How we work
The Leopold Bachmann Foundation was set up as a grant-making foundation by Leopold Bachmann in 1997. In addition to financial support, our partners benefit from the global network of partner organisations that is already in place. We actively foster networking among our partners. We also maintain open and transparent dialogue with our partners. We encourage shared learning, and we are happy to assist with our knowledge and experience.
Reporting
We engage with our partners on a regular basis. Submission of a comprehensive annual report, including a financial overview, is a requirement. Our partners inform us proactively about any delays, major deviations, or changes in the course of the project.
Organisational development
We value a strong and sustainable organisational structure. We support our partners with their organisational development and with building up their capacities by providing financial resources, or by connecting them to advisors.
Long-term partnerships
We enter into partnerships with organisations that advance the Foundation's mission and the goals within our focus areas. We firmly believe that multi-year partnerships provide the ideal basis for bringing about lasting change. It is therefore our usual practice to support our partners and their projects for periods of between three and five years.
Financing
It is our view that diversified financing contributes to the independence, resilience and sustainability of an organisation and its projects. This is why it is our general rule not to finance more than 60% of the total budget, and we expect projects to be financed from the partner's own resources and from third-party resources in addition to our contribution.
Collaboration with other foundations
We welcome collaboration with other foundations in the form of co-financing arrangements as well as exchanges of learning and experience. We are convinced that active exchange among grant-making foundations strengthens and inspires our work; for this reason, LBF is also a member of Swiss Foundations.
Our focus areas
Our vision is, that every human should be given the opportunity to acquire knowledge and develop their skills – so they can take their own initiatives to build a life based on self-determination and make a valuable contribution to their environment and their community.
However, this opportunity is still denied to many people throughout the world because of growing inequality. We regard growing inequality as one of the critical problems of our times.
Inequality is a complex and multifaceted issue. As a Foundation, we have identified four drivers of inequality that we aim to address in our work:

Education
In the focus area Education, LBF is committed to the following goals:
- Youth and young adults acquire relevant knowledge and skills that create added value for their communities and contribute to resource-conserving development.
- Youth and young adults from marginalised communities gain access to high-quality education at the secondary and tertiary levels.
- Access to the labour market is made possible thanks to vocational training and entrepreneurial initiatives. There is also proactive exchange among stakeholders within business, education, and politics, which progressively improves access to the labour market.
- Independent and self-determined learning is promoted along with the social development of individuals and their communities.
Engaged and Diverse Communities
In the focus area Engaged and Diverse Communities LBF is committed to the following goals:
- Diverse and inclusive communities are preserved or fostered, discourse among different population groups takes place, and marginalised groups are an active part of society.
- Civil society groups are strengthened and interconnected so that they can participate effectively and actively in decision-making processes, and can stand up for their rights.
- Young people's leadership qualities are developed so they can take on an active and self-confident role in helping to shape their community and environment.
- Women and girls are strengthened. They contribute to the health and productivity of their families as well as their communities, thus generating a multiplier effect.
- Local governments gain the knowledge they need to provide public services efficiently and enable participation by citizens.
Inclusive Market
In the focus area Inclusive Market LBF is committed to the following goals:
- Overall conditions for sustainable and inclusive market access are created through networking, technology, capital and knowledge transfer.
- Local small businesses or cooperatives with a sustainable character are established or strengthened. They contribute added value and economic prospects to the rural region.
- By connecting to the value chain, income is diversified and increased, and independence is promoted.
The LBF is currently focusing in particular on the sector of agricultural products.
Regenerative Agriculture
In the focus area Regenerative Agriculture LBF is committed to the following goals:
- Communities acquire knowledge about regenerative agricultural practices adapted to local conditions. They become empowered to implement them.
- Regenerative agriculture is being practiced and propagated whenever possible, leading to improved soil fertility and water management.
- Climate-adapted land management enables smallholder farmers to achieve sustainable self-sufficiency, and promotes food security.
- Smallholder farmers conserve local and traditional resources such as seeds, they are independent, and they contribute actively to food sovereignty.

Partner
LBF collaborates with a global network of partner organisations. The following selection gives you an insight into our work in the focus area Education.

Partner
LBF collaborates with a global network of partner organisations. The following selection gives you an insight into our work in the focus area Engaged and Diverse Communities.


Partner
LBF collaborates with a global network of partner organisations. The following selection gives you an insight into our work in the focus area Regenerative Agriculture.
Geographical orientation
We work all over the world, but we concentrate mainly on the rural environment and regions where people experience discrimination or exclusion (social, political and/or economic).