NEW YORK – The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) announced that temporarily pauses submission of new grant requests for projects in Greece, “taking a step back in order to assess where we are and where we need to be going.”

Follows SNF’s announcement:

“The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) has evolved significantly since its birth in 1996. Over the last few years, as a result of factors including the severe socioeconomic crisis in Greece, SNF’s grant commitments in the home country of our late founder have increased many times over. Since the beginning, in addition to making grants around the world, the SNF has made grant commitments in Greece alone totaling $1.7 billion.

“We have launched and implemented a variety of grant initiatives in Greece significant both in terms of scope and of financial commitment. These include, among others, the Grants Against the Greek Crisis and Recharging the Youth, which respond, to the extent possible, to urgent needs in Greek society and provide hope for a better future. The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC), the SNF’s largest single grant to date, was completed and donated to the Greek people by the Foundation during the same period of time, and SNF continues to provide significant financial support to the SNFCC.

“Additionally, ongoing major initiatives and new projects under consideration require extensive attention. These include the SNF Health Initiative; a recent grant to the Hellenic Fire Department; a potential grant to support the Greek National Opera in its international and domestic outreach efforts; a new grant to the Mobile Medical Units to help the organization expand access to its critical healthcare services to additional islands and numerous mainland locations; a grant for the completion of the renovation and expansion of the Greek National Gallery; a grant to the Hellenic Army Academy for the complete renovation of its five dormitory buildings and for the Academy’s educational programs; the launch of a new nonprofit organization, iMEdD, that will function as an incubator of new media ideas and endeavors; and a new initiative featuring targeted sports and wellness programs for young people in Greece.

“Our grant-making and collaboration with grantees have helped us grow, and hopefully learn, mature, and evolve too. At the same time, we have remained true to our core mission of working together with our grantees, guided by their integrity, ethical vision, and efficiency, to try to benefit society at large. Careful review of each and every grant request submitted has also remained an essential part of SNF’s mission. Maintaining this focus means regularly pausing to consider the bigger picture, reflect on how we can improve and evolve, and set new goals for the future.

“Bearing in mind how much we have grown, we are taking a step back in order to assess where we are and where we need to be going. Effective immediately and until further notice ? but not before June 30th, 2019 ? we will focus solely on existing grant requests and initiatives currently under implementation in Greece, aiming to recalibrate our grant evaluation process to maintain the highest standards possible. To that end, we will not be accepting new requests during this period from organizations seeking support for projects in Greece.

We look forward to once again engaging in impactful work with new grantee partners, and reengaging with past partners, when this is complete.”