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Philanthropy in Portugal

In Portugal, the Catholic Church has always driven charitable fundraising. However, despite this religious influence—which is also present in Ireland—philanthropy for science has never truly developed. The single exception to this is the legacy of the businessman Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian: the Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian. This foundation has shaped the artistic, educational and scientific scene in Portugal during the past 50 years. Apart from this contribution, Portuguese society has few examples of charitable institutions dedicated to fundraising for science. Additionally, the Portuguese economy has not undergone a growth period similar to the ‘Celtic Tiger' period in Ireland. Before joining the EU in 1986, the Portuguese economy was predominantly based on agriculture, fishing and trade. Despite new investment and developments since joining the EU, the Portuguese economy is still outperformed by most other EU countries—a potential factor contributing to the small philanthropic e