The Rambourg Foundation

Charity Number: 1140347

Annual Expenditure: £0.2M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £180,000-£260,000 (approx)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not publicly available
  • Grant Range: Variable - from individual scholarships to multi-year commitments
  • Geographic Focus: International (primarily Tunisia, also France, United States, and global human rights organizations)

Contact Details

Phone: +33 9 51 76 28 92

Note: The foundation operates through entities in both the UK (registered charity 1140347) and Tunisia (Fondation Rambourg Tunisie)

Overview

The Rambourg Foundation was established by Guillaume Rambourg and Olfa Terras Rambourg through a charitable trust deed on 29 December 2010 and registered with the UK Charity Commission on 10 February 2011. The foundation has been led by Sarah Ben Hsouna as President since 2023, following her marriage to Guillaume Rambourg. The foundation operates internationally with a particular focus on Tunisia, supporting general charitable purposes including education, advancement of health, and relief of poverty. In 2022, the foundation had total expenditure of £257,145, and in 2023 total expenditure of £180,262. The foundation takes a broad philanthropic approach, making grants to both individuals and organizations across culture, education, sports, and human rights. Notable initiatives include establishing a cultural center in the impoverished Kasserine region of Tunisia, multi-year support for Human Rights Watch, and sustained funding for young tennis talent through the Champ'Seed Foundation.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate fixed grant programs with published guidelines. Instead, grants are awarded through trustee discretion across several strategic focus areas:

Arts & Culture: Support for Tunisian visual artists, writers, performers, and creators. The foundation previously operated the Rambourg Prize for Art and Culture (2015-2021), awarding 20,000 TND to each winner (6 winners every two years across all artistic disciplines). The foundation also supports major cultural exhibitions and festivals.

Education: Individual scholarships and educational support, including university scholarships (e.g., Smith College, Imperial College London) and the Académie Mouratoglou tennis academy (2018-2024 full scholarship).

Sports Development: Yearly donations to Champ'Seed Foundation since 2015, supporting young tennis talents including Coco Gauff (2015-2018), Stefanos Tsitsipas, Holger Rune, and others.

Human Rights: Multi-year institutional support, such as the $480,000 commitment to Human Rights Watch over three years to establish and finance their Tunisia office.

Community Development: Major infrastructure projects like the Cultural Centre of Arts and Crafts in Djebel Semmama, Kasserine, inaugurated October 2020.

Priority Areas

The foundation operates on four strategic axes:

  1. Heritage Promotion: Preservation and promotion of cultural heritage, particularly in Tunisia
  2. Creative and Cultural Economy: Developing creative industries and supporting businesses in the cultural sector
  3. Contemporary Art: Supporting visual artists, exhibitions, and contemporary artistic expression
  4. Youth Development: Accompanying young talent in sports (particularly tennis) and education

Geographic focus centers on Tunisia, particularly rural and underserved regions like Kasserine, while also supporting international organizations aligned with their mission.

What They Don't Fund

Not explicitly stated, but the foundation appears focused on:

  • Tunisian cultural and educational initiatives
  • International human rights organizations
  • Individual talent development in arts and sports

The foundation does not appear to fund projects outside these core areas or unrelated to their strategic focus on Tunisia, arts, culture, education, and human rights.

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Governance and Leadership

Sarah Ben Hsouna - President (since 2023). Sarah Ben Hsouna leads the foundation's current strategic direction focusing on cultural heritage and social development.

Guillaume Rambourg - Founder and Trustee. Born January 8, 1971, Guillaume is a Franco-Canadian former hedge fund manager who founded Verrazzano Capital in 2011. After retiring from finance in January 2018, he focused full-time on philanthropy. He graduated from École Supérieure des Sciences Économiques et Commerciales (ESSEC) and had an 18-year career in London's financial sector, including as deputy managing director at Gartmore Investment Management. He founded the Rambourg Foundation in 2011 to promote education, arts, sports, and cultural preservation.

Olfa Terras Rambourg - Co-founder and former Head (2015-2018). Born and raised in Tunisia, Olfa holds a master's degree in Finance from l'Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Tunis and a law degree from la Sorbonne in Paris. She worked in finance in London for six years as an analyst. She served as Head of The Rambourg Foundation from December 2015 until August 2018, when she joined the board of Fondation Rambourg Tunisie. Olfa is a member of the London Committee of Human Rights Watch and serves as a Council Ambassador for the organization.

The foundation was created by the Rambourgs “to support organizations engaged in the protection/reinforcement of human rights, the promotion of education, the alleviation of financial difficulties, and the preservation of health.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Rambourg Foundation operates primarily through trustee discretion, identifying and selecting projects and beneficiaries aligned with their strategic objectives rather than accepting unsolicited applications.

Grants are awarded through:

  • Trustee-initiated commitments: The trustees identify organizations and causes that accord with the foundation's objectives
  • Invitation-only opportunities: Specific calls for applications are occasionally issued for targeted programs (such as the past craftsmanship exhibition opportunities)
  • Pre-existing relationships: Multi-year commitments suggest established relationships with beneficiary organizations

The foundation appears to make grants based on causes that "accord with the Foundation's objectives“ as determined by the trustees, who ”seek to support a wide range of causes, anywhere in the World, but which are charitable as defined by the laws of England and Wales."

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available. The foundation appears to operate on a flexible timeline based on trustee meetings and strategic priorities rather than fixed application cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, so there is no publicly available success rate data.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable given the absence of a public application process.

Application Success Factors

While there is no public application process, organizations seeking to align with the foundation's interests should note:

Geographic Alignment: The foundation demonstrates strong commitment to Tunisia, particularly rural and underserved regions. The Cultural Centre in Djebel Semmama, located near former terrorist strongholds, reflects the foundation's willingness to invest in challenging environments where cultural programming can counter radicalization.

Multi-Year Commitment: The foundation favors sustained partnerships over one-off grants, as evidenced by the three-year commitment to Human Rights Watch, yearly donations to Champ'Seed Foundation since 2015, and multi-year educational scholarships.

Strategic Fit with Founder Values: Guillaume Rambourg's background as a marathon runner and tennis supporter (he personally sponsored players like Coco Gauff and Stefanos Tsitsipas) suggests affinity for projects involving discipline, perseverance, and youth development. Olfa Rambourg's Tunisian heritage and Human Rights Watch involvement indicate priorities around human rights and cultural preservation in Tunisia.

Cultural and Social Impact: Projects that combine cultural access with social development appear particularly favored, such as the Kasserine cultural center that serves both as artistic space and marketplace for rural women's crafts.

Excellence and Talent Development: The foundation supports high-achieving individuals across disciplines - from promising tennis players reaching international levels to university scholars at prestigious institutions.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - this foundation identifies beneficiaries through trustee discretion and invitation
  • Tunisia-focused with international scope - while Tunisian cultural and educational projects dominate, the foundation supports global human rights and individual talent regardless of nationality
  • Preference for multi-year partnerships - major grants demonstrate sustained commitment over 3+ years rather than single-year funding
  • Individual and institutional funding - the foundation makes grants to both organizations and individuals, from major international NGOs to individual students and artists
  • Cultural access and social development - projects that increase access to arts and culture, particularly for underserved communities, align with core mission
  • Strategic infrastructure investment - willingness to fund capital projects like cultural centers alongside programmatic grants
  • Human rights foundation - strong commitment to organizations protecting and reinforcing human rights globally

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