German Foundation Day
Under the motto "Making courageous. How foundations strengthen cooperation", the German Foundation Day took place at the RMCC. The aim was to realize an event format that would create space for both professional exchange and personal encounters - and at the same time bring the diversity of the foundation sector to life.
With its modern infrastructure and central location, the RheinMain CongressCenter (RMCC) provided the ideal setting for the main events of the congress. The barrier-free design of the RMCC allowed all participants unrestricted access to the more than 80 individual events with more than 230 speakers.
The festive closing event, the traditional "Dialogue of Foundations", took place in the historic ambience of the Kurhaus Wiesbaden and provided a dignified setting for the conclusion of the congress.
Special program items included the opening speech by former German President Joachim Gauck, who emphasized the importance of foundations for democracy, as well as discussion panels with prominent personalities such as Prof. Dr. Jutta Allmendinger, Dr. Eckart von Hirschhausen and Luisa Neubauer, who addressed current social challenges. Innovative formats such as community sessions and themed tables were also offered to promote interactive exchange.
The German Foundation Day 2025 was a complete success:
- Around 1,500 participants took the opportunity to network and exchange knowledge.
- The RMCC impressed with its modern facilities, sustainability certifications and central location.
- With its historical flair, the Kurhaus Wiesbaden provided a festive setting for the closing event.
- The event strengthened the visibility of the foundation sector and provided important impetus for the future work of foundations.
The German Foundation Day 2025 in Wiesbaden impressively demonstrated how a successful combination of modern congress center and historic venue can create an inspiring framework for exchange within the foundation sector.
Data at a glance
Organizer: Federal Association of German Foundations e.V.
Date: May 21-22, 2025
Location: RMCC and Kurhaus Wiesbaden
Participants: approx. 1,500 people
Formats: Congress with trade fair character, plenary session, workshops, exhibition
Motto: "Making courageous. How foundations strengthen cooperation"
Objectives and concept
The German Foundation Day is Europe's largest foundation congress. The aim of the two-day format was to create a central exchange platform for representatives from politics, civil society, business and science. The event combined concentrated knowledge transfer with targeted networking - in a space that was open, flexible and atmospheric.
Implementation in the RMCC
Multifunctional use of the hall levels:
The RMCC offered ideal conditions for the sophisticated event format. The large plenary session was held in Hall North (opens in a new tab), while the 1st and 2nd floors provided space for parallel workshops and breakout sessions. A central exhibition concept with a loosened-up area structure and an open meeting zone supported networking throughout the building.
Terrace extension with quality of stay:
A special highlight was the designed terrace (opens in a new tab)with beer table sets, parasols and greenery - as an additional, weather-dependent communication area with a high quality of stay. This outdoor area was deliberately integrated into the event concept and offered guests a relaxing counterpart to the dense congress program.
Logistical challenges and solutions
Challenge: extremely tight changeover times
- In some cases, only 15 minutes were available between individual program items.
- Solution: Detailed schedules, well-coordinated teams and up to 30 people working simultaneously - including for furniture logistics and catering - ensured a smooth transition between the plenary session, workshops and other formats.
Challenge: Converting the plenary session into a general meeting
- On the second day of the event, the plenum was converted from 1,500 to 500 people for a general meeting - within three hours.
- Solution: Use of the partition wall between segments B and C in Hall North (opens in a new tab), targeted pre-positioning of the technology (FOH in segment C) to avoid unnecessary conversion times.
Challenge: Optimization of the routing
- Stair landings in Hall North significantly shortened the routes to the 1st floor and ensured efficient walking routes for participants.
- Solution: Generous space planning in the foyer and in the exhibition prevented bottlenecks despite high footfall.
Tip for associations
Take advantage of our flexibly combinable locations - RMCC, Kurhaus and Jagdschloss Platte - and benefit from:
- our multi-house discount (more about the festive evening event at Kurhaus Wiesbaden)
- a customized guide for associations
Let us give your format space - and together create an event experience that works. Talk to us about implementation, our expert for association conferences Annika Schaad-Diederich will be happy to advise you.
