About us

Fostering democracy and upholding human rights, taking action to prevent the destruction of the global ecosystem, advancing equality between women and men, securing peace through con­flict prevention in crisis zones, and defending the freedom of individuals against excessive state and economic power – these are the objectives that drive the ideas and actions of the Heinrich Böll Foundation. We maintain close ties to the German Green Party (Alliance 90/The Greens) and as a think tank for green visions and projects, we are part of an international net­work encompassing well over 100 partner projects in approxi­mately 60 countries.

The Heinrich Böll Foundation works independently and nurtures a spirit of intellectual openness. We maintain a world­ wide network with currently 34 international offices. We co­operate closely with 16 state-level Böll Foundations in each of Germany’s federal states, and we support talented, socio-politi­cally engaged undergraduate and graduate students in Germany and abroad.

We gladly follow Heinrich Böll’s exhortation for citizens to get involved in politics, and we want to inspire others to do the same.

Who we are and what we want

The Heinrich Böll Foundation maintains close ties to the German Green Part (Alliance 90/The Greens) and as a think tank for green visions and projects, we are part of an international network encompassing partner projects in approximately 60 countries.

Heinrich Böll’s encouragement of civil society interference in politics is a model for the work of the foundation. Its primary task is political education in Germany and abroad to promote the democratic will, the socio-political commitment and international understanding. It is guided by the basic political values of ecology, democracy, solidarity, and nonviolence. The foundation is particularly interested in the realization of a democratic immigration society as well as gender democracy as a relationship of the sexes that is free of dependence and domination.

In addition, the foundation promotes art and culture as an element of its political educational work and as an expression of social self-understanding. Currently, the study program of the Heinrich Böll Foundation supports about 1.200 students and doctoral candidates with scholarships. The general meeting, consisting of 49 persons, is the supreme decision-making body and chooses a. o. the board.

Presently, the full-time executive board is formed by Dr. Imme Scholz and Jan Philipp Albrecht. The management is held by Steffen Heizmann. The statutes provide for a quotation for women and migrants for the Foundation’s bodies and the full-time positions.

The Foundation currently has offices in Belgium, France, Poland, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Greece, Russia, Georgia, Ukraine, Bosnia, Serbia, Israel, Lebanon, the Arab Middle East, Tunisia, Morocco, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Senegal, Thailand. Myanmar, Cambodia, India, China, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, El Salvador, and the USA. At present, the foundation has around € 62 million a year available from public funds.

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