On 25 June 1946,[1] Ghilardotti was born in the small town of Castelverde close in Cremona, Lombardy, Italy.

[3] Following graduation from the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore with a Economics and Commence degree, Ghilardotti worked as a cultural operator for the ENAIP doing 150-hour courses in Milan during the early 1970s.

[3][4] She worked as a trade unionist from 1975,[3] firstly at the Italian Federation of Metal Mechanics and then as secretary-general of the CISL in Milan from 1981 to 1990.

[3][5] Two years later, Ghiladrotti was elected President of the Italian region of Lombardy, becoming the first woman to be appointed to the position.

The candidate of this fund must prove his/her personal commitment (NGOs), professional experience or studies in the fields mentioned above.

[5] A working room on the fifth floor of the Pirelli Tower in Milan was named in dedication after her in a plaque unveiling ceremony held in December 2015.