Aço Musical group of 20 young steelpan musicians from Garoto Cidadão, performing Brazilian, Caribbean and Latin American music.
• Programa de Educação Ambiental (PEA) Environmental education program executed for CSN Mineração and CSN Cimentos, covering water, waste and sustainability topics.
• Os Bailes da Vida Salon dance initiative for elderly population in Volta Redonda, following WHO active aging pillars with 120 seniors participating in twice-weekly activities.
• Resgatando Saberes Sustainability project for elderly population sharing knowledge about family agriculture and healthy eating through suspended vegetable cultivation and community exchange.
• Integração de Estágio Internship integration program acting as agent between students, companies and educational institutions, managing full recruitment and hiring process per Lei de Estágio 11.788/08.
• Jovem Aprendiz
• Curadoria Project curation service selecting and pre-selecting third-party institution projects aligned with CSN's social transformation objectives for incentive law funding.
• Articulação Articulation program strengthening public-private partnerships and community engagement through training, Casa de Apoio management, and Teoria da Mudança implementation.
• PEA Itaguaí Environmental education program implemented at CSN port operations in Itaguaí for port workers and surrounding communities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 6,219 youth impacted by projects in 2025
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

39 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nova UBM (Centro Universitário de Barra Mansa)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership for the Bolsa de Música program. Seven members of Tambores de Aço received full scholarships for undergraduate degree in Music (Licenciatura em Música). Extended with new scholarships for additional students.
• Escola Superior de Artes Célia Helena (São Paulo)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership for the Bolsa de Teatro program. Provides full scholarships for young people from Garoto Cidadão to study for a Bachelor's degree in Theater. Bolsistas also receive housing, meals, and cultural vouchers.
• Prada Embalagens – CSNminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Employer partner for Bolsa de Teatro. Bolsistas are hired as interns at Prada Embalagens while completing their theater degree. Direct involvement in program co-design.
• Barnard College (Columbia University)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Partner university for the Ganhar o Mundo international scholarship program. Provides full scholarships for young Brazilian women to pursue undergraduate degrees. Multiple students have graduated from Barnard through this partnership since 2016.
• Hospital do Câncer de BarretosminorOthersOne of many social/cultural projects selected and sponsored by CSN through its curadoria process and fiscal incentive laws.
• GRAACC (Hospital Infantil)minorOthersPediatric cancer hospital supported through CSN curadoria fiscal incentive funding.
• Hospital Albert EinsteinminorOthersSupported through CSN curadoria fiscal incentive funding.
• Hospital Angelina CaronminorOthersSupported through CSN curadoria fiscal incentive funding.
• Hospital Pequeno PríncipeminorOthersPediatric hospital supported through CSN curadoria fiscal incentive funding. Partnership generates advances in pediatric cancer treatment.
• Bienal de São PaulominorOthersCultural institution supported through CSN curadoria fiscal incentive funding.
• Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo (MAM)minorOthersCultural institution supported through CSN curadoria fiscal incentive funding.
• Unibes CulturalminorOthersCultural center in São Paulo supported through CSN curadoria fiscal incentive funding.
• Casa do PovominorOthersCultural institution supported through CSN curadoria fiscal incentive funding.
• 24ª Mostra de Cinema de TiradentesminorOthersFilm festival supported through CSN curadoria fiscal incentive funding.
• Audax (Osasco)minorOthersFootball team supported through CSN curadoria fiscal incentive funding.
• Esporte e VidaminorOthersSocial sports project supported through CSN curadoria.
• Lar do Idoso São Vicente de PaulominorOthersElderly care institution supported through CSN curadoria.
• Instituto Thiago Pereira (Nadando com Thiago Pereira)minorOthersSports and social project supported through CSN curadoria.
• DOCSP (São Paulo)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership with DOCSP for the Histórias que Ficam documentary program, launching joint editorial formats like 'Documentários Transformam'. Partnership has spanned 10 years.
• Good Pitch BrasilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational documentary impact platform partnered with Histórias que Ficam for the distribution and impact campaigns of selected documentaries.
• Prefeitura Municipal de Volta Redonda (Secretaria Municipal de Cultura)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Polo de Street Art initiative. Prefeitura provides institutional support and collaboration for street art activities including the Arigó Parade and Beco do Arigó.
• Ministry of Culture (Governo Federal)minorOthersFederal government funding body providing fiscal incentive resources via Lei Rouanet for Polo de Street Art and other cultural projects.
• CSN InovacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Theory of Territorial Economic Change (Teoria da Mudança). CSN Inova collaborated on structuring the foundation's new territorial development approach with focus on local economic dynamization.
• AAPVR (Associação dos Aposentados e Pensionistas de Volta Redonda)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for elderly programs Os Bailes da Vida and Resgatando Saberes.
• Secretária Municipal de Assistência Social (Volta Redonda)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government partner for elderly programs.
• CBS PrevidênciaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPension fund partner for elderly social programs.
• Fundação Educacional de Volta RedondaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational foundation partner for elderly social programs.
• Conselho Municipal do IdosominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal council partner for elderly social programs.
• Secretária Municipal de Esporte e Lazer (Volta Redonda)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government partner for Resgatando Saberes project.
• Prefeitura de Volta RedondacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary municipal partner for Capacitar Hotelaria e Serviços. CRAS network refers youth participants. Also partnered with municipalities of Barra Mansa, Barra do Piraí, Piraí, Pinheiral, Quatis, Resende, Porto Real, Vassouras, and Itatiaia.
• Academia Militar das Agulhas Negras (AMAN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMilitary academy partnered with Capacitar Hotelaria for youth training.
• Prefeitura de Congonhas (MG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner for Capacitar para Crescer, working through CRAS Vilas. Active partnership in youth development.
• Ministério da Cultura (Governo Federal)coreOthersFederal ministry providing fiscal incentive funding through Lei de Incentivo à Cultura for Garoto Cidadão. Also Fundo Municipal dos Direitos da Criança e do Adolescente.
• Conselhos de Direitos da Infância e TutelarescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChild protection councils partnering with Garoto Cidadão across municipalities for oversight and beneficiary referrals.
• Municipal Prefecture of CongonhasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for PEA (Environmental Education Program) and Casa de Apoio.
• Prefeitura de Volta Redonda (Secretarias de Educação e Meio Ambiente)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner for PEA implementation in Volta Redonda. Joint programming with the city's Education and Environment secretaries.
• CSN MineraçãocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSN mining division that PEA serves. PEA executed for CSN Mineração, Nacional Minérios and CSN Cimentos in Minas Gerais cities.
• CSN Cimentos (Arcos/MG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSN cement unit partnered with PEA Arcos for environmental education in Arcos and Pains.
• Portos TECAR e TECON (Itaguaí)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSN port operations in Itaguaí where PEA is implemented. Environmental education programs for port workers and surrounding communities.

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Instituto CCR: Instituto CCR is the corporate social arm of Grupo CCR and supports education, culture, sport and community programs. It is comparable in using a sponsor's operating footprint, partnerships and funding capacity to deliver geographically distributed social impact.
• Instituto Itaú Social: Instituto Itaú Social is a corporate social organization working in education and social impact, with public-private partnerships and program evaluation. It is comparable to Fundação CSN in using institutional funding, partnerships and evidence-oriented programming to improve social outcomes.
• Fundação Roberto Marinho: Fundação Roberto Marinho develops education, culture, environmental and social initiatives, often with partner institutions and media-related capabilities. It is comparable as a Brazilian foundation that combines direct program delivery, content creation and third-party project support.
• Fundação Educar DPaschoal: Fundação Educar DPaschoal is a corporate foundation centered on education and professional training, including scholarships and school-related programs. It is comparable to Fundação CSN in sponsor-funded education delivery and the transition from study to employment.
• Instituto Natura: Instituto Natura is a corporate social institute focused on education, social development and social entrepreneurship. It is comparable in using durable corporate backing to scale noncommercial programs for vulnerable communities.
• Instituto Ayrton Senna: Instituto Ayrton Senna is a Brazilian nonprofit focused on public education, youth development and evidence-based learning. It is comparable in serving youth and building education-to-opportunity pathways, although it is not corporate-sponsored like Fundação CSN.
• Fundação Bradesco: Fundação Bradesco is a bank-sponsored nonprofit that operates a large school network alongside professional and social programs. It is comparable to Fundação CSN in free beneficiary delivery, education, workforce preparation and reliance on a corporate sponsor ecosystem.
• Fundação Banco do Brasil: Fundação Banco do Brasil supports social, environmental and community-development projects through project selection and partner funding. It is comparable to Fundação CSN in grantmaking capabilities, fiscal-incentive use and a large corporate sponsor relationship.
• Instituto Vale: Instituto Vale is the corporate social arm associated with Grupo Vale and operates education, culture, community-development and incentive-funded initiatives. Its multi-pillar social model and presence across operating territories closely resemble Fundação CSN's structure.

Broad incumbents

• Fundação Getulio Vargas: FGV is a large Brazilian education and research institution with social initiatives and institutional partnerships. It is a broad comparator for Fundação CSN's schools, vocational training and talent-development activities, but its primary education model is broader and less CSR-focused.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/fundacaocsn
• Facebookfacebook.com/fundacaocsn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fundacao-csn
• Instagraminstagram.com/fundacaocsn
• TikToktiktok.com/@fundacaocsn?_t=8jIqsVu4RVN&_r=1

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 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 Fundação CSN