The Sawiris Foundation for Social Development is the first family foundation dedicated to social development in Egypt, created in April 2001, with an endowment from the Sawiris family.

The Foundation provides grants to fund projects implemented by partners.
It first identifies job opportunities with no qualified individuals available to fill them and then proceeds to train unemployed to take up these jobs.

The Foundation also strives to foster the spirit of entrepreneurship and to support the creation of self-employment opportunities. It funds training for potential entrepreneurs, and provides seed money for the start up of micro and small enterprises.

The Foundation supports and develops projects that are innovative, answer socio-economic needs, demonstrate potential for success, and can be promoted as a model to be replicated and adapted by other institutions. Such projects are seen as the starting point for a long-term process of social change and economic growth, on both an individual and a societal level. The Foundation thus works towards the improvement of society by helping others to help themselves.

In the website, you can find application guidelines. The Project Proposal Guidelines document contains information on how to apply for a grant.