▁is ▁govern ed ▁by ▁a ▁board ▁with ▁members ▁representing ▁the ▁cultural , ▁scholar ly ▁and ▁business ▁communities ▁in ▁the ▁Netherlands . ▁ ▁the ▁Board ▁consists ▁of ▁Ernst ▁Hir sch ▁Ball in ▁( Ch air ), ▁Jet ▁de ▁Ran itz ▁( V ice - Ch air ), ▁Tom ▁de ▁S wa an ▁( T reas urer ), ▁D és anne ▁van ▁Bre der ode , ▁Bar n ita ▁Bag chi , ▁Na omi ▁El lem ers , ▁Maria ▁Gre ver , ▁B reg t je ▁van ▁der ▁Ha ak , ▁Bas ▁ter ▁H aar ▁R omen y , ▁Fou ad ▁Lar ou i , ▁Rick ▁Law son , ▁Ax el ▁R ü ger , ▁Hen k ▁Sch ol ten , ▁Ed ▁Span ja ard ▁and ▁Frank ▁van ▁V ree . ▁ ▁the ▁organisation ▁has ▁three ▁staff ▁members , ▁and ▁the ▁director ▁is ▁Sh anti ▁van ▁Dam . ▁Fund ing ▁for ▁the ▁Foundation ▁originally ▁came ▁from ▁the ▁Dutch ▁lot tery ▁and ▁the ▁Sport ▁Tot alis er , ▁although ▁it ▁is ▁now ▁finan cially ▁independent . ▁ ▁The ▁Foundation ▁awards ▁the ▁Er as mus ▁Prize , ▁which ▁is ▁an ▁annual ▁prize ▁that ▁is ▁awarded ▁to ▁individuals ▁or ▁institutions ▁who ▁have ▁made ▁exception al ▁contributions ▁to ▁culture , ▁society , ▁or ▁social ▁science ▁in ▁Europe ▁and ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁world . ▁The ▁Foundation ▁organ izes ▁a ▁wide ▁range ▁of ▁academic ▁and ▁cultural ▁activities ▁around ▁the ▁Er as mus ▁Prize ▁award ▁ceremony , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁an ▁ess ay ▁or ▁publications ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁la ure ate