Created in 1993 in the institutional framework of the Instituto de Crédito Oficial (Official Credit Institution), it is currently a permanent nationwide and non-profit-making foundation of the public state sector with autonomous resources.

The aims of the Foundation are the organization, boost, development, planning, and promotion of every type of studies, researches and formation activities, after-sales service and all other actions regarding all the humanitarian, civic, educational, artistic and cultural, professional, social and industrial, environmental, technological, scientific economical and business subjects, international cooperation programs and development programs, as well as other matters of general interest and especially, all those matters regarding the securing of the principles of the Democracy and the defence of the basic rights and the freedom of citizens.

The Foundation was created as a private foundation to contribute and support the development of culture. Over the years, new areas of action were included, completing the activities of the ICO, which will be later summarized.

In 2003 it adopted its articles of association, becoming a foundation of the public state sector. This implies that the Foundation is compelled to observe the principles ruling the public institution (openness, attendance, publicity...) in all the areas of actuation.

The Foundation is organized in the following areas of competence:

Art.

The contemporary art collection of the Instituto de Crédito Oficial is handled by the Foundation through the Art Department. The organization of temporary exhibitions and educational activities, the periodic exhibition of its permanent collection and all the other activities related to the Art promoted by the Foundation are part of its responsibility.

Formation and research.

This department is responsible for the execution and monitoring of the programs for grants of the Foundation ICO and the organization of courses, symposia, seminars and conferences, the objective of which is to serve as a platform for analysis and reflection about the relevant subjects of the moment. To complete this program, there are also agreements with other relevant academic entities for the creation of professorships including researches, publications and conferences about specific subjects.

Publications.

The Foundation ICO is a direct responsible for the edition of several publications, there are among others, the catalogues of the temporary exhibitions in the Museo Colecciones ICO and the books of the Classical Collection in Economy. Likewise, it collaborates and sponsors other publications with agreements with other publishing houses and institutions in accordance with its functional aims.

International Cooperation, Economy, Environment and Social Integration

Planning, design and execution of the public official announcements of cooperation for the development, environment and social integration are the main activities, as well as the establishment of collaboration agreements, the monitoring and the supervision of the projects related to international cooperation, economy, social action and environment.

Other collaborations

In this department are supervised the rest of initiatives developed in a highly marked social area to set projects in motion, to extend it or to consolidate it in order to improve the quality of life of our society.