Find the Dutch version here

Find the Dutch version here

POLICY PLAN – Open Education Foundation

POLICY PLAN – Open Education Foundation

1. General Information

  • Chamber of Commerce (KvK) number: 96893885

  • RSIN: 867820342

  • Address: Vlondertuin 1, 3994 PA, Houten, The Netherlands


2. Mission and Purpose

The Open Education Foundation aims to help as many children as possible worldwide by improving access to and the quality of education, enabling them to grow into happy, wise individuals who can care for themselves, others, and the natural world. We pay special attention to children in disadvantaged positions. This is reflected in our statutory objective:

"The Foundation aims to help as many children as possible worldwide by improving access to and the quality of education, and to do all that is directly or indirectly related or beneficial to this goal, in the broadest sense of the word."


The Foundation seeks to achieve this by developing and supporting innovative educational projects, promoting equal opportunities for all students, and strengthening and supporting teachers around the world, particularly through:

  • Supporting the development of software that encourages the creation and use of open educational resources.

  • Supporting the development of software that enables and promotes free tutoring.

  • Providing financial support to organizations that create open educational resources.


This mission is pursued without the intention of making a profit and with the aim of promoting the public good.


3. Activities

To achieve its objectives, the Open Education Foundation raises funds to support the aforementioned goals. It may initiate its own projects focused on developing open educational resources, including by establishing its own companies. One such company is Open Education Applications BV, which the Foundation has established and finances. This company will develop software that facilitates the creation of open educational materials and enables free tutoring.


Through this software development, the Foundation advances its own mission. Safeguards are in place via statutes and/or additional agreements to ensure that:

  • The purpose of the company remains aligned with the Foundation’s public benefit mission. This objective cannot be changed without approval from the Open Education Foundation or, if shares are held by another ANBI (Public Benefit Organization), by that ANBI.

  • Clear agreements are made regarding the use of the funds provided.

  • Serving private interests is strictly excluded—both in terms of the company’s activities and its target group, as well as the compensation of directors and staff.

  • The company is not intended to generate or distribute profits. Any surplus must be used for the company’s social objectives. If profit does occur, the Foundation claims the right to it. Neither the company nor its director can alter this. All future proceeds must benefit the social activities of the company or of the Open Education Foundation.

  • All income from shares (including dividends and potential sales proceeds) must go to a public benefit organization with a similar mission. This means the company may only distribute funds to other ANBIs, and shares with profit rights may only be held by ANBIs. Any shares held by non-ANBIs are non-profit-sharing.

  • Except for the provisions above, the company’s director retains autonomy over day-to-day operations.

  • The Foundation may establish other similar ventures through wholly owned companies, which must also comply with comparable conditions. However, this policy plan does not anticipate investments in externally created companies. The Foundation does not participate in pre-existing initiatives created by others; it will only hold shares in ventures it has created itself.

Other activities of the Open Education Foundation include:

  • Supporting and actively assisting (projects of) organizations with ANBI status that have a similar mission.

  • Funding and assisting organizations developing open educational resources in their own countries. If these organizations do not yet have ANBI status, funding will be provided in the form of project grants.


The Foundation is already in discussion with Dutch teachers and school boards working to establish a cooperative that will create open educational resources.


Selection and oversight:

Organizations seeking project support must submit an application to the board. The Foundation may contribute to essential startup investments. Financial support will be granted for a continuous period of at least one and up to five years. Applications should include:

  • A description of the open materials to be developed.

  • Who will develop them.

  • The intended audience.

  • The educational principles used.

  • Evidence of demand, preferably with written endorsements from educators in that country.

  • An overview of expected costs.

  • A plan for long-term financial sustainability.

  • Proof of non-profit status.


The board decides by simple majority on the approval or rejection of applications. No rights can be derived from individual board members' statements. Applications may be rejected due to budgetary constraints. Applications that fall outside the Foundation’s policy objectives will not be considered.

Organizations receiving donations must report annually on how the funds were used and what results were achieved. Payments may be halted and previous grants reclaimed if projects are not (fully) implemented as planned.


4. Governance

The board of the Open Education Foundation consists of:

  • L. Zijderveld

  • J. Smit

  • T. Boeschoten

All board members are jointly authorized in combination with one other board member, in accordance with the Foundation’s statutes.


The board adheres to the Dutch “Code Goed Bestuur” (Code for Good Governance).


5. Financial Framework

The Foundation operates on a non-profit basis. Fundraising income is difficult to predict, but is expected to total several million euros annually.


Fundraising

The board and founder proactively approach potential supporters of the Foundation’s mission. This incurs no costs.


Administrative costs

The Foundation incurs basic costs for banking services and an annual audit.


Use of funds

Spending priorities align with Sections 2 and 3 of this policy. In 2025, most of the budget will go to Open Education Applications BV, to first develop the necessary software. From 2026 onward, the majority of funds are expected to support organizations producing open educational materials.


Board remuneration

Board members receive no compensation for their work.


Salaries

The Foundation has no employees.


Reserves

The Foundation maintains a reserve of up to €25,000 as a continuity buffer—about 1.5 times the annual operational costs. It also holds shares in Open Education Applications BV, which are maintained in compliance with ANBI regulations.


These shares are considered part of the Foundation’s assets. A separate reserve is maintained for them, since they are held in service of the Foundation’s mission.