This research studies the role of the Fondation de France (FDF) in the development of palliative care in France. While the history of palliative care in France has been the subject of major studies over the last twenty years, the role of the FDF has hardly be noticed. However, the FDF developed many activities in this field, through the financing of projects that contributed to the formation of an organizational field. Based on interviews and a consultation of the archives of the FDF’s palliative care program, this research shows how these interventions contributed to a public policy in favour of palliative care. Initially, FDF approached palliative care advocates, building affinity and legitimacy with them. Secondly, FDF facilitated the institutionalization of palliative care by acting as a catalyst for the actors favourable to its development, including within the State. Finally, the FDF establishes an inter-temporal mediation by maintaining attention on this issue and by brokering these initiatives from one period to another. The triple reference to the notions of affinity, catalysis and inter-temporal mediation characterizes a discrete and indirect mode of intervention, which proved to be effective: it allowed the construction of a new and legitimate organizational field, which the State was able to support.