Bernard Van Leer Foundation

The organization of the Bernard Van Leer Foundation dates back to 1949 when Bernard Van Leer created the Bernard Van Leer Stiftung in Lucerne, Switzerland. This allowed him to channel the revenues from his fortune to charitable causes after his death. In 1971, the Bernard Van Leer Foundation was legally established as a charitable organization according to Dutch law in The Hague, The Netherlands. It is a private foundation that operates internationally, concentrating its resources on promoting the optimum development of disadvantaged children. It focuses specifically on children up to the age of 8, because research shows that interventions during this period are the most effective in yielding lasting benefits to children and society.

The Bernard Van Leer Foundation accomplishes its objective through two interconnected strategies:

• a grant-making program aimed at developing innovative approaches to early childhood care and development;
• the sharing of knowledge and know-how in the area of early childhod development with the aim of informing and influencing policy and practice.