Legal Implementation

Zooming in on the legal model

The underlying legal structure: a participatory foundation

A) A classical foundation ensures long-term financial security and stability through permanent assets, allowing it to operate independently of member contributions;

B) A cooperative or association, on the other hand, thrives on active participation and collective decision-making, making it highly dynamic, inclusive, and adaptable to community needs;

C) A participatory foundation combines the strengths of both models, securing a strong and stable structure with permanent assets and long-term financial sustainability, while fostering active engagement and shared responsibility. Its unique governance includes a Participation Assembly - absent in traditional foundations -comprising all participants and founders (both initial and future), who provide advisory input on activities, goals, and budgets. This assembly also elects one-third of the Governing Board and one member of the Executive Committee, ensuring broad stakeholder representation. Future founders and participants - whether individuals, organizations, or institutions - can join through contributions (financial, in-kind, or through significant volunteer work) with the board’s approval, promoting inclusivity while maintaining structured oversight.

Case studies - donations & investments

Investments

This legal model outlines two primary approaches for structuring land ownership and farmer support: donations and investments. This dual approach provides flexibility in mobilizing financial resources based on the specific context and needs of a project, allowing it to adapt to diverse social and financial landscapes. By integrating both philanthropic contributions and investment capital, it also enables different forms of land ownership and varying degrees of “common good” stewardship, fine-tuning financial sustainability with long-term socio-ecological impact.

Donations

NB: The investment model is only illustrative. We are currently assessing the specific legal structures required and how they should interrelate to create an investment-oriented framework that is both flexible and efficiently adapted to the Italian regulatory environment.