Issue

Expression and Information Rights, 2015

Supporting freedom from arbitrary interference with privacy, family, home or correspondence and freedom of opinion and expression, including to seek, receive and impart information and ideas across a range of media. This category incorporates grants to protect free speech, and to increase transparency, digital security, and press freedom.

4%
Share of foundation
human rights funding

$103.2 Million out of
$2.4 Billion for all rights
1,063 Grants

Top Foundation Funders

  1. John S. and James L. Knight Foundation $30.0 M
  2. National Endowment for Democracy $19.8 M
  3. Wikimedia Foundation $6.2 M
  4. Howard G. Buffett Foundation $5.0 M
  5. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation $4.6 M
  6. Ford Foundation $4.0 M
  7. The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation $3.0 M
  8. The Sigrid Rausing Trust $2.5 M
  9. The Charles Léopold Mayer Foundation for Human Progress $2.5 M
  10. Tides Foundation $2.3 M
  11. Big Lottery Fund $1.6 M
  12. Foundation to Promote Open Society $1.4 M
  13. The Open Technology Fund $1.4 M
  14. American Jewish World Service $979.2 K
  15. Hivos $953.8 K
  16. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation $746.8 K
  17. Fund For Global Human Rights $732.6 K
  18. Carnegie Corporation of New York $700.0 K
  19. Media Democracy Fund $699.8 K
  20. Alfred P. Sloan Foundation $690.6 K
  21. American Jewish World Service - Donor Advised Funds $625.0 K
  22. Nationale Postcode Loterij $555.0 K
  23. Mensen met een Missie $533.5 K
  24. Oak Foundation $519.8 K
  25. Rockefeller Brothers Fund $495.0 K
  26. M = Millions

Bilateral and Multilateral Funding

1%
Share of OECD
human rights funding

$34.4 Million out of
$3.7 Billion for all rights
170 Disbursements

Top Funders

  1. Sweden $11.6 M
  2. United States $8.8 M
  3. Norway $4.0 M
  4. European Union Institutions $2.7 M
  5. Finland $2.6 M
  6. United Kingdom $1.6 M
  7. Canada $1.5 M
  8. Netherlands $821.6 K
  9. Spain $453.1 K
  10. Germany $100.1 K
  11. Switzerland $78.8 K
  12. Estonia $55.5 K
  13. Denmark $30.9 K
  14. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) $22.6 K
  15. M = Millions

Key Findings:
2015 Funding

Key Findings

Foundation Funding by Region

Asia & Pacific

$7,663,643 (7%)
151 Grants (14%)

Caribbean

$2,403,238 (2%)
18 Grants (2%)

Eastern Europe, Central Asia, & Russia

$7,244,398 (7%)
183 Grants (17%)

Global Programs

$18,788,446 (18%)
91 Grants (9%)

Latin America & Mexico

$5,098,335 (5%)
116 Grants (11%)

Middle East & North Africa

$3,350,949 (3%)
92 Grants (9%)

North America

$44,394,480 (43%)
209 Grants (20%)

Sub-Saharan Africa

$5,324,788 (5%)
114 Grants (11%)

Western Europe

$9,503,633 (9%)
100 Grants (9%)

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

  • The Howard G. Buffett Foundation
    International Womens Media Foundation (United States)
    For their work to support women journalists in Latin America.
  • The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
    Columbia University (United States)
    To establish an institute to champion free expression in the digital age through litigation, education and scholarship.