Issue

Civic and Political Participation, 2015

Supporting the right to peaceful assembly and association, voting rights, and full participation in the political process. This category includes grants to promote democracy, citizen political involvement, protection from closing civic space, free and fair elections, gaining access to public officials, and obtaining necessary information to make informed decisions at the polls and in daily public affairs.

7%
Share of foundation
human rights funding

$177.6 Million out of
$2.4 Billion for all rights
1,747 Grants

Top Foundation Funders

  1. National Endowment for Democracy $36.5 M
  2. Foundation to Promote Open Society $19.3 M
  3. Ford Foundation $13.8 M
  4. Nationale Postcode Loterij $11.1 M
  5. NEO Philanthropy $7.2 M
  6. W. K. Kellogg Foundation $6.8 M
  7. American Jewish World Service - Donor Advised Funds $6.7 M
  8. The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation $5.3 M
  9. Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program $5.2 M
  10. Carnegie Corporation of New York $4.7 M
  11. Comic Relief $4.4 M
  12. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation $4.3 M
  13. Tides Foundation $3.8 M
  14. Wallace H. Coulter Foundation $3.3 M
  15. The James Irvine Foundation $3.3 M
  16. Silicon Valley Community Foundation $3.0 M
  17. Oak Foundation $2.9 M
  18. New Israel Foundation $2.5 M
  19. EEA and Norway Grants $2.2 M
  20. Unbound Philanthropy $2.1 M
  21. Humanity United $1.7 M
  22. Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund $1.7 M
  23. The Comcast Foundation $1.5 M
  24. California Community Foundation $1.5 M
  25. Unitarian Universalist Veatch Program at Shelter Rock $1.5 M
  26. M = Millions

Bilateral and Multilateral Funding

12%
Share of OECD
human rights funding

$427.7 Million out of
$3.7 Billion for all rights
1,885 Disbursements

Top Funders

  1. United States $101.8 M
  2. Sweden $63.6 M
  3. United Kingdom $45.9 M
  4. European Union Institutions $41.5 M
  5. Denmark $41.0 M
  6. Germany $33.9 M
  7. Norway $32.8 M
  8. Finland $17.4 M
  9. Australia $8.4 M
  10. Canada $7.9 M
  11. Ireland $7.2 M
  12. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) $5.5 M
  13. Spain $4.2 M
  14. United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) $3.8 M
  15. Belgium $2.9 M
  16. International Labour Organisation $2.3 M
  17. Switzerland $2.2 M
  18. Netherlands $1.7 M
  19. United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (UNPBF) $1.2 M
  20. France $818.6 K
  21. Italy $416.4 K
  22. Estonia $398.2 K
  23. Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) $267.5 K
  24. Slovak Republic $193.0 K
  25. Poland $133.1 K
  26. M = Millions

Key Findings:      2015 Funding

Key Findings

Foundation Funding by Region

Asia & Pacific

$13,049,049 (7%)
172 Grants (10%)

Caribbean

$1,483,455 (1%)
27 Grants (2%)

Eastern Europe, Central Asia, & Russia

$8,881,301 (5%)
221 Grants (13%)

Global Programs

$23,921,672 (13%)
61 Grants (3%)

Latin America & Mexico

$9,036,991 (5%)
108 Grants (6%)

Middle East & North Africa

$11,892,375 (7%)
108 Grants (6%)

North America

$82,494,762 (46%)
755 Grants (43%)

Sub-Saharan Africa

$19,691,118 (11%)
236 Grants (14%)

Western Europe

$9,368,666 (5%)
69 Grants (4%)

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 Population

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.

Foundation Funding by Strategy

Strategy totals include foundation funding that could be identified as supporting a specific strategy. Grants may employ multiple strategies and would therefore be counted in more than one category.

Sample Grants

  • Ford Foundation
    Black Civic Engagement Fund (United States)
    To build the capacity of state and local anchor organizations to promote, facilitate, and advance long-term civic engagement.
  • Oak Foundation
    Creating Resources for Empowerment and Action (CREA) (India)
    To provide leadership development for women elected as political representatives in Panchayati Raj Institutions of parliament.