Governance & Funding | Finance Watch

Governance Go to Funding

Finance Watch is committed to transparency, independence and good governance.

The governance structure – described in detail in our articles of association has been designed with these values in mind.

General Assembly

The General Assembly is Finance Watch’s highest governance body. Both types of member (member organisations and individual members) are entitled to attend and vote via separate voting colleges. The General Assembly meets once a year to debate, to approve the budget and accounts and to elect the Board of Directors.

Board of Directors

The Board comprises eight Directors including six elected by and from the General Assembly (four member organisations and two individual members) and two independent Directors (“external personalities”), who are selected by the Board, and voted by the General Assembly. Board Directors, who are not paid, may serve for two consecutive mandates of three years and may stand for election/appointment again after a two year absence following the end of their second mandate.

The members of the Board of Directors are:

Secretary General

The Board of Directors appoints the Secretary General. The Secretary General reports to the Board and can be dismissed by them on a two thirds majority. The Secretary General has day-to-day responsibility of Finance Watch.

Benoît Lallemand was appointed Secretary General in January 2017.

Funding Go to Governance

Finance Watch is committed to transparency, independence and good governance.

If you would like to join the many generous individuals who have supported us so far please visit the secure online donations page, where you can become a regular supporter or make a one-off donation.

If you would like to discuss a funding proposal, please contact Cliodhna Carthy on +32 2 899 0437 or cliodhna.carthy@finance-watch.org.

Aside from private donors, Finance Watch’s funders in 2022 were:

  • European Union: Annual EU grant (co-funding) with DG FISMA and Project funding with DG DEVCO
  • Open Society Foundations (OSF, OSIFE, OSPC): Financially support civil society groups around the world, with a stated aim of advancing justice, education, public health and independent media.
  • European Climate Foundation: A major philanthropic initiative to help Europe foster the development of a low-carbon society and play an even stronger international leadership role to mitigate climate change.
  • The Sunrise Project: A network of changemakers who believe in the power of social movements to change the world. Its mission is to scale social movements to drive the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy as fast as possible.
  • Laudes Foundation: Responding to the dual crises of inequality and climate change by supporting brave, innovative efforts that inspire and challenge industry to harness its power for good.
  • Fondation Charles Mayer pour le Progrès de l’Homme (FPH): Supports civil society movements and organisations in their activities advocating for a social and ecological transition.
  • Quadrature Climate Foundation: Aims to shift the current global climate trajectory towards a better future.
  • New Economics Foundation (NEF): Working for a new model of wealth creation, based on equality, diversity and economic stability.

Finance Watch was beneficiary of a pilot funding in 2012 and 2013, of a preparatory action funding in 2014-2017, and is beneficiary of an action grant since 2017.

Please note that Finance Watch does not accept funding from the financial industry or its lobby. All institutional funding must be approved by the Board of Directors to ensure that it:

  • is unconditional,
  • does not divert Finance Watch from its mission, and
  • has no negative impact on Finance Watch’s independence.
Total resources 2022Eur
Own funding87,349
Membership fees36,630
Miscellaneous31,119
Subrent19.600
3rd party funding1,410,741
Quadrature Climate Foundation744,199
Laudes206,286
OSIFE88,409
NEF92,607
European Climate Foundation170,052
FPH30,000
The Sunrise Project64,716
Donations by private individuals 14,842
EU funding1,212,927
European Union1,042,691
EU DG DEVCO170,236
Total resources2,711,017

Finance Watch Governance & Funding