Founded in Kosovo.
Serving humanity globally.
A permanent, non-profit, public-benefit philanthropic and endowment institution — established by the Kelmendi Family together with Kelmendi Holdings Ltd. Rooted in Kosovo and the Western Balkans, with a global mission.
Established by the Kelmendi Family & Kelmendi Holdings Ltd.
Conceived not as a conventional charity but as a permanent institutional platform that mobilises resources, expertise, innovation and partnerships to address structural societal challenges.
Vision
To create a world in which every individual has the opportunity to live with dignity and to access education, healthcare, economic opportunity and a sustainable environment — enabling communities to thrive for generations.
Mission
To mobilise resources, knowledge, partnerships and innovation in order to improve lives, empower communities, advance education, promote health, support humanitarian causes, protect the environment and foster sustainable development — beginning in Kosovo and the wider region and extending, over time, across Europe and worldwide.
A permanent institution, by design
Positioned from inception not as a small charitable vehicle but as a long-term, family-founded, business-supported and professionally governed philanthropic institution. Five principles anchor that positioning.
Permanence
Built to operate in perpetuity, with capital and institutions that outlast any single decision-maker or generation.
Structured business linkage
Following the model of leading foundation-linked enterprises, the Foundation may hold minority, non-voting interests in Group companies and deploy the resulting returns to finance its mission.
Professional governance
Family legacy institutionalised through formal boards, committees, policies and reporting — reducing reliance on individual discretion.
Measurable impact
Impact is evidenced and reported, not merely announced; a results-based framework is embedded from the outset.
Platform for shared philanthropy
Designed to receive and steward contributions from Group companies, the diaspora, corporates, individuals and international partners under one transparent model.
Eleven pillars, one enduring mission
The Foundation organises its work around eleven permanent strategic pillars — its complete mission map. Cross-cutting commitments such as safeguarding, inclusion, environmental responsibility and ethical technology run through every pillar, alongside broader themes including arts, culture and heritage, faith and values, and animal welfare.
Food and essential-needs assistance, shelter and winterisation, disaster and emergency response, and refugee, displaced-person and recovery support.
The Kelmendi Scholars Programme, vocational and technical training, STEM and digital literacy, teacher development and research mobility.
Primary and specialist care access, prevention and screening, maternal and mental health, rural telemedicine, and elderly and palliative care.
Mentoring and leadership, careers and internships, entrepreneurship and innovation labs, and the Kelmendi Fellows Programme.
Scholarships and leadership, employment and entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, women’s and maternal health, and survivor support.
Early childhood development, child nutrition and protection, parenting and family support, disability inclusion, and child and adolescent mental health.
Smallholder and family-farm productivity, water and soil management, cooperatives and market access, cold chain, and climate-resilient agritech.
Renewable energy and efficiency, climate adaptation, water and watershed protection, reforestation and biodiversity, and the circular economy.
Peacebuilding and social cohesion, anti-trafficking and victim services, community safety, rule-of-law and rights education, and civil protection.
Applied and scientific research grants across AI, engineering, clean technologies and bioscience — laboratories, institutes and public-interest innovation.
Community centres and public spaces, institutional capacity grants, arts, culture and heritage, and inclusive local economic development.
It builds institutions, not only grants
Subject to law and to its statutes, the Foundation may establish, own, operate, acquire or endow institutions that form part of its permanent endowment and mission assets — a mandate that distinguishes it from a conventional grant-making charity.
Educational
Schools, colleges, universities, academies and libraries.
Healthcare
Hospitals, clinics, research hospitals and medical centres.
Research
Research centres, laboratories and innovation hubs.
Social infrastructure
Community centres, cultural centres, museums and public facilities.
Environmental
Conservation areas, botanical gardens and sustainability centres.
Resilient and diversified by design
Combining founder and corporate contributions with external donations, grants and prudent endowment returns — all subject to applicable Kosovo law, corporate approvals, the Foundation’s statutes and relevant tax and regulatory requirements.
Founding contributions
Initial and ongoing contributions from the Kelmendi Family and Kelmendi Holdings Ltd.
Corporate contributions
Support from Group companies through donations and aligned CSR / ESG programmes and partnerships.
Dividend contribution programme
Participating Group companies may aspire to contribute a share of distributable dividends — a long-term aspiration, not a binding obligation, subject to law, performance and approvals.
Equity endowment programme
Where legally permissible, Group companies may allocate non-voting ownership interests, creating permanent income-generating endowment assets.
Third-party donations
Contributions from individuals, corporations, foundations, NGOs, international organisations and governments.
Institutional grants
Funding from the EU, UN agencies, development banks, international donors and government programmes.
Endowment investments
Prudent investment of endowment assets to generate sustainable income in support of the mission.
Indicative orientation. Over time the Foundation aims for a balanced funding base in which recurring endowment and dividend income covers core operating costs and a meaningful share of programmes. Figures express structural intentions; actual amounts are reported in the annual audited financial statements (EUR).
Credibility through structure
A layered governance architecture separates strategic guardianship, oversight, execution, specialist advice and control — aligned with the standards of leading international philanthropic institutions.
Founder Council
Long-term strategic guidance and protection of mission, identity and core values across generations.
Board of Trustees
Governance, oversight, strategic direction and stewardship of assets — family representatives, independent experts and academics.
Executive Management
Day-to-day leadership and delivery, led by a CEO supported by professional management teams.
Committees
Investment; Audit, Risk & Compliance; Grants & Programmes; Ethics & Values; Governance & Nominations.
Advisory Councils
Specialist advice across education, health, research, sustainability, humanitarian affairs and investments.
A core policy framework is adopted progressively: Code of Ethics; Conflict-of-Interest; Grant-making; Investment & Endowment; Procurement; Safeguarding & Data Protection; and Anti-Money-Laundering & Donor Due-Diligence.
Evidenced, not announced
A results-based impact framework is embedded from the outset: each pillar and major programme defines objectives, indicators, baselines, targets and verification methods, so that outcomes — not only outputs — can be measured and independently reported.
Global ambition, in deliberate phases
Beginning where its roots and capabilities are strongest and expanding outward as capacity, partnerships and endowment grow. This sequencing reflects discipline, not limitation.
A strong base of programmes and institutions in Kosovo.
Proven programmes extended across the Western Balkans.
Partnerships across Europe and engagement of the global Albanian diaspora.
Participation in international initiatives in the manner of leading global foundations.
Ten values that define its character
- Faith & Service. serving humanity, expressed inclusively and respectfully toward all.
- Human Dignity. respect, opportunity and the means to reach full potential.
- Compassion. responding to human suffering with care and decisive action.
- Integrity. honesty, transparency and accountability at every level.
- Stewardship. responsible management of resources, the natural world and animal welfare.
- Excellence. measurable, lasting and credible impact.
- Sustainability. solutions that benefit future generations and the environment.
- Innovation. new ideas and transformative approaches to enduring problems.
- Collaboration. lasting impact achieved through partnership.
- Responsibility to Future Generations. weighing the long-term consequences of every major decision.
Founded in Kosovo. Serving humanity globally.
A permanent commitment to dignity, knowledge, health, sustainability, opportunity and service — built to endure for generations.