8%
Share of foundation
human rights funding
$141.5 Million out of
$1.7 Billion for all rights
1,982 Grants
Top Foundation Funders
- National Endowment for Democracy $26.3 M
- Open Society Foundations $21.1 M
- Ford Foundation $18.4 M
- Google.org $11.1 M
- Hivos $6.5 M
- Anonymous $4.6 M
- Bloomberg Philanthropies $3.8 M
- The Oak Foundation $3.3 M
- American Jewish World Service $3.1 M
- American Jewish World Service - Donor Advised Funds $2.8 M
- Mensen met een Missie $2.2 M
- The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation $2.1 M
- Cordaid $2.0 M
- The Sigrid Rausing Trust $1.7 M
- Humanity United $1.7 M
- The Rockefeller Foundation $1.6 M
- Fund For Global Human Rights $1.5 M
- Human Dignity Foundation $1.5 M
- Levi Strauss Foundation $1.5 M
- Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program $1.5 M
- The Global Fund for Women $1.3 M
- Global Fund for Children $1.2 M
- The Charitable Foundation $1.2 M
- Partnership for Transparency Fund $1.1 M
- Tides Foundation $1.1 M
- M = Millions
Bilateral and Multilateral Funding
18%
Share of OECD
human rights funding
$649.3 Million out of
$3.5 Billion for all rights
2,705 Disbursements
Top Funders
- United States $95.8 M
- Canada $78.3 M
- European Union Institutions $70.3 M
- Norway $54.7 M
- Sweden $44.9 M
- Australia $39.7 M
- Denmark $38.7 M
- Asian Development Bank Special Funds $38.7 M
- United Kingdom $37.3 M
- Germany $26.4 M
- Spain $21.4 M
- Switzerland $20.3 M
- Ireland $13.4 M
- United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) $12.5 M
- Japan $10.0 M
- Netherlands $9.6 M
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) $6.5 M
- Finland $6.1 M
- United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) $5.5 M
- Belgium $4.4 M
- New Zealand $4.4 M
- International Development Association $3.1 M
- Italy $2.5 M
- United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (UNPBF) $2.0 M
- Korea $1.1 M
- M = Millions
Foundation Funding by Issue
Human Rights, General
$26,715,487 (19%)
455 Grants (23%)Equality Rights and Freedom from Discrimination
$26,594,740 (19%)
392 Grants (20%)Economic and Labor Rights
$19,460,389 (14%)
177 Grants (9%)Freedom from Violence
$19,304,597 (14%)
164 Grants (8%)Environmental and Resource Rights
$12,094,139 (9%)
259 Grants (13%)Expression and Information Rights
$10,701,457 (8%)
118 Grants (6%)Health and Well-being Rights
$6,443,035 (5%)
85 Grants (4%)Access to Justice/Equality Before the Law
$6,146,812 (4%)
76 Grants (4%)Sexual and Reproductive Rights
$4,581,718 (3%)
31 Grants (2%)Transitional Justice and Peacebuilding
$1,202,547 (1%)
16 Grants (1%)Civic and Political Participation
$932,311 (1%)
12 Grants (1%)Migration and Displacement
$517,570 (0%)
17 Grants (1%)
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
Economically Disadvantaged
$46,747,683 (33%)
429 Grants (22%)Women & Girls
$39,558,319 (28%)
643 Grants (32%)Crime or Abuse Victims
$29,475,761 (21%)
216 Grants (11%)Children & Youth
$26,519,896 (19%)
417 Grants (21%)Ethnic or Racial Minorities
$19,280,762 (14%)
273 Grants (14%)LGBTQI
$6,231,626 (4%)
82 Grants (4%)People with AIDS
$6,207,815 (4%)
69 Grants (3%)Indigenous Peoples
$6,096,278 (4%)
111 Grants (6%)Migrants & Refugees
$4,357,969 (3%)
99 Grants (5%)People with Disabilities
$3,468,080 (2%)
137 Grants (7%)Sex Workers
$1,832,637 (1%)
25 Grants (1%)Offenders & Ex-Offenders
$1,529,438 (1%)
27 Grants (1%)Human Rights Defenders
$1,297,362 (1%)
45 Grants (2%)Substance Abusers
$1,254,771 (1%)
27 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
-
McKnight Foundation
Social Action for Change (Cambodia)
For grassroots women's empowerment and awareness-raising about rural issues. -
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Centre for Environmental Law and Community Rights (Papua New Guinea)
For legal support to coastal communities and non-governmental organizations.
Related Resources
- Documenting Human Rights Violations: Increasing Recognition of Civil and Political Rights in Burma
- Investing in a New Era of Global Human Rights Leadership
- Strengthening Women’s Voices and Supporting Women’s Movements
- Taking Advantage of Seasoned Activists to Expand and Strengthen Human Rights Movements
- The Value of Flexible Funding in International Human Rights Grantmaking
180 Grants (9%)