The Vladimir Potanin Foundation was established in 1999 as a private foundation by the Russian entrepreneur Vladimir Potanin to help nurture active and creative professionals and to develop philanthropy in Russia. One of the largest private philanthropic organization in Russia with a longstanding commitment to building capacity for professional development, the Vladimir Potanin foundation is a member of the European Foundation Centre. The Foundation mission is to foster the development of knowledge and professionalism, to encourage volunteer activity and individual creativity, and to elevate the development of philanthropy in Russia. The core grant-making areas of the Foundations are education, philanthropy development, arts and culture.