CZK 133 million donated by The Kellner Family Foundation in 2023 to support education projects in Czechia

For over two decades, The Kellner Family Foundation has been a steadfast supporter of both public and private education for children and young people. The Foundation’s key projects include the Helping Schools Succeed project, Open Gate grammar school, and scholarships for Czech students to study abroad. In addition to its ongoing education initiatives, the Foundation last year pledged CZK 500 million towards the construction of a science and diagnostics centre at the University Hospital in Motol, Prague. This significant contribution marks a highlight in the Kellner family’s history of philanthropy, bringing its total donations since 2002 to CZK 1.98 billion, through both the Educa Foundation and later The Kellner Family Foundation.

Main beneficiaries of The Kellner Family Foundation’s donations in 2023:

• 73 Open Gate Grammar School students

• 63 Czechs students for courses at universities abroad

• 106 Czech public primary schools participating in the Helping Schools Succeed project supporting 3,200 teachers and 42,000 pupils

Our aim is to help children and young people, regardless of their backgrounds, to have the opportunity for personal development, education and the fulfilment of their dreams. For me personally, it is important that our activities allow students to explore their interests, enjoyment, and goals in life. We want them to see new opportunities rather than fear change. I would like our projects to reach young people from all regions of the Czech Republic and for our graduates to return as adults and apply their knowledge and experience to benefit the local community.

Tereza Bůžková

CEO, The Kellner Family Foundation

The Kellner Family Foundation in numbers for 2023:

• 38 mil. Kč / Scholarships for Open Gate Grammar School students

• 13,5 mil. Kč / Grants for Czech students in the University project

• 40 mil. Kč / Public primary schools in the Pomáháme školám k úspěchu project

• 41,5 mil. Kč / Donations to other institutions and individuals in the education, culture, sports, and healthcare sectors

• 133 mil. Kč / Total donations

"Our aim is to help children and young people, regardless of their backgrounds, to have the opportunity for personal development, education and the fulfilment of their dreams. For me personally, it is important that our activities allow students to explore their interests, enjoyment, and goals in life. We want them to see new opportunities rather than fear change. I would like our projects to reach young people from all regions of the Czech Republic and for our graduates to return as adults and apply their knowledge and experience to benefit the local community," said Tereza Bůžková, CEO of The Kellner Family Foundation.

Main Projects of The Kellner Family Foundation:

Transforming public primary school education

In the school year 2023/2024, the Helping Schools to Succeed project involved 106 public primary schools across the Czech Republic. The project engaged around 3,200 teachers and benefitted 42,000 pupils. In 2023, the Foundation donated CZK 40 million to participating schools. Since the project's formation in 2009, the Foundation has contributed a total of CZK 448 million to support innovative teaching methods, primarily focused on enhancing reading and writing skills, which are essential for developing critical thinking.

Scholarships for Open Gate Grammar School students
During the 2023/24 school year, 73 students at Open Gate Grammar School received scholarships funded by the Foundation. Since 2005, the Foundation has awarded 1,898 annual scholarships totalling CZK 803 million. Made possible by these scholarships, 396 students, including children from single-parent families, foster care, orphanages, and institutions for children in need, have been able to pursue an education at Open Gate.

Grants for Czech university students to study abroad

Over the past 14 years, the Foundation’s University project has supported 257 Czech university students with grants totalling CZK 131 million for their undergraduate studies at foreign universities. In the 2023/2024 academic year, 63 students received financial grants, with 35% studying technical fields and computer science, 32% studying natural sciences, and the remainder pursuing humanities, social sciences, economics, management, culture and art. The University project’s aim is to support young individuals who aspire to contributing to the development of Czech society through their knowledge and experience gained abroad.

The Kellner Family Foundation’s complete audited annual report for 2023 is published its on its website at www.kellnerfoundation.cz: https://bit.ly/VZ_TKFF_2023