The Schöpflin Foundation’s Advisory Board advises, supports and monitors the Executive Board as it pursues the Foundation’s stated mission. The Advisory Board is made up of representatives from the Foundation’s founding family together with external personalities who contribute their expertise for the benefit of the Foundation. From 2021, one position on the Advisory Board will always be held by a representative from the group of current or former Schöpflin Foundation grantees.
By including a representative from the group of current or former Schöpflin Foundation grantees on the Advisory Board, the Foundation is following the so-called “participatory giving" model, which means grant recipients (grantees) have a stronger involvement in the entire funding process as well as in the actual funding decisions. The aim is to do away with the traditional power structures and achieve more equality between foundations and grantees.
The person appointed to this role is not of course involved in any decisions relevant to any funding of their own organization. He or she also identifies any potential conflicts of interest in relation to all funding decisions to be made and works with the other members of the Advisory Board to mitigate any such conflicts. Currently, Laura-Kristine Krause, founding President of More in Common Germany, holds this position. In accordance with the Foundation’s statutes, all new advisory board members hold the post for an initial period of 3 years.