ROTTERDAM, 23 March 2026 – Fourteen organisations from South Holland are in the running for an Appeltje van Oranje, the annual award from the Oranje Fonds for social initiatives that strengthen society. This year’s edition focuses on organisations helping people break through poverty and debt problems in a lasting way, with several Rotterdam names making the longlist of 50 candidates.
The Appeltjes van Oranje are awarded each year to three organisations in the Netherlands and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom that make a special contribution to a more connected society. This year, the Oranje Fonds received 99 submissions and selected 50 organisations as contenders.
Rotterdam names on the list
For Rotterdam, the list includes several familiar names working close to communities where support is urgently needed. Among the South Holland organisations selected are Stichting Warm Rotterdam, Thuis in West, Stichting Humanitas, Stichting vader en zoon Feyenoord, Stek, stichting voor Stad en Kerk, Stichting Cult North, Stichting Voedselbanken Nederland, regio Rotterdam, and Stichting JAN.
The full South Holland selection also includes Stichting de Buitenwacht, Leerwerkbedrijf Stichting Ecoware, Stichting Facts, Stichting Shout, Stichting Don Bosco Rijswijk and Stichting Zuster Mina.
That makes fourteen organisations from the province in total, a strong showing in a year centred on poverty and financial vulnerability. The Oranje Fonds says it is specifically looking for organisations that help people reduce or prevent poverty in a sustainable way by strengthening their knowledge and skills.
Focus on breaking poverty cycles
This year’s theme is Samen Armoede doorbreken, or breaking through poverty together. The Oranje Fonds points to poverty as a persistent problem in the Netherlands, affecting health, opportunity and people’s ability to participate fully in society.
According to the press material, more than half a million people in the Netherlands live below the poverty line, while another 1.1 million live just above it. The Oranje Fonds says existing poverty policy is often too complicated or not sufficient enough, which is why local social initiatives remain essential.
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How the selection works
The next public phase is the ten-day voting period, which runs from 18 May to 27 May. During that period, anyone can cast one vote through the special voting website for one of the fifty contenders.
The organisation receiving the most votes will become the first official nominee. The remaining nine nominees will be selected after a pitch day in June, when organisations present themselves to each other and to a jury. The jury then decides which groups complete the shortlist.
Final awards in October
Three winners will ultimately receive an Appeltje van Oranje on 8 October, when Queen Máxima presents the awards. Each winning organisation receives a bronze statue designed by Princess Beatrix and a cash prize of €25,000.
To qualify, initiatives must be active for at least two years and play an indispensable role in society. For the Rotterdam and South Holland organisations now on the list, the next challenge is turning regional support into enough visibility to move from contender to nominee.
More information
A full overview of all contenders is available at www.appeltjevanoranje.nl.
