Porticus

Today is the European Day of Foundations and Donors, an initiative led by Philea - Philanthropy Europe Association that highlights the role philanthropy plays in creating positive change. This year's theme, Philanthropy for People and Planet, is a reminder that progress is built through collective effort. Across partner work, we see the dedication of communities and changemakers striving to create opportunities for people to thrive and contribute to a more sustainable future. Today, we recognise and thank those whose commitment and leadership are helping make that progress possible.

What if more small businesses could access the financing they need using the financial information they already have? That's the challenge Flowt is tackling. The company has announced new pre-seed funding to expand financing for climate-smart businesses across Africa, using AI-driven assessments to help entrepreneurs access working capital and grow their businesses. At Porticus, through Argidius Foundation, we support entrepreneurs and organisations working to remove the barriers that prevent businesses from reaching their full potential. Access to appropriate finance remains one of those barriers. We're excited to see Flowt reach this milestone and look forward to following its journey as it works to expand opportunities for small businesses across the continent. Congratulations to the Flowt team and everyone involved!

What becomes possible when communities gain access to opportunity? Ailana's story is one of many emerging from Southern Bahia, where communities are accessing finance, technical support, commercial partnerships and opportunities linked to restoration through regenerative agriculture. Read our latest story to discover how partners are helping create opportunities that strengthen livelihoods while protecting nature: https://lnkd.in/dg6_4QWW

What happens when philanthropy remains intentional, patient, and rooted in local knowledge? In Kakuma, Kenya, a long-term investment in Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) has helped children build confidence, strengthen wellbeing, and engage more fully in their education. But the story doesn't stop there. Through sustained partnerships with teachers, families, Refugee-Led Organisations, and government, that work has contributed to broader changes in how education is supported and delivered. Our latest video explores the power of local leadership, long-term commitment, and the belief that every child deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential. Watch the full video: https://lnkd.in/eEkkMRmT

Across Guatemala, poverty and inequality shape everyday life. With 56% of the population living below the national poverty line, many small and medium enterprises, a vital source of jobs and local income, face persistent barriers to growth, particularly when it comes to accessing finance and markets. Alterna, a Guatemalan organisation rooted in local communities, works alongside entrepreneurs to overcome these challenges. For more than a decade, Alterna has supported social and environmentally focused enterprises to strengthen their business models, expand into new markets, and access affordable finance. With the support of Porticus, through Argidius Foundation, Alterna provides hands‑on training, tailored financial solutions, and long‑term accompaniment, helping entrepreneurs build resilient businesses that create jobs, support families, and contribute to their communities. 👉Learn more about how Argidius and partners like Alterna are unlocking opportunities for entrepreneurs in Guatemala: https://lnkd.in/eTzhKuBP

Focusing on equitable and enduring solutions for tropical forests and the communities that steward them, Forests, People, Climate (FPC), a collaborative of philanthropic funders, recently launched the report “Progress Despite Pressure.” The report highlights how partners across the Brazilian Amazon, Indonesia, and the Congo Basin are advancing community rights, strengthening forest protection, and shifting finance toward standing forests. In 2025 alone, FPC and aligned donors directed USD 277.5 million to 371 organisations, an increase of more than 80% from the previous year. At Porticus, we support efforts to protect, restore, and sustainably manage forests alongside the communities that depend on them. The report tells stories of resilience, adaptation, and steady progress in a field navigating disruption while building toward something more durable. A powerful reminder of what collective action can achieve! Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/ezRJdiMZ

What role can education play in helping young people navigate uncertainty? Across the Middle East, schools are operating in complex contexts shaped by conflict, displacement, and economic pressure. Yet they remain vital spaces, not just for learning, but for rebuilding stability, resilience, and a sense of belonging. Social and emotional learning (SEL) is an increasingly important part of this response, helping students develop the skills to cope and adapt, while supporting teachers in addressing diverse classroom needs. In Lebanon, World Learning is working with national stakeholders to strengthen the integration of SEL into teaching and learning, grounded in local realities. Read the full story to learn more about this partnership and its impact: https://lnkd.in/ekuw3-9x

We’re delighted to welcome Katy Hartley to the Porticus Management Team as Director of Organisational Strategy and Regional Networks! With over 25 years of experience across philanthropy, strategy and partnership building, Katy joins us from Laudes Foundation, where she led strategy and foresight, driving innovation and futures thinking. In her new role, Katy will help strengthen connections across regions and sectors, supporting greater adaptability and impact in our work worldwide. "After nearly a decade working across this family of philanthropic organisations, stepping into this role feels like both a homecoming and a new beginning. I am deeply grateful for everything I have learned at Laudes Foundation, and genuinely excited to bring that experience to bear in Porticus." Welcome, Katy, we’re excited for what’s ahead.

Art can be transformative, sparking imagination, restoring dignity and bringing people together in times of change. Through Community Arts Lab (CAL), Porticus supports work that harnesses the power of art to build bridges, connecting people and perspectives, and opening pathways toward more just, resilient and inclusive futures.   The Climate Biennial in Avilés, Spain, is a powerful example of what becomes possible through long‑term collaboration. Bringing together more than forty artists alongside educators and communities, it explores climate not as an abstract crisis, but as a lived, social and territorial reality embedded in landscapes, infrastructures and collective memory. Through exhibitions, residencies and community‑led initiatives, it creates space for dialogue, learning and collective responses to ecological transition.   Initiated alongside a growing network of cultural and territorial partners, what began as the design of a new kind of biennial has evolved into a shared public endeavour, now carried forward by the Municipality of Avilés and regional and national partners.   The Biennial will take place in Avilés, Asturias, from June 12 to September 20, 2026. Learn more and discover what to expect here: https://lnkd.in/eYmBRnJW Atelier itd

Strengthening small businesses starts with strengthening the systems that support them. This example from Nigeria shows how the Argidius Foundation’s SCALE framework is being applied to build more effective and sustainable Enterprise Support Organisations, with tangible results for SMEs and job creation. As part of Porticus, Argidius Foundation works to support this kind of systems-level change, helping improve how enterprise support is delivered across ecosystems. Encouraging to see this approach gaining traction, where stronger support organisations can unlock more inclusive and lasting economic growth. 👇 Read more below