ECFI joined Stiftungstag 2025, one of the biggest gathering of philanthropy practitioners across Germany and beyond. In this piece, Kathrin Dombrowski, Coordinating Director at ECFI, shares her insights from the event and highlights some key discussion points from the ECFI panel on the role of community foundations in contributing to “social tipping points” on climate.
This May, the city of Wiesbaden hosted the German Foundation Day 2025 (Deutscher Stiftungstag) — a gathering of over 1,500 philanthropic leaders, practitioners, and changemakers from across Germany and beyond. The theme, “Acting with Courage: How Foundations Strengthen Social Cohesion”, could not have been more timely.
The event brought together a diverse range of speakers — from Germany’s former President to youth climate activists, acclaimed authors, and cultural influencers. These voices urged the foundation sector to embrace its responsibility and unique potential to catalyze systemic change. Yet, it was the dialogue within the sector — between peers, innovators, and grassroots actors — that truly reflected a shifting mindset: one of self-reflection, openness, and an increasing readiness to rethink old paradigms in light of today’s urgent challenges.
As the European Community Foundation Initiative (ECFI), we were proud to contribute to this evolving conversation by hosting a panel on the role of community foundations in accelerating social change on climate. Our session brought together insights from social science research and the lived experience of foundation practitioners to explore a powerful and still-emerging concept: social tipping points, and the role (community) foundations can play in helping societies reach them.
While the idea of ecological tipping points — critical thresholds beyond which environmental systems shift irreversibly — is well known in climate science, the concept of social tipping points is still gaining traction. Social tipping points refer to moments when a relatively small but well-placed action or shift in behavior triggers a larger, self-reinforcing change across a system — such as when a community suddenly embraces a new norm, adopts a new technology, or mobilises for a cause en masse.
Community Foundations as Drivers of Social Change: ECFI at Stiftungstag 2025
ECFI joined Stiftungstag 2025, one of the biggest gatherings of philanthropy practitioners across Germany and beyond. In this piece, Kathrin Dombrowski, Coordinating Director at ECFI, shares her insights from the event and highlights some key discussion points from the ECFI panel on the role of community foundations in contributing to “social tipping points” on climate.
Following a brief introduction to the concept of social tipping points, the panel — moderated by ECFI’s Coordinating Director Kathrin Dombrowski — delved into three big questions:
How can (community) foundations actively accelerate social change at the local level?
What internal capacities and conditions are necessary for foundations to credibly drive external transformation?
Where does the foundation sector currently stand on climate action, and are there early signs of social tipping points emerging within our sector?
Key Takeaways from the Panel
The Community Foundation Fürstenfeldbruck has set itself the ambitious goal of transforming local mobility. By promoting electric vehicles and supporting cycling infrastructure, the foundation is helping to shape a more sustainable transport future. Its role as a trusted, impartial actor — not driven by commercial or political interests — gives it a strong mandate to lead these efforts.
Stiftung Mercator integrates climate action across all areas of its work, framing it as not only an environmental issue, but also a matter of public health, social justice, and democratic resilience. The foundation actively supports its grantees in embedding a climate perspective into their programmes.
In Hamburg, the community foundation excels at bridging divides — politically, socially, and culturally. It reframes climate not as a niche concern, but as a shared priority for community wellbeing, aiming to build a more liveable city for present and future generations.
A recurring theme in the discussion was the importance of agency — the belief that individual and collective actions can make a difference. This sense of empowerment is vital both for embedding sustainability within foundations and for enabling citizens to engage meaningfully with complex issues like the climate crisis, which can often feel abstract or overwhelming.
Language matters too. Framing climate action as a way of protecting what we love — our homes, communities, and future opportunities — resonates more deeply than technical or alarmist narratives. It invites people in, rather than shutting them out.
All three panellists agreed that signing the International Philanthropy Commitment on Climate Change can act as a strategic lever for climate engagement. It offers a clear framework for integrating climate across governance structures, internal operations, and programme delivery and can help secure broader organisational buy-in, including from boards and committees.
This commitment is part of the global Philanthropy for Climate movement, now supported by over 900 foundations worldwide. The initiative provides a practical entry point for foundations of all types, regardless of thematic focus. It encourages climate-conscious thinking not only in programme work but also in internal policies, such as travel practices or endowment investments. In several countries where national climate commitments exist, early adoption has created real momentum — making it increasingly plausible to speak of a sector-wide social tipping point on climate.
