Become a member

Become a member of the Ariadne Network

Membership Fast Lane for Existing Member Organisations

Is your organisation already a member of Ariadne? If so, and your primary role is related to grant-making or philanthropy (i.e. not fundraising), then you automatically qualify for Ariadne membership. Membership is granted to the organisation, and the organisation’s voluntary membership contribution covers its entire staff. Sign up here.

What works about Ariadne isn’t just the continued, thoughtful growth of the organisation, or the numerous events, seminars and policy briefings that expand our views, it is also about the spirit of the team you have created: the warmth with which members greet each other and the freedom to share differing views, yet be united by a larger vision.

However, there is something else that illuminates Ariadne: an inherent elegance about the entire enterprise, from the vision, to the name, to the online portal, and to the Ariadne’s Thread newsletter that we receive…

Angela Seay
Polden Puckham Charitable Foundation

 

How to join Ariadne

Participation in Ariadne is open to grant-makers and donors who are based in Europe and invest a minimum of €20,000 annually to support social change and human rights globally. Funders who are based outside Europe but invest a minimum of €20,000 per year to support social change and human rights in Europe are also eligible.

Ariadne welcomes donors of all kinds, including individual donors, staff of private foundations, trusts, corporate foundations, and hybrid foundations. The network also includes staff of funder affinity groups and some consultants working in this field, on the condition that they do not use the network to seek work. Ariadne accepts some statutory funders on a case-by-case basis, in consultation with its Advisory Board.  All institutional members of Ariadne must demonstrate that their grant-making processes are independent of any government or inter-governmental agency, even if they receive public funding.

Additionally, Ariadne member organisations must engage primarily in philanthropy. We require that 60% or more of the organisation’s total expenditure is spent on grant-making, or that it draws more than 60% of its expenditure from its own income sources such as an endowment or annual allocation from a principal benefactor. Ariadne is an organisation in which no grant-seeking of any kind takes place.

We ask that institutional applicants for membership get in touch via the button below, and provide us with:

  • Application Form
  • A recent financial statement demonstrating the percentage of expenditure going towards grant-making and/or the percentage of income drawn from own sources
  • The organisation’s most recent annual report (if available)

Individual donors wishing to join Ariadne may simply submit an application form.

The final decision on participation in Ariadne lies with the Ariadne Advisory Board, which is composed of Ariadne members.

All Ariadne members are asked to make an annual voluntary contribution towards the network at a level they choose. Click here for more information.