Giordano dell'Amore Foundation

The "Giordano dell'Amore" Foundation (Fondazione Giordano Dell'Amore, FGDA) was an Italian private foundation established in Milan in 1967 as the Centro per l'Assistenza Finanziaria ai Paesi Africani (Finafrica) on the initiative of Professor Giordano Dell'Amore, then president of Cassa di Risparmio delle Provincie Lombarde (Cariplo) and rector of Bocconi University. It was formally constituted in July 1977 by Fondazione Cariplo (founder) with Fondazione CRT and Compagnia di San Paolo as co-founders. For four decades it served as a reference point in microfinance and inclusive finance, focusing until 2006 on training, technical assistance and research, and from 2006 to 2017 on microfinance and inclusive finance through awards, workshops and projects. The foundation ceased its statutory activities in 2017 and, merging with Fondazione Opere Sociali, evolved into Fondazione Social Venture "Giordano Dell'Amore", which continues its legacy by promoting impact investing and social innovation in Italy and Europe. The foundation published the quarterly journal "Savings and Development" (1977–2006), the "Finafrica Bulletin" (1974–1976) and the "African Review of Money Finance and Banking" (1987–2005), and curated several book series. Its archive remains available online at fgda.org.

The foundation originated in 1967 when Giordano Dell'Amore, as president of Cassa di Risparmio delle Provincie Lombarde (Cariplo) and rector of Bocconi University, created in Milan the Centro per l'Assistenza Finanziaria ai Paesi Africani (Finafrica). The centre was historically linked to Cariplo's international cooperation activities in support of developing countries in Africa and was inspired by Dell'Amore's idea of mobilising family savings, with attention to rural development and support for small and medium-sized enterprises. In the early 1970s, the Municipality of Milan granted land and Cariplo built a residence designed by architect Marco Zanuso, which housed the centre; the building today hosts the Collegio di Milano. Finafrica was formally constituted in July 1977 by Fondazione Cariplo (founder) and Fondazione CRT (co-founder). As its action progressively expanded to countries on other continents needing financial technical assistance, the foundation changed its name to Fondazione Giordano Dell'Amore. Until 2006 the foundation focused on three main areas: training, technical assistance and research. In 2006 it redefined its scope, positioning itself as a reference structure for all actors wishing to access information, ideas, trends and support for developing activities in microfinance. From 2006 to 2017 it focused on microfinance and inclusive finance mainly through awards, workshops and projects. The foundation ceased its statutory activities in 2017 and, merging with Fondazione Opere Sociali, evolved into Fondazione Social Venture "Giordano Dell'Amore". The new entity, with initial assets of 8.5 million euros, is committed to promoting the culture of impact investing and social innovation in Italy and Europe. As advisor and investor — as the strategic and operational arm of Fondazione Cariplo in social, environmental and cultural impact investments — it aims to support the social entrepreneurship ecosystem in adopting innovative and economically sustainable intervention models and dedicated financial instruments. It makes direct and indirect investments in Social Impact Funds, enterprises and start-ups capable of generating measurable and intentional social and environmental impact, following impact investing principles with a "social venture capital" approach. It also supports the ecosystem through dedicated tools (calls, platforms, workshops and seminars); with the Get it! programme, realised in collaboration with Cariplo Factory, it promotes incubation, acceleration and mentorship paths for ideas and start-ups with potential social impact.

• 2017

  Foundation ceases statutory activities and merges with Fondazione Opere Sociali to become Fondazione Social Venture Giordano Dell'Amore.

• 2006

  Foundation redefines its scope to focus on microfinance and inclusive finance.

• 1977

  Finafrica formally constituted in July by Fondazione Cariplo (founder) and Fondazione CRT (co-founder).

• 1967

  Centro per l'Assistenza Finanziaria ai Paesi Africani (Finafrica) created in Milan by Giordano Dell'Amore.

Reference point for microfinance and inclusive finance, providing information, ideas, trends and support for actors in the sector.

• Savings and Development

• Finafrica Bulletin

• African Review of Money Finance and Banking

• I Mercati Creditizi Africani

• Moneta e Finanza nelle Economie in Sviluppo

• Finanza e Sviluppo

• Cooperazione e Sviluppo

1. 1Archivio della Fondazione Giordano Dell'Amorefgda.org
2. 2La Fondazione – Archivio della Fondazione Giordano Dell'Amorefgda.org
3. 3Fondazione Giordano Dell'Amore – Wikipediait.wikipedia.org
4. 4"Giordano dell'Amore" Foundation – Wikidatawikidata.org