Via Foundation is an independent Czech foundation committed to community and philanthropy development in the Czech Republic. Via Foundation was established in 1997 to carry on the work of the Czech office of the American Foundation for a Civil Society. Since then, thanks to the generosity of donors, Via Foundation has supported over 6,000 projects in Czech communities.
Via’s Work
Via’s mission is to help citizens engage in the development of their communities and spread the art of giving in the Czech Republic.
What does this mean in practical terms? Via Foundation provides grant and learning opportunities to people and non-profit organizations who share a drive to change communities for the better. This model of combined assistance is key to increasing the impact and sustainability of a community initiative – i.e., wherever possible, grants are complemented with workshops, mentoring and individual consultations.
You can see an overview of Via’s work in 2024 here and read the full 2024 annual report here.
To learn about Via’s programming in support of community initiatives, see Via’s Our Community program website.
Examples of supported projects
Volunteer firefighters supporting community life
There are about 70 inhabitants in Havlovice, which is part of the small village of Kobyly in the Liberec region. There is a fire station and a fire reservoir on the village green. Volunteer firefighters play an important role in the social and cultural life of the village. “While in the past, firefighters mainly protected property, today we organize sports competitions, village dances and community events,” explained Marcela Němečková from the Havlovice Volunteer Firefighters Association. In order to have a place to hold these celebrations, the firefighters restored a local site called the Včelín (Apiary). “In the past, bees were kept here, but then the place became a venue for cultural events. It is located in a ‘strategic’ place under trees, which is ideal for holding events,” noted Marcela Němečková.
This year, thanks to support from the Million for Turnov grant program which is administered by Via and funded by the Kaufland company, the Havlovice firefighters were able to purchase new benches and picnic tables for the apiary, as well as rain protection and kitchen equipment. They also bought a projector, which finally made it possible to realize their long-standing dream of having a cinema on wheels in Havlovice. “At the first neighborhood film screening, we enjoyed a hockey game featuring the Liberec White Tigers,” added Marcela. The firefighters are genuinely delighted that, thanks to the project, people from the community are interacting more often and getting involved in event organization themselves.
A walk through time to connect neighbors
More than half of all residential development in Prague-Újezd, a district on the outskirts of the capital city, is new and most neighbors don’t know each other. The Újezd forum organized a guided walk to build connections between residents. Via provided a small grant of $800. Along the route, local residents presented places tied to the history of their families or the community: a miller’s granddaughter explained how flour had been made, a woman showed where her family had once farmed and another resident shared how Russian troops had used local forests during the occupation of 1968. More than 800 people took part (20% of the district’s population) and many forged new connections – proof that even a small grant can nurture a sense of belonging.
Community garden in a former prison
In Brno, a small grant helped residents improve a garden in a former 18th-century prison. Since 2018, the prison has housed the Kaznice cultural and community center. Local residents who frequent the cultural center have transformed the old prison courtyard into a community garden. A Via grant of $2400 enabled them to make necessary repairs to planting beds, restore composting equipment and install a rainwater collection system. Residents share gardening knowledge here, bringing new skills to neighbors. The Tripitaka association, which manages the community and cultural center in the former prison, uses the garden to hold events to bring the neighborhood together.
Nuns on tractors
The sisters of the Carmelite Convent in Drasty in Central Bohemia drive tractors, use front loaders and work with weed eaters on a daily basis. For the past seven years, they have been renovating – largely on their own – a farmyard in Drasty to create a cultural and spiritual centre. Thanks to their hard work and the help of many volunteers and donors, they are now very close to their goal. A Via Foundation grant from the Sustainable Living Fund, financed by the company JRD, is helping them transform the last unrestored part of the site. You can read more here.
Restoration of a chapel alcove
With the help of a Via grant, artist Vladana Šrámková and her neighbors restored a small chapel embedded in a wall in their small village near Prague. The chapel had been in a state of disrepair for years. Vladana’s group renovated the stonework and decorated the chapel with mosaics, and also fixed up the surrounding green space. They believe the chapel area will become a community gathering spot and rest stop for tourists and hikers. You can read more about the chapel and other small monument restoration projects here.
Creating a community oasis
In the village of Štípa in Moravia, a group of residents have been transforming an unused area behind a pilgrimage church over the past few years. With a grant from Via, they were able to build a gazebo and make landscaping improvements so that the space can be used by local residents, pilgrims and other visitors. Read more here.
Encouraging philanthropy and engagement among young people
Through the Young Philanthropists program, Via Foundation encourages children and young people to help other people in need, their community or the landscape. Via provides guidance in project or event organization and a matching grant. In the town of Vápenná, for example, a group spent several months restoring a site where a Sudetenland village used to be. They restored a spring, built a bell tower and a shelter for hikers and tourists. To celebrate the opening of the site, they organized a festival with a musical performance, creative workshops and a put on a play. You can read more about the Young Philanthropists program here.
Via Foundation blog
We invite you to visit Via’s blog to read about other supported projects.