Chile

Comunidad de Organizaciones Solidarias (Comunidad Org) is the largest civil society network in Chile, bringing together over 240 nonprofit organisations working to overcome poverty and social exclusion. Founded in 2006, it serves as a collaborative platform to strengthen the role and impact of social organisations through initiatives focused on transparency, good governance, and public advocacy.
The network operates across four key areas: improving nonprofit management standards (through tools like FECU Social and peer learning groups), influencing public policy (via working groups on issues such as children, housing, disability, and ageing), building cross-sector partnerships, and offering ongoing education and training for member organisations. Through this work, Comunidad Org fosters a more inclusive, transparent, and participatory society in Chile.

The Center for Philanthropy and Social Investments (CEFIS) at the School of Government, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez in Chile, was founded in 2015 as the country’s first academic centre dedicated to generating knowledge in the field of private social investment. CEFIS aims to strengthen Chilean and Latin American civil society by researching, mapping, and promoting strategic philanthropic practices. It engages in rigorous studies—like its flagship “Philanthropy and Social Investments Mapping” project—often in partnership with global research bodies such as Harvard’s Hauser Institute, producing policy‐relevant papers, guides, and toolkits.
Operating through four key pillars—academic research, policy publications, professional training (diplomas and executive courses), and ecosystem convening—CEFIS helps build capacity for grantmakers, foundations, and social investors. Its activities range from impact measurement and governance framework development to co‑producing regional resources like “The Guide to Effective Philanthropy for Latin America” in collaboration with Stanford PACS. By combining data-driven insights, evidence-based tools, and public‑private-academic dialogue, the centre supports more strategic, transparent, and impact‑oriented giving across Latin America.

Coterráneos is a national movement of territorial foundations—the Chilean version of community foundations—designed to strengthen local philanthropy and empower communities across the country. Coterráneos supports the creation and development of community foundations by offering tailored tools, accompaniment, and knowledge rooted in five core practices: Appreciating, Activating, Supporting, Connecting, and Sustaining. The movement is coordinated by Comunidad de Organizaciones Solidarias, and brings together civil society actors, businesses, and public institutions to build a strong infrastructure for community-led development. With a growing number of territorial foundations emerging across Chile, Coterráneos is laying the groundwork for a long-term, democratic, and community-owned philanthropic ecosystem.