The Carpathian Euroregion, institutional association of local-self-governments and municipalities, has been created in 1993 with the aim to prevent the ethnic conflicts of the post-socialist countries after the democratic transition.

The Carpathian Foundation has been established in 1995 for the initiative of the East-West Institute and with the financial support of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation with the aim to operate as a regional community foundation in the most underdeveloped bordering areas of the Carpathian Euroregion (Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine) by supporting the citizens’ and civic local development initiatives.

In the beginning the Foundation managed various grant programs to promote good
neighborliness, social stability and sustainable economic development in the region.
The Foundation operates as an international network, and the member organizations in each country of the Euroregion have common programs and projects for the well-being of communities living in the region.