Where the donation goes, and how projects are approved
A Donation Golden Visa gift goes to the foundation or public cultural body behind a project the Ministry of Culture has already approved, and it is applied to that project: a restored building, a film, an artistic programme. This page follows the money from approval to delivery.
- €200,000Donation to a government-approved cultural project
- 10Cascais Ventures projects approved by the Ministry of Culture, a 100% approval rate
- 58%Of the money donated since 2020 has gone to heritage¹
- 55%Of approved activities are run by private foundations of public utility¹
Who receives the donation?
The donation goes to the project’s beneficiary entity: the foundation or public cultural body that the Ministry of Culture has declared eligible. It is paid into a dedicated account opened for that project alone, so each gift is traceable to the individual donor.
Private foundations of public utility are the largest group of beneficiaries, with 55% of the 141 activities approved under the route. Municipal and intermunicipal entities, the state-owned sector and public foundations account for most of the rest. The full breakdown is on The Donation Golden Visa explained.
The beneficiary applies the donation to the project and carries the legal responsibility for executing it. Once the funds arrive, it issues the donor a Confirmation of Donation, the receipt that opens the residence file.
How is a project approved before any donor commits?
Every project is approved by the Ministry of Culture before a donor commits. GEPAC, the Ministry’s Office for Cultural Strategy, Planning and Evaluation, appraises the beneficiary’s application and declares the project eligible by name.
| Stage | Who acts | What it establishes |
|---|---|---|
| Application | Beneficiary entity | The project, its budget and its territory are submitted to GEPAC |
| Appraisal | GEPAC | Legal nature and purpose of the entity, the activity’s objectives, and the amount against the territory and the activity |
| Eligibility declaration | GEPAC, for the Ministry of Culture | The project may receive donations under the route; the donor receives this declaration before committing |
| Donor declaration | GEPAC | Issued after the donation, for each individual donor, to anchor the residence application |
Because approval comes first, the donor never commits to a project whose eligibility is still an open question at the time of commitment.
What does Cascais Ventures do?
Cascais Ventures creates and produces the government-approved cultural projects behind Portugal’s Donation Golden Visa: heritage rehabilitation, film and documentary, artistic programmes. It works with foundations and public bodies on one side, and with artists, directors and producers on the other.
Structure.
Shapes the project with the foundation, from the cultural concept and budget to the application it submits to GEPAC.
Co-produce.
Brings in the artists, directors and producers, and co-produces the work with them.
Deliver and report.
Follows the project through to delivery, so the reports donors need are ready at every renewal.
Cascais Ventures has 10 approved projects, a 100% approval rate; eight of them are shown in the next section. Almost 30% of all programme donations were made in Cascais Ventures projects.
Cascais Ventures does not charge donors anything: the donor pays nothing to Cascais Ventures. The donation is made directly to the foundation or public body that promotes the project.
What kind of projects does the money fund?
The route funds two kinds of cultural activity: the recovery or maintenance of national heritage, which has received 58% of the money donated since 2020, and artistic production, which has received 42%.¹
€104.7M, 2020 to 31 August 2026. GEPAC official data.
The projects Cascais Ventures produces cover both, and every one of them is located in a low-density territory.
| Project | Discipline | Institutional sponsor | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Convento da Orada | Heritage rehabilitation | Fundação Alentejo | Monsaraz, Alentejo |
| Palacete Fundação Alentejo | Heritage rehabilitation | Fundação Alentejo | Estremoz, Alentejo |
| BOSK | Public art and land art | Fundação Alentejo | Évora, Alentejo |
| A Volta do Elefante | Documentary | Fundação Alentejo | Alandroal and Vila Viçosa, Alentejo |
| Aventesma | Fiction series | Naturtejo EIM | Naturtejo UNESCO Geopark, Beira Baixa |
| Geografia Criativa | Artistic programme | Naturtejo EIM | Naturtejo UNESCO Geopark, Beira Baixa |
| Territórios que Contam | Literary and theatre | Fundação Caixa Agrícola Costa Azul | Santiago do Cacém, Alentejo |
| Janes | Feature documentary | Fundação Alentejo | Reguengos de Monsaraz, Alentejo |
How are donors recognised?
Donors are recognised in the form that fits the project: a name on the donor wall of a restored building, a name in a film’s credits, or a signed print series from the artist.
| Project type | Recognition |
|---|---|
| Heritage and museum projects | Name on the donor wall, exhibition invitations, received as a guest |
| Visual-art projects | An exclusive signed print series from the artist |
| Film and documentary | Name in the credits, a premiere invitation, a day on set |
| Every project | On request, a conversation with the artist or producer |
Recognition varies by project and is confirmed with the project documentation.
How is the donation governed and reported?
The donation is governed by a written agreement with the beneficiary entity and reported on for as long as the residence permit needs it. The agreement sets the amount, the dedicated account, the project scope, the beneficiary’s obligations and the conditions on which it reports on the use of the donation.
- Project approved by the Ministry of Culture before you commit
- Donation held in an account opened for that project alone
- Legal responsibility for delivery on the beneficiary, not the donor
- Confirmation of Donation issued on receipt
- GEPAC declaration issued for each individual donor
- Renewal declarations supplied for five years, with the project's reports
The donation is irreversible and non-returnable. Once it is made, nothing further is due to the project: no management fees, no performance fees and no reporting costs for the donor. To choose a project, see the Donation Golden Visa page.
¹ GEPAC, Ministry of Culture, official data to 31 August 2026: 141 approved activities, €104.7M donated.
Sources: GEPAC, Ministry of Culture, official data to 31 August 2026 · Lei 23/2007 (Immigration Act), Art. 3.º, n.º 1, d) vi) · Decreto Regulamentar 84/2007 · Cascais Ventures project records.
Keep exploring
Updated 9 October 2026 · Cascais Ventures · Primary sources linked on this page (links checked 9 October 2026)