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Advancing Human Rights

The State of Global Foundation Grantmaking

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  • Years
    • 2011 - 2015
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
    • 2012
    • 2011
  • Regions
    • Asia & Pacific
    • Caribbean
    • Eastern Europe, Central Asia, & Russia
    • Global Programs
    • Latin America & Mexico
    • Middle East & North Africa
    • North America
    • Sub-Saharan Africa
    • Western Europe
  • Issues
    • Access to Justice/Equality Before the Law
    • Civic and Political Participation
    • Economic and Labor Rights
    • Environmental and Resource Rights
    • Equality Rights and Freedom from Discrimination
    • Expression and Information Rights
    • Freedom from Violence
    • Health and Well-being Rights
    • Human Rights, General
    • Migration and Displacement
    • Sexual and Reproductive Rights
    • Social and Cultural Rights
    • Transitional Justice and Peacebuilding
  • Populations
    • Children & Youth
    • Human Rights Defenders
    • Indigenous Peoples
    • LGBTQI
    • Migrants & Refugees
    • People with Disabilities
    • Sex Workers
    • Women & Girls
  • Strategies
    • Advocacy, Systems Reform and Implementation
    • Arts and Culture
    • Capacity-building and Technical Assistance
    • Coalition-building and Collaboration
    • Grassroots Organizing
    • Litigation and Legal Aid
    • Media and Technology
    • Public Engagement and Awareness-raising
    • Research and Documentation
    • Scholarships and Travel
    • Security and Resilience
  • Bi/Multilateral
Strategy

Litigation and Legal Aid, 2015

Taking legal action to establish progressive jurisprudence to advance human rights, instigate reform of national laws which do not comply with international human rights standards, and enable individuals and communities to seek remedies for human rights violations. Ensuring all people have equitable access to legal assistance and representation.

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  • Trends, 2011 - 2015
  • 2015
  • 2014
  • 2013
  • 2012
  • 2011
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  • Top Foundation Funders
  • Regional Focus
  • Issue Focus
  • Population Focus
  • Sample Grants

4%
Share of foundation
human rights funding

$96.5 Million out of
$2.4 Billion for all rights
637 Grants

Top Foundation Funders

  1. John S. and James L. Knight Foundation $30.0 M
  2. Oak Foundation $14.9 M
  3. Ford Foundation $7.7 M
  4. The Sigrid Rausing Trust $6.8 M
  5. Tides Foundation $5.3 M
  6. Fund For Global Human Rights $4.5 M
  7. Alliance for Open Society International $2.9 M
  8. NoVo Foundation $2.8 M
  9. NEO Philanthropy $1.9 M
  10. Proteus Fund $1.8 M
  11. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria $1.7 M
  12. Foundation to Promote Open Society $1.2 M
  13. Public Welfare Foundation $1.0 M
  14. American Jewish World Service - Donor Advised Funds $995.0 K
  15. Unbound Philanthropy $978.4 K
  16. EEA and Norway Grants $874.0 K
  17. Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund $802.5 K
  18. Dietel Partners $729.0 K
  19. New Israel Foundation $726.4 K
  20. Esmée Fairbairn Foundation $573.3 K
  21. National Endowment for Democracy $553.0 K
  22. Bill and Susan Oberndorf Foundation $500.0 K
  23. Colcom Foundation $500.0 K
  24. Charles Stewart Mott Foundation $430.0 K
  25. Dick & Betsy DeVos Family Foundation $400.0 K
  26. M = Millions

Foundation Funding by Region

Asia & Pacific

$6,963,067 (7%)
96 Grants (15%)

Caribbean

$319,651 (0%)
5 Grants (1%)

Eastern Europe, Central Asia, & Russia

$2,615,258 (3%)
45 Grants (7%)

Global Programs

$13,476,688 (14%)
44 Grants (7%)

Latin America & Mexico

$6,345,834 (7%)
96 Grants (15%)

Middle East & North Africa

$2,581,120 (3%)
39 Grants (6%)

North America

$53,787,568 (56%)
206 Grants (32%)

Sub-Saharan Africa

$9,609,624 (10%)
96 Grants (15%)

Western Europe

$2,041,883 (2%)
21 Grants (3%)

Region totals include both foundation grants directly to recipients based in the region specified and foundation grants to recipients located in other regions to do work benefiting the region specified. Grants may mention more than one region of benefit and therefore be counted in more than one category.

Foundation Funding by Issue

  • Expression and Information Rights

    $30,773,758 (32%)
    10 Grants (2%)
  • Access to Justice/Equality Before the Law

    $15,441,760 (16%)
    137 Grants (22%)
  • Freedom from Violence

    $12,981,966 (13%)
    153 Grants (24%)
  • Environmental and Resource Rights

    $7,717,292 (8%)
    89 Grants (14%)
  • Migration and Displacement

    $6,242,226 (6%)
    44 Grants (7%)
  • Transitional Justice and Peacebuilding

    $5,879,350 (6%)
    23 Grants (4%)
  • Social and Cultural Rights

    $3,707,829 (4%)
    51 Grants (8%)
  • Health and Well-being Rights

    $3,461,493 (4%)
    22 Grants (3%)
  • Equality Rights and Freedom from Discrimination

    $3,135,447 (3%)
    37 Grants (6%)
  • Human Rights, General

    $2,462,327 (3%)
    20 Grants (3%)
  • Civic and Political Participation

    $1,857,890 (2%)
    15 Grants (2%)
  • Economic and Labor Rights

    $1,677,373 (2%)
    26 Grants (4%)
  • Sexual and Reproductive Rights

    $1,115,710 (1%)
    10 Grants (2%)

Issue totals include foundation funding that could be identified as meant to address a specific issue. In order to provide unique totals and avoid double-counting, each foundation grant has been assigned to exactly one issue category within the human rights taxonomy.

Foundation Funding by Population

  • Migrants & Refugees

    $10,023,312 (10%)
    76 Grants (12%)
  • Children & Youth

    $8,253,467 (9%)
    74 Grants (12%)
  • Women & Girls

    $6,366,658 (7%)
    153 Grants (24%)
  • Indigenous Peoples

    $5,073,546 (5%)
    61 Grants (10%)
  • LGBTQI

    $3,892,832 (4%)
    69 Grants (11%)
  • People with Disabilities

    $1,370,412 (1%)
    19 Grants (3%)
  • Human Rights Defenders

    $492,736 (1%)
    58 Grants (9%)
  • Sex Workers

    $108,459 (0%)
    6 Grants (1%)

Population totals include foundation funding that could be identified as meant to benefit a specific group. Grants may serve multiple populations and would therefore be counted in more than one category.

Sample Grants

  • TASO Foundation
    Molaogli Development Group (Georgia's self-help group of ethnic Azerbaijani women and youth mobilized)
    For social activism in the Muslim community to establish a community resource center and advocate for women's rights in collaboration with regional legal clinics.
  • Urgent Action Fund - Africa
    A Common Future - Cameroon (Cameroon)
    To pursue litigation against five agents in Bamenda for trafficking girls to Kuwait for forced labor and sexual exploitation.

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