Foundation portrait: "Software AG Foundation" (SAGST)

The Software AG Foundation (SAGST), based in Darmstadt (Germany), is a charitable foundation. It was established by German IT pioneer Peter Schnell in 1992. The co-founder of Software AG is considered one of the most successful IT entrepreneurs in Germany. The foundation's sponsorship commitment is based on values that are formulated in the preamble of the foundation's founder. The founder draws inspiration from the anthroposophy described by Dr. Rudolf Steiner.

The foundation is not a corporate foundation, but was a major shareholder of Software AG, also based in Darmstadt, for many years. The foundation reported its assets at around 1.3 billion euros in April 2024. In terms of expenditure for its foundation purposes (see "Constitution of the Software AG Foundation") and its capital, SAGST claims to be one of the largest foundations in Germany. The foundation supports around 250 projects each year.

SAGST supports around 300 projects in Switzerland

According to SAGST spokesperson Christine Huess, the focus of the foundation's activities is "in Germany". Nevertheless, the foundation had approved around 300 applications for support from Switzerland by April 2024. The approved funding volume amounted to around 25 million euros. The average funding amount was around 85,000 euros. The proportion of funds awarded to projects in Switzerland accounts for five percent of the number of applications approved since 2000.

Anthroposophically motivated, pluralistically oriented

The foundation supports projects in the areas of care for the elderly and disabled, education, integrative/alternative medicine, childhood and youth, agriculture and nature conservation. At the same time, it is involved in promoting science in the areas of biodynamic research, complementary medicine/anthroposophic medicine and education, with a focus on teacher training for reform schools. In the area of education, support is provided to independent schools, Waldorf schools and kindergartens that do not receive state funding in Switzerland. In the area of care for the elderly and disabled, the foundation supports, for example, socio-therapeutic living and working communities as well as curative education facilities in Switzerland. In the areas of agriculture and nature conservation, SAGST primarily supports initiatives for organic plant and animal breeding as well as projects to promote soil health. Other examples include inclusion projects, intergenerational housing concepts and school gardens. The "Project Insights" website provides a good impression of the wide range of funding activities. Good to know: Thinking across funding areas is "lived practice" at the foundation.

Cooperation with fundraisers in Switzerland

SAGST only supports charitable organizations and not natural persons. It is important to the foundation "that applicants also consider their impact on the wider social environment in the interests of the common good." The foundation therefore welcomes it when a project has several sponsors. In most cases, the foundation visits projects on site to form its own opinion. Applications can be submitted online. A guideline shows how an application should be submitted. A personal preliminary clarification is possible by e-mail([email protected]) or telephone (+49 6151 916 65-120).

Examples of funding projects in Switzerland

• Schmeli Farm School, "Learning with and in nature" project
• Research Institute of Organic Agriculture, funding support center for organic plant breeding research (12,000 euros per year)
• World Child Forum, complementary event to the World Economic Forum in Davos

Conclusion: The Software AG Foundation in Darmstadt is an important, very transparent philanthropic organization in Germany. It provides considerable funding for education, science and nature. A reference to Rudolf Steiner's anthroposophy can be helpful in certain funding areas.