Issue

Economic and Labor Rights, 2015

Supporting the right to desirable work, which includes the right to free choice of employment, safe conditions and just remuneration, protection against unemployment, access to rest and reasonable working hours, and equal pay for equal work. This category incorporates rights to free association (that is, to form labor unions), collective bargaining, and social security, and protection against forced labor, exploitative labor, child labor, and labor discrimination. It includes grants to address economic inequality.

6%
Share of foundation
human rights funding

$140.4 Million out of
$2.4 Billion for all rights
1,267 Grants

Top Foundation Funders

  1. Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors $14.8 M
  2. National Endowment for Democracy $14.7 M
  3. Nationale Postcode Loterij $11.1 M
  4. Comic Relief $10.7 M
  5. Ford Foundation $9.6 M
  6. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation $4.4 M
  7. Tides Foundation $4.4 M
  8. W. K. Kellogg Foundation $4.3 M
  9. Big Lottery Fund $4.0 M
  10. NoVo Foundation $3.3 M
  11. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation $3.2 M
  12. King Baudouin Foundation United States $3.0 M
  13. Unitarian Universalist Veatch Program at Shelter Rock $2.8 M
  14. The Nathan Cummings Foundation $2.8 M
  15. The Tudor Trust $2.5 M
  16. Human Dignity Foundation $2.4 M
  17. American Jewish World Service - Donor Advised Funds $2.1 M
  18. Public Welfare Foundation $1.9 M
  19. Foundation for a Just Society $1.9 M
  20. Foundation to Promote Open Society $1.7 M
  21. The Rockefeller Foundation $1.7 M
  22. Fund for Women's Equality $1.4 M
  23. American Jewish World Service $1.4 M
  24. Humanity United $1.4 M
  25. Meyer Memorial Trust $1.3 M
  26. M = Millions

Bilateral and Multilateral Funding

2%
Share of OECD
human rights funding

$57.3 Million out of
$3.7 Billion for all rights
315 Disbursements

Top Funders

  1. United States $18.8 M
  2. European Union Institutions $8.3 M
  3. Norway $8.1 M
  4. Switzerland $7.2 M
  5. Belgium $4.7 M
  6. International Labour Organisation $2.7 M
  7. Finland $2.3 M
  8. Germany $2.2 M
  9. Denmark $1.1 M
  10. Spain $825.3 K
  11. Canada $466.3 K
  12. Sweden $166.5 K
  13. Netherlands $152.1 K
  14. Italy $151.7 K
  15. United Kingdom $80.4 K
  16. Austria $39.2 K
  17. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) $9.8 K
  18. M = Millions

Key Findings:
2015 Funding

Key Findings

Foundation Funding by Region

Asia & Pacific

$13,215,172 (9%)
161 Grants (13%)

Caribbean

$949,958 (1%)
13 Grants (1%)

Eastern Europe, Central Asia, & Russia

$1,179,241 (1%)
31 Grants (2%)

Global Programs

$9,857,247 (7%)
40 Grants (3%)

Latin America & Mexico

$4,752,165 (3%)
118 Grants (9%)

Middle East & North Africa

$4,120,135 (3%)
39 Grants (3%)

North America

$48,916,206 (35%)
583 Grants (46%)

Sub-Saharan Africa

$16,734,341 (12%)
164 Grants (13%)

Western Europe

$41,124,362 (29%)
122 Grants (10%)

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

  • Fondo Accion Solidaria
    Jóvenes Artesanos de Iturbide (Mexico)
    To address the trend of youth leaving the community to find work by creating economic opportunities through trainings on craft-making and recycling.
  • Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
    Focus: HOPE (United States)
    To combat social and economic inequalities across Michigan through workforce training, education opportunities, social supports, childcare, and food distribution services.