The Primoli Foundation, established in Rome by the will of Count Giuseppe Primoli, erected into a Ente Morale by Royal Decree No. 942 of March 8, 1928, is among the oldest in Rome.

The Foundation aims to promote relations of literary, historical and artistic culture between Italy, France and Europe, with special regard to modern studies.
For this purpose, a boarding school was established in the Palazzo Primoli in Rome in the early years for young Frenchmen to come to Italy for their studies, while young Italians in equal numbers would receive lodging in Paris, preferably in the new university city.

Today the Foundation organizes meetings, conferences, study days, and exhibitions and preserves and enhances its library and archival holdings.
It annually awards Research Fellowships in French language and culture in collaboration with the French Embassy; it annually announces International Prizes for Novel, Poetry and Photography.
It also publishes two series: the "Quaderni di Cultura Francese" (Edizioni di Storia e Letteratura) and the "Collezione Primoli" (tab edizioni), which collect studies, essays, and conference proceedings on French and European literature, history, art, and civilization, including in their relations with Italian civilization, from the 1500s to the 1900s.

The Primoli Foundation now occupies almost the entire second floor of Palazzo Primoli.