Fundacja im. Stefana Batorego

About the Foundation

Mission statement

The Stefan Batory Foundation is an independent private Polish foundation established by American financier and philanthropist George Soros and registered in Poland in May 1988. Named after the 16th century king of Poland of Hungarian extraction the Foundation’s mission is to support the development of an open, democratic society in Poland and other Central and East European countries. The Foundation’s activities are funded by the Open Society Institute, Trust for Civil Society in Central and Eastern Europe, the Ford Foundation, Robert Bosch Stiftung and other institutional and individual donors in Poland and abroad.

Our priorities include:

Enhancing the role and involvement of civil society in public life
We support initiatives that encourage citizens to participate in public life, and create a forum for public debates on important domestic and international problems. We advocate favorable environment for the third sector and work towards institutional strengthening and financial sustainability of independent non-governmental organizations. We assist local organizations working to enhance access to education for disabled children and young people form impoverished communities.
Promoting the rule of law and transparency in public life
We support activities designed to provide the citizens with access to information and justice, as well as to protect individuals’ rights against government abuse. We assist organizations working against intolerance and discrimination. We disseminate legal expertise and methods of exercising scrutiny over public institutions, and advocate systems to control corruption.
Developing international cooperation and solidarity
We assist our neighbors in the East in the democratization process, and facilitate experience sharing in the areas of political and social transformation. We implement projects aimed at building strong neighborly relations with the East and the West, contribute to the dialogue on the future of common Europe and advocate a greater role of civic initiatives in international relations and in the advancement of democratic principles and respect for human rights.

The Foundation works proactively, encouraging long-term thinking, partnership between the public and private sectors, innovative approaches, and coalition building in addressing social problems. In its activity, the Foundation is guided by the principles of transparency, openness and accountability. Its finances are professionally audited and published in the Annual Report, together with a list of grants awarded and projects implemented throughout the year.

The basic method of Foundation’s operation is grantmaking. The Foundation also serves as a forum for activity, organizing conferences, debates and training seminars, publishing policy papers and reports, and initiating awareness campaigns. The Foundation encourages solidarity and generosity by offering administration of named funds and corporate funds to support initiatives that serve the public interest.