The Luso-American Development Foundation is a private, financially self-sufficient Portuguese institution. Its mission is to contribute to Portuguese development by financially and strategically supporting innovative projects and encouraging cooperation between Portuguese and American societies.
The Luso-American Development Foundation was created in 1985 by decree of the Portuguese government to establish a private, not-for-profit institution that promotes relations between Portugal and the United States in a permanent, flexible and independent way, in the hope that this exchange would further the economic, social and cultural development of Portugal. The initial assets came from money transfers made by the Portuguese government and from the Agreement on Cooperation and Defense between Portugal and the USA (1983). The Foundation had an endowment of € 85 million and since 1992 it has been living exclusively off income from its assets.

FLAD is a member of the national and international foundations network, namely the Portuguese Foundation Center (PFC), the European Foundation Center (EFC), the Council on Foundations in the USA, and the Bellagio Forum for Sustainable Development.

In February 2013, FLAD was awarded the status of Benefactor Member by the Portugal World Monuments Fund Association in recognition of the “generous and important support” granted to projects of great significance in the context of national heritage.

See website for more information.