Foundations in Germany: Social Welfare. (November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Förster, Sarah
• Other Names: Anheier Helmut K. guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: American behavioral scientist. Volume 62:Number 12(2018)
• Page Start: 1715
• Page End: 1734
• Publication Date: 2018-11
• Subjects: philanthropic foundations -- social welfare -- subsidiarity -- Germany; Social sciences -- Periodicals; Political science -- Periodicals; United States -- Social conditions -- Periodicals; United States -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; 300
• DOI: 10.1177/0002764218777286
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0002-7642

Abstract

The article presents the aims, approaches, and activities of German social welfare foundations and how they position themselves toward other actors in the field of social welfare provision. The field is characterized by competition and the opening up of the system to deal with the societal challenges of increased demand heterogeneity through migration and demographic changes. Differences in size and approach of the foundations are the main focus and reveal a different understanding and fit toward the challenges of changing demand between old and new subsidiarity. Besides the mutual identity of social foundations in aiming at relief, the large operating foundations more often identify with change, they act complementary and more often consider other actors as important for their work. The small foundations in the field have a charitable–substitutive self-conception.