Patronage and philanthropy play a fundamental role in the world for the opportunities they create for the development of the communities they support. And at different levels: cultural, scientific or health promotion, human rights, sustainability and citizenship.

The word patronage derives from Caius Mecenas, the Roman politician, and advisor to Emperor Octavian Augustus, who was given the responsibility of financing the artistic and literary production of several names of Roman cultures, such as the poets Virgil, Horace and Ovid, or the historian Titus Livius.

Patronage is the financial support given by individuals or companies to artists, scientists or cultural institutions with a view to developing cultural and artistic projects, preserving cultural heritage, and fostering innovation. We highlight six examples of the best-known worldwide.

6 examples of patronage worth knowing

Andrew Carnegie

Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) was one of the richest and most famous businessmen of his time. He founded the Carnegie Corporation in 1911, and since then has supported countless projects, from the discovery of insulin to the dismantling of nuclear weapons.

Millions of people have benefited from his generosity. He became known as “The Patron Saint of Libraries”: between 1886 and 1919 he donated buildings and financed the construction of 1,679 public libraries.

It was also ith his support that a number of colleges, schools, non-profit organizations, funds, institutions and associations were established, including: the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland, Carnegie Institution for Science, Carnegie Foundation, Carnegie Dunfermline Trust, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Carnegie UK Trust.

Bill & Melinda Gates

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, established in 2000, invests about 2.7 billion dollars annually to support projects to promote health, eradicate poverty and diseases (such as AIDS and malaria), around the world, as well as to promote education and economic development of disadvantaged communities.

The Foundation is one of the founding members of the Gavi - Vaccine Alliance, whose mission is to facilitate access to immunization in poor countries. Gavi quickly became a major supplier of Covid vaccines in developing countries.

In the US, the Foundation has funded 20,000 college scholarships for high-achieving black students from disadvantaged backgrounds. In all, it has given about $54.8 billion in grants to initiatives in 135 countries.

Rockefeller Foundation

Established in 1913 by businessman John D. Rockefeller, the Foundation is based on four core commitments: ending energy poverty, promoting health for all, nurturing the world, and expanding economic opportunity.

In all, he has donated more than $17 billion to support thousands of organizations and individuals around the world. Thanks to his support, the University of Chicago and the World Health Organization (WHO) were created, as some examples.

George Soros

In 1979, during apartheid, George Soros awarded scholarships to black South African students. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, he created Central European University in order to foster critical thinking. In 1991 he created the Open Society Foundation, one of the world’s largest philanthropic organizations, with a mission to promote democracy, social justice, and free speech around the world.

Since then, the Foundation has supported projects aimed at strengthening civil society, promoting citizenship, and developing democratic institutions in countries undergoing political transition.

Henry Ford

The Ford Foundation, established in 1936 by Henry and Clara Ford, has always worked to promote social justice, equal opportunity, and sustainable human development around the world.

It has supported more than 10,000 projects in 180 countries, including initiatives to promote women’s rights, reduce poverty, and promote racial justice. The Ford Foundation’s patronage activity has had a very significant impact on promoting equality and improving the living conditions of communities around the world.

Paul Allen

The co-founder of Microsoft announced in 2010  - the year he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and ranked as the 37th richest person in the world -, that he intended to donate much of his fortune, valued at about $13.5 billion, to philanthropic projects after his death.

The projects supported by the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation were always related to subjects that intrigued and inspired him: from rock music to science fiction to space exploration.

He has also established the Allen Neuroscience Institute to support research into neurological diseases. The Foundation has donated more than $1 billion to support a variety of organizations whose activities are designed to transform lives and strengthen communities.

The meaning and usefulness of the EDP Foundation

“Cultural patronage is not a flower in the lapel, it has a meaning and a utility.” Who stated this was Miguel Coutinho, general director of the EDP Foundation, created in 2004, with the mission of supporting cultural, educational, scientific and social initiatives in Portugal and abroad.

In the fine arts, dance, music, architecture, design and art education, among others, there are countless projects and institutions supported by the Foundation. Highlights include the National Ballet Company, the Casa da Música Foundation, the Serralves Foundation, the Lisbon Architecture Triennial, the Arpad Szenes - Vieira da Silva Foundation and the Youth Symphony Orchestra, among others.

The support granted by EDP Foundation has been fundamental to the emergence of new talents, for the continuity and expansion of many initiatives and entities, as well as for the internationalization of national values.