Guerrilla Foundation

The Guerrilla Foundation is a progressive philanthropic organization based in Berlin, Germany. It describes itself as a funder and supporter of activists and grassroots movements working toward major systemic change across Europe, aligning with frameworks such as the Just Transition, the Great Transition, Buen Vivir, intersectional thinking, and new municipalism. Rather than operating as a conventional grantmaker, the foundation positions itself as a participant in social movements, aiming to redirect the global trajectory toward what it calls a socially equitable, culturally enriched, and ecologically resilient planetary civilization. The foundation's stated mission has several strands. It makes grants to advance grassroots social movements for systems change; it works to radically change philanthropy and to organize people of wealth and privilege to increase the pie for social justice grant-making in Europe; it tells stories intended to re-articulate distorted narratives and uplift radical, imaginative, moral ones; it builds networks while reorganizing power and fostering learning in the field; and it seeks to live its values in its day-to-day work and processes. Its values are described as a constant challenge and compass, guiding how it makes grants, changes philanthropy, writes and tells stories, and shows up in relationships. A distinctive feature of the Guerrilla Foundation is its explicit focus on wealth redistribution and on organizing wealthy donors. Its website features content on "donor organizing work from the perspective of a wealthy person who's spent the last 20 years organizing his own class," on "the thesis and practice of spending down as a strategic intervention rather than simply a moral decision," and on "how to decolonize philanthropy, become a class traitor or use wealth redistribution as an organizing tool." The foundation also publishes an annual report, maintains a blog, and produces a podcast series called Fliplanthropy, along with publications such as Rebel Reads, now in its fifth edition, described as "thirteen field guides for a world without a map." The organization has an Activist Council (AC) that recruits members on a rotating basis; in a recent year it recruited four new members to replace older members rotating out until the end of 2026. The foundation marked its tenth anniversary with a campaign titled "Money to Strategise, Party, Imagine, Rest, Breathe," described as getting money out the door to the people who know best what their movements need. Its 2025 Annual Report offers what it calls a granular account of its redistribution strategy and practice, its operation, how it allocated and distributed funds, and the books, films, and podcasts that occupied its team. The Guerrilla Foundation operates primarily in Europe and is based in Berlin. It is a private philanthropic organization rather than a publicly listed company. Its work sits at the intersection of grantmaking, donor organizing, narrative change, and network building, and it presents itself as part of a broader movement to decolonize wealth and transform the practice of philanthropy.

The Guerrilla Foundation is a progressive philanthropic organization based in Berlin, Germany. According to its own communications, the foundation marked its tenth anniversary in a recent year, which places its founding around 2015. It emerged as part of a wave of new philanthropic actors in Europe that sought to depart from traditional grantmaking models and to support grassroots social movements directly. From its early years, the foundation framed its work around systemic change rather than charity. Its mission statement describes support for activists and grassroots movements working toward major systemic change across Europe, in line with frameworks such as the Just Transition, the Great Transition, Buen Vivir, intersectional thinking, and new municipalism. It sees people's movements as a key vehicle for redirecting the global trajectory toward a socially equitable, culturally enriched, and ecologically resilient planetary civilization. Its grantmaking is intended to weave a new narrative shifting from an extractive economy, exploitative labour, and militaristic governance to a living economy with cooperative labour and a deeply democratic society that prioritises social and ecological wellbeing. A defining element of the foundation's history has been its focus on wealth redistribution and donor organizing. It has published and promoted work on "the thesis and practice of spending down as a strategic intervention rather than simply a moral decision," and it has given a platform to wealthy individuals organizing their own class, including content described as "strategic thoughts on donor organizing work from the perspective of a wealthy person who's spent the last 20 years organizing his own class." This emphasis on working with people of wealth and privilege to increase the pie for social justice grant-making in Europe distinguishes the Guerrilla Foundation from many conventional foundations. The foundation has also invested in storytelling and narrative change as core activities. It produces a podcast series called Fliplanthropy, with episodes on how to decolonize philanthropy, become a class traitor, or use wealth redistribution as an organizing tool, and on new funding and impact measurement models. It publishes Rebel Reads, now in its fifth edition, described as "thirteen field guides for a world without a map." Its blog features articles on topics such as class traitorship, prisoner support, money trauma and wealth hoarding, organizing the rich, migration and authoritarianism, sunsetting, spending down, and moral ambitions. Governance and community engagement have evolved through an Activist Council (AC). In a recent year, the AC recruited four new members to replace older members who were rotating out until the end of 2026. The foundation also marked its tenth anniversary with a campaign titled "Money to Strategise, Party, Imagine, Rest, Breathe," which it described as getting money out the door to the people who know best what their movements need. Its 2025 Annual Report provides a granular account of its redistribution strategy and practice, its operation, how it allocated and distributed funds, and the cultural works that occupied its team. The Guerrilla Foundation operates primarily in Europe and remains an active private philanthropic organization. Its history reflects a broader effort within philanthropy to decolonize wealth, challenge traditional donor-grantee relationships, and support movements for social and ecological justice.

• 2026

  Activist Council recruits four new members to replace rotating members until end of 2026.

• 2025

  Foundation marks its tenth anniversary with the campaign 'Money to Strategise, Party, Imagine, Rest, Breathe'.

• 2025

  2025 Annual Report published, detailing redistribution strategy and practice.

• 2015

  Guerrilla Foundation founded, based in Berlin, Germany.

A progressive philanthropic foundation that funds grassroots movements and seeks to transform philanthropy through wealth redistribution, donor organizing, and narrative change.

• Grants to grassroots social movements

  Funding for activists and grassroots movements working toward systemic change across Europe.

• Donor organizing programs

  Work with people of wealth and privilege to increase social justice grant-making in Europe.

• Fliplanthropy podcast

  Conversations on decolonizing philanthropy, class traitorship, and wealth redistribution as an organizing tool.

• Rebel Reads

  A publication series, now in its fifth edition, described as thirteen field guides for a world without a map.

• Annual Report

  A granular account of the foundation's redistribution strategy, operations, and fund allocation.

1. 1Guerrilla Foundation – Redistribution is Revolutionguerrillafoundation.org
2. 2Storytelling & Narrative – Guerrilla Foundationguerrillafoundation.org
3. 3Vision – Guerrilla Foundationguerrillafoundation.org
4. 4Mission & Values – Guerrilla Foundationguerrillafoundation.org
5. 5Guerrilla Foundationwikidata.org