Every day, we work to promote Portugal’s development through bilateral cooperation with the United States of America. By embracing this mission, FLAD serves as a bridge between the two countries and as a center of excellence for those seeking and offering opportunities in the U.S. across a wide range of fields.
We want FLAD to be involved in projects of unquestionable value and to be recognized as an accessible, people-centered, and modern institution that rewards merit and value creation.
Focused on four major areas — Science and Technology, Education, Arts and Culture, and Transatlantic Relations — FLAD aims to unlock Portugal’s scientific, academic, and artistic potential, strengthen Portuguese-American communities, and bring people and institutions closer together on both sides of the Atlantic.
And, of course, beyond our scholarships, programs, and regular competitions, it is very important for us to count on your ideas and projects within the promising relationship between Portugal and the United States of America, in which the Azores play a special role.
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FLAD is, in practice, the result of the strong relationship between Portugal and the United States of America.
Longtime allies, the two countries have maintained a close relationship for decades, one that intensified after World War II: with Portugal’s accession to the Marshall Plan in 1948 and its participation as a founding member of NATO in 1949, together with the extensive economic aid program granted to Portugal to support democratic consolidation after the April 25 Revolution of 1974.
One of the most significant milestones leading to the creation of FLAD was the Cooperation and Defense Agreement between Portugal and the United States of America in 1983. Under this agreement, the Portuguese government accepted the military facilities requested by the U.S. government, including the continued American presence at Lajes Air Base until 1991. In return, the United States agreed to provide a range of support measures — military, economic, and energy-related — including the creation of the Luso-American Development Foundation.
FLAD was formally established on May 20, 1985, with the approval of Decree-Law No. 168/85. The Luso-American Development Foundation was thus created as a Portuguese, financially autonomous, private institution dedicated to contributing to national development through the promotion of scientific, technical, cultural, educational, commercial, and business cooperation between the two countries.
At the time of its creation, FLAD was endowed with capital amounting to €85 million. The management of this endowment enables the independent pursuit of FLAD’s mission, which is also supported by additional revenues arising from its statutory activities.
A member of the leading national and international foundation networks — including the Portuguese Foundation Center (CPF) and the European Foundation Centre (EFC) — FLAD is recognized as one of Portugal’s most important foundations. For 40 years, it has been opening doors to the United States, fostering the development of Portugal, the Portuguese people, and Portuguese-American communities, in partnership with leading institutions and in support of projects of recognized value.