The decision to set up Instituto Rio grew out of discussion and mobilization among a group of people in Rio de Janeiro City interested in establishing the concept, and spreading the idea, of the community foundation. Led by Cindy Lessa, then the Synergos Institute’s Country Director for Brazil, the group brought together 12 people who continue as the Institute’s board members to this day. With small grants from the Ford Foundation and Avina Foundation, and technical support from the Synergos Institute, the foundation’s organizational model was designed and a Board constituted.

The second stage was to found the Institute legally: project selection protocols were drawn up, the investment philosophy was defined and the Board was formally sworn in. The Board comprises leaders from various social sectors in Rio de Janeiro whose work accords with the values and ideas proposed by Instituto Rio. All Board members, both businessmen and representatives of social organizations, are leading national figures in their fields.

The present phase, which began in 2002, with support from the Inter-American Foundation, involved Instituto Rio’s setting up a fund and beginning to support projects in western Rio de Janeiro City, the region that is the focus of its activities. After setting up Brazil’s first permanent fund – the Vera Pacheco Jordão Fund – by a donation from Geraldo Jordão and his publishing house, Editora Sextante, Institute Rio embarked on a second stage, consolidating its proposed activities. The permanent fund afforded the west zone a perennial source of funding, because the funds are invested and only the interest is applied to supporting projects. The Instituto Rio has consolidated its role by supporting projects, intermediating actions and capacity-building for organizations in the west zone, with a view to becoming an effective bridge to social investment.