Fondazione Bambino Gesù ETS - Ente Filantropico

Fondazione Bambino Gesù ETS is the fundraising foundation supporting Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, a leading Italian children's hospital founded in Rome in 1869. Today the hospital operates as an IRCCS (a scientific research and treatment institute recognized by the Italian Ministry of Health) and serves as a national and international reference point for the health of children and adolescents, treating patients from across Italy and abroad.

The Foundation itself was established in 1996 by Pope John Paul II under the name "Cari Bambini," taking on its current name, Fondazione Bambino Gesù, in 2000. Its purpose is to support the hospital's development goals and to fund humanitarian initiatives that back up the hospital's care and research work, with particular attention to children who need hospital treatment but are not covered by Italy's National Health Service. Headquartered in Vatican City, the Foundation also operates through a secondary office in Italy, which since 2008 has been registered with the Rome Prefecture's registry of legal entities and with the regional registry of non-profit organizations (ONLUS) for the Lazio region; in November 2023 the Foundation adopted a new Statute aimed at reinforcing transparent governance. It now operates as an ETS (Ente del Terzo Settore) under Italy's Third Sector reform.

Mission and values. The Foundation's mission is to stand behind the daily commitment of the doctors, researchers and healthcare workers who strive to improve quality of life for sick children and their families. This mission rests on recognizing the central importance of the patient and their family, regardless of race, sex, political or religious belief, or social background, and on principles of solidarity and support for the most vulnerable. Three values guide the Foundation's work:

International outlook: supporting international research and treatment partnerships, welcoming children with serious illnesses from countries with fewer medical resources, and running training and technical-assistance missions that transfer pediatric medical knowledge free of charge.

Transparency: since January 1, 2020, the Foundation has maintained a Central Donations Registry that chronologically records every donation received — the donor's details, the purpose and amount of the gift, and any restrictions on its use. Roughly every two months the Secretary General certifies to the hospital's President and Administrative Director the donations received and the funds transferred, and donors are promptly informed once their contribution has reached the hospital and, later, of the outcomes achieved.

Administrative austerity: operating costs are kept to a minimum so that as much of the funds raised as possible goes toward the hospital's development, with the hospital kept regularly informed of donations received, their intended use, and the amounts transferred.

Past and current activities. Funds raised by the Foundation support several core programs at the hospital:

Family support / "Progetto Accoglienza" — helping families, often from other regions or countries, who need to stay near the hospital while their child is treated.

Scientific research — backing pediatric research programs aimed at more effective and personalized therapies.

Humanitarian care ("Frammenti di luce") — funding treatment for children with serious conditions who lack access to adequate care in their home countries.

International activities — training healthcare staff from developing countries and supporting technical-assistance missions abroad.

Purchase of medical technology — funding the newest, least invasive diagnostic and treatment equipment for the hospital.

Pediatric palliative care — supporting the hospital's Pediatric Palliative Care Center in Passoscuro (near Rome), which since opening has cared for hundreds of children and their families.

General healthcare assistance — broader support for the hospital's clinical activities.

The Foundation raises funds through multiple channels: the Italian "5x1000" tax-designation scheme, solidarity gifts and wedding/christening favors ("bomboniere solidali"), tax-deductible donations, legacies and bequests, peer-to-peer crowdfunding campaigns for personal occasions (birthdays, anniversaries, sporting challenges), and partnerships with companies, foundations and associations. Recent and ongoing campaigns have supported mothers accompanying hospitalized children, families arriving from abroad for treatment, and continued development of the palliative care center, among others.

Future planned activities. The Foundation intends to continue expanding support for its core programs — pediatric research, palliative care, family accommodation for out-of-town and international patients, medical equipment upgrades, and international training and humanitarian missions — while maintaining and further strengthening its transparency mechanisms.