About the organization
GIFE – Group of Institutes, Foundations and Companies is a civil society organization that brings together private social investors in Brazil and works to strengthen the field of social investment, contributing to sustainable development through articulation, qualification, and support for the strategic action of institutes, foundations, and companies committed to the public interest. Based in São Paulo, the institution develops agendas for political-institutional strengthening, knowledge production, network mobilization, and public advocacy, and is supported by Infinis/José Luiz Setúbal Foundation both in its institutional maintenance and in the development of its Advocacy area.
Socioeconomic context
In a context marked by deepening social, territorial, and climate inequalities, GIFE’s work seeks to strengthen the Brazilian philanthropic field through knowledge production, political articulation, and promotion of more strategic grantmaking practices and support for CSOs. The GIFE Census 2024-2025, conducted with 138 member organizations, showed that of R$ 5.8 billion mobilized in private social investment (PSI), R$ 1.3 billion was transferred to civil society organizations in 2024, with R$ 223 million allocated specifically to institutional support — a modality considered central to strengthening the sustainability of CSOs, although still a minority compared to short-term support. In this scenario, GIFE has also expanded the debate on more democratic and lasting funding models, strengthening civil society, and reducing historical asymmetries in access to philanthropic resources in Brazil.
Project objective
Strengthen GIFE’s strategic action in the field of philanthropy and private social investment, combining institutional support and development of the advocacy agenda. On one hand, institutional support contributes to maintaining the organization’s regular activities, expanding its capacity for articulation, knowledge production, and sector mobilization. On the other hand, specific support for the advocacy area seeks to qualify and boost GIFE’s public advocacy, favoring its work on structural agendas for strengthening the culture of philanthropy in Brazil. In practical terms, this is an investment aimed at expanding institutional capacity, sectoral influence, and public value generation.
Partners
| Civil Society/Private Sector | Public Sector |
| Alliance for Strengthening Civil Society MROSC Platform | CONFOCO – National Council for Promotion and Collaboration |
Other funders
Ford Foundation, Bradesco Foundation, Itaú Foundation, Galo da Manhã, Ibirapitanga, Imaginable Futures, Beja Institute, Itaúsa Institute and Porticus.
Dialogues with public policies
The support contributes to the political-institutional strengthening of GIFE and to the development of its advocacy area, expanding its capacity to dialogue with public authorities and engage on agendas of interest to the field of philanthropy and private social investment.
Focused on improving the regulatory environment for civil society organizations and private social investment, GIFE’s advocacy area works in legislative articulations and national coalitions, strengthening dialogue between civil society, philanthropy, and the National Congress. In this context, it monitors legislative proposals, articulates with parliamentarians, produces technical analyses, and participates in debates on Tax Reform.
By supporting this line of action, the initiative strengthens GIFE’s capacity to promote regulatory advocacy, dialogue with public policy makers, and articulate different actors around structural agendas for the sector.
