After many years of groundwork by Helene Berg, in 1967 and 1968 preparations were made to set up the “Alban Berg Stiftung”, and approval was received from the office of Vienna’s State Government in early 1969. This allowed work to begin, as specified in the Deed of Foundation:
I) Establishment of the Foundation
1) It was the will of Alban Berg that, after the death of his widow, the proceeds from his works be received by a Foundation with the purpose of funding modern music.
2) In the conviction that this complies with Alban Berg’s wish, I – Frau Helene Berg – hereinafter the ‘Founder’, am therefore already establishing the ‘ALBAN BERG STIFTUNG’.
III) Purpose of the Foundation
The Foundation must serve the funding of music:
a) by providing means to talented music students who are in need, in order to enable holidays used for musical training,
b) by awarding scholarships to talented music students who are in need,
c) by preserving the memory and works of Alban Berg, in particular by allocating funding to institutions and persons that are engaged in this way.
Source: Alban Berg 1885–1935. Katalog zur Ausstellung der Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek [Catalogue for the Exhibition at Austrian National Library], ed. Rosemary Hilmar, Vienna 1985, pp. 204–205.
Funding decisions in accordance with the purpose of the Foundation are taken by the Board of Trustees even today in its ordinary meetings that take place in the spring and autumn. Reasonable requests can be made in writing or electronically, with an explanation of the relevance to the purpose of the Foundation. Documents submitted in this way are not returned. There is no legal claim to funding.