Nonprofit Startup Investment

Nonprofit Startups

Daum Foundation nurtures nonprofit startups, helping them build sustainable foundations for a vibrant and healthy nonprofit ecosystem. We identify diverse teams at various stages, from early-stage organizations to those ready to scale, and provide tailored incubation support. We also help them sustain their work and growth by expanding partnerships, strengthening impact management, and providing back-office services.

Foundation Building Program

Hongik Intelligence

A nonprofit AI content platform aspiring to “explore artificial intelligence that benefits people and society,” Hongik Intelligence offers comprehensive information on nonprofit- and AI-related education programs, op-eds, books, research, and events.

Foundation Building Program

ChangeON

Launched in 2008 and held annually since, ChangeON is a nonprofit conference that aims to share creative, innovative ideas and information for nonprofit organizations engaged in public-interest activities, helping them generate new value and build momentum for social change.

Foundation Building Program

D.MZ

D.MZ is a community designed for social sector activists in their 20s and 30s to ‘disarm’ themselves from everyday concerns, connect with peers, and engage in diverse conversations about work and life.

Foundation Building Program

Dongnakga(Past Programs)

Dongnakga was a space for nonprofit activists operated by Daum Foundation with support from the Babo Nanum Foundation. Originally privately owned, it was transformed into Dongnakga — a space dedicated to advancing public interest — through a donation in 2020. From then until June 2025, it served as an incubation space for nonprofit startups and a sustainable space for collaboration among nonprofit activists.

Joint Program

Human Rights Movement and Activism Grant

Guided by the belief that ‘difference is not a cause for discrimination and exclusion, but a source of creativity and innovation,’ this grant program, supported by the Open Society Foundations, encourages and supports all efforts to advance human rights.

Foundation Building Program

Ollybolly

Guided by the belief that ‘difference is not a cause for discrimination or exclusion, but a source of cultural creativity and social dynamism,’ Ollybolly provides animated picture books online on topics such as gender, human rights, and peace to foster cultural diversity awareness among children and young adults.

Foundation Building Program

MEET YOUR BEAUTY

Organized with Amorepacific and the Community Chest of Korea, MEET YOUR BEAUTY is a campaign that promotes healthy attitudes toward beauty among teenagers and helps them move beyond uniform standards of beauty to discover authentic beauty on their own terms. It partners with nonprofit startups ‘Project Planet,’ which creates youth-led educational environments through project-based learning, and ‘Youth Voice,’ which supports teenagers in embracing their individuality.

Joint Program

Social Welfare AI

Held in partnership with Yegang Foundation, the Leaders Summit and Conference brought together social welfare leaders to explore the impact AI will have on the sector from diverse, in-depth perspectives and discuss how technology can be applied wisely in practice.

Joint Program

‘PRISM:ON’: Support Program for Children with BIF and Their Caregivers

‘PRISM:ON,’ an initiative run by Yegang Foundation and Daum Foundation, sheds light on underserved communities that are often overlooked by the welfare system and the general society. In 2025, it developed a tailored, integrated support program to promote the physical, emotional, and social well-being of children with borderline intellectual functioning (BIF) and their caregivers. The program was carried out in partnership with two nonprofit startups, ‘WEMEETUP,’ which offers sports experiences that anyone can enjoy, and ‘SpringME,’ which works towards creating a world where everyone can live happier lives by building resilience, as well as eight local organizations and institutions.