Foundations and social economy: conceptual approaches and socio-economic relevance

Theoretical debate about the nature of charitable foundations has traditionally become polarized around two distinct conceptual approaches: the non-profit or third sector approach, versus the social economy approach. This research tries to find a common ground between these two approaches, and to highlight the specificities of the foundation as an organizational formula, supporting its current socio-economic relevance with latest quantitative data on the contemporary Spanish foundation sector. In order to achieve this purpose, data from the main empirical studies about the sector during the last decade are compared, with a special focus on those obtained by the recently constituted Institute for Strategic Analysis of Foundations (INAEF).