Funds Belgian Red Cross-Flanders
Belgian Red Cross-Flanders has a number of funds through which income from one-time gifts and bequests - as well as any positive annual results - are used to provide long-term funding for certain activities, as well as for the investments in our strategic plan. The funds make us less dependent on annual fluctuations in grants and declining government support. They are a guarantee that we can always continue to help and make it possible to quickly launch relief efforts at any time, such as acute relief after a disaster.
With the exception of the contingency fund, only the return on capital of the funds is used to ensure stable long-term financing.
Amount in 2023
The Scientific Research & Development Foundation promotes humanitarian work and medical practice based on evidence-based criteria and scientific research within Belgian Red Cross-Flanders. Funding from this foundation has enabled Belgian Red Cross-Flanders to become a global trendsetter in 4 areas of research: first aid training and prevention, first aid application and disaster preparedness, platelet production and finally blood and plasma donor selection. The resulting scientific publications can be found here.
The Fund for Disaster Relief Flanders aims to provide structural resources for disaster relief in Flanders. We receive an annual grant from the federal government for this purpose, but it does not cover all the costs incurred.
The Social Fund raises the necessary funds to develop and implement structural care activities, such as vacations for vulnerable children and adapted vacations for people with disabilities.
The Polderwind Fund provides Hotel Polderwind with the financial resources to carry out annual improvement projects in the hotel or on the property to ensure the vacation experience for people with disabilities. It also provides subsidies to offer adapted vacations for people with disabilities at affordable prices.
The Training Fund allows us to finance new training initiatives. For example, in recent years, in addition to the well-known first aid courses, the FAMP (first aid for mental health problems) course has been developed and launched.
The International Emergency Relief Fund allows us to respond quickly to a disaster abroad without having to wait for fundraising, which usually does not start until a few days or weeks after the disaster. Afterwards, we replenish the fund obv. fundraising from the general public or the government.
The Restoring Family Links Fund provides long-term funding for the Restoring Family Links service, which specializes in locating missing persons, restoring family links and reuniting separated families. All Red Cross Societies worldwide provide this service. The fund is needed as there is no structural source of funding for this unique and essential activity - for which we are constantly called upon by the government.
The International Operations Fund ensures long-term financing for our international development cooperation and humanitarian aid projects. We spend the returns from the fund, for example, on international projects that are only partially financed by the government, but also on setting up pilot projects as well as developing capacity in the South. This ensures the continuity of international operations and creates opportunities for further growth within our areas of expertise. We also use the fund to tackle projects that are difficult to finance, such as forgotten disasters or the strengthening of Red Cross associations in the South.