Our History
Fundación Corona was created in 1963 by the Echavarría Olózaga family and is a reflection of their commitment to Colombia.
Origin
Our
During the 1960s, philanthropy began to be discussed in Colombia, recognizing the changing context of the country and the business development of the 1950s. With this perspective, the Echavarría Olózaga family’s commitment to corporate social responsibility was born.
1974 - Santa Elena Foundation
The foundation changed its name to Santa Elena Foundation, in honor of Elena Olózaga de Echavarría, maintaining its focus on education, housing, and the dissemination of science and culture, as well as its collaboration with social assistance programs of national or local interest.
1985 - Strengthening Business Development
In the area of business promotion, closely aligned with the thinking of Hernán Echavarría, the Business Development Fund was created in 1985 with several objectives: the promotion of an entrepreneurial culture and the development of training groups focused on management and technical aspects.
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2000 - Strengthening Partnerships
In the first decade of the 21st century, work focused on strengthening partnerships, reaching nearly 250 national and international alliances, which made it possible to increase resource leveraging and to develop international replications of the Cómo Vamos and RedAmérica programs.
2006 – Promotion and Opportunities
Between 2006 and 2009, efforts focused on promoting reading, writing, and logical‑mathematical thinking among primary school students; identifying opportunities to work with more vulnerable populations, such as people with disabilities; and developing projects for young entrepreneurs in the country.
2016 - Creation of the Inclusive Employment Model
Fundación Corona, ANDI and its foundation, and USAID —through ACDI/VOCA— developed the Inclusive Employment Model, an initiative for the country’s development. The Inclusive Employment Model became a tool for conceptualizing the inclusive employment system, bringing together actors, themes, stages, strategies, and methodologies related to the dynamics of labor inclusion for vulnerable populations.
2020 - A Moment of Reflection for the Foundation
The international situation caused by the pandemic became a moment of reflection for Fundación Corona, leading us to validate the relevance of our strategic lines.
2022 - Strengthening Territorial Implementation
Our models help other entities implement territorial strategies, enabling them to coordinate different actors and co‑create relevant tools and methodologies to overcome barriers and address local challenges.
2023 - We Celebrate 60 Years of Work for Colombia
Working to help reduce the equity gap in Colombia and reaffirming our commitment to continue collaborating in an articulated manner with different partners and allies.
2024 - MAS Payment for Results.
An innovative financing program that seeks to enhance the efficiency of public resource use and attract more actors to fund social and environmental projects.
2025 - Launch of
the 2030 Strategy
After 63 years of working for the country and a decade of learning, at Fundación Corona we have reoriented our strategy to strengthen and transform the system that generates education, employment, freedom of choice and influence opportunities for youth in Colombia.
1998 – The Cómo Vamos Model is created
With the aim of monitoring the quality of life of citizens and contributing to the development of more effective and transparent governments, as well as more informed, responsible, and participatory citizens
