The Spirit of TPF Partnerships

By Şenay Ataselim-Yilmaz, PhD

Across Türkiye, change is being led by local visionaries—community leaders, educators, health workers, artists, and advocates—who know the needs of their communities and work tirelessly to address them. At Turkish Philanthropy Funds (TPF), our mission is to fuel their efforts, strengthen their capacity, and help grow a civil society ecosystem that is inclusive, resilient, and locally led.
What makes TPF unique is the diversity of the causes we support and the communities we serve. From education to gender equality, from public health to cultural preservation, from disaster resilience to youth empowerment—we believe that investing in civil society is the most powerful way to drive long-term, systemic change in social issues our communities are facing. That is why TPF’s approach goes beyond grantmaking. We invest in the capacity of our partner NGOs, helping them scale their impact, navigate challenges, and build resilience for future crises.
Through our rigorous grantmaking, strong partnerships, and strategic programming, TPF has supported hundreds of local organizations across Türkiye. But our commitment goes beyond funding. We walk alongside our partners, helping them sharpen their strategies, foster collaboration, and grow their reach. We know that lasting impact does not come from a single grant; it comes from sustained, collaborative investment in the people and organizations doing the work every day.
In May 2024, we brought together over 80 of these partners in Istanbul for a milestone event. This gathering was a powerful expression of solidarity and shared purpose. It created space for open dialogue, peer learning, and collective visioning. As conversations flowed, one thing became clear: the future of civil society in Türkiye will be built on collaboration, trust, and shared leadership.
Out of that momentum, TPF launched quarterly online convenings to keep the exchange of ideas and resources flowing. These sessions bring civil society leaders together to explore key topics such as fundraising strategy, storytelling, governance, innovation, and long-term planning—strengthening the sector as a whole.
Most recently, on June 19, 2025, we hosted the TPF Partners Meeting in Istanbul, under the theme “Measuring What Matters – Tools for Impact.” This full-day event brought together TPF partners to explore how they can define, measure, and communicate their impact with greater clarity and purpose. Through case studies, expert insights, and peer-to-peer learning, participants left equipped with practical tools and renewed commitment to transparency and growth.
All of these efforts—grants, gatherings, resources, and relationships—point to a larger vision: transforming how civil society operates in Türkiye. The role of philanthropy is not just to respond to crises, but to anticipate them, to build resilience, and to unlock the full potential of communities to lead their own transformation.
This is the essence of TPF’s mission. We are here to inspire giving, amplify local impact, and invest in civil society, where communities are empowered, solutions are locally led, and change is both measurable and meaningful.
We are proud to walk alongside our partners on this journey—not just in times of crisis, but every day, as we work together to shape a stronger, more vibrant civil society.
Explore our latest annual report to learn more and join us in building what is next. ■