Bernard van Leer Foundation
The Bernard van Leer Foundation funds and shares knowledge about work in early childhood development. The foundation was established in 1949 and is based in the Netherlands. It is a member of the Network of European Foundations for Innovative Cooperation (NEF). The foundation's income is derived from the bequest of Bernard van Leer, a Dutch industrialist and philanthropist who lived from 1883 to 1958, and made his fortune from the packaging company he founded in 1919, Royal Packaging Industries Van Leer and is a member of the Van Leer family. After Bernard van Leer's death in 1958, the foundation was given a clearer organisation and focus by his son Oscar Van Leer.