Region

Global Programs, 2017

13%
Share of foundation
human rights funding

$416.3 Million out of
$3.2 Billion for all rights
1,447 Grants

Top Foundation Funders

  1. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation $78.3 M
  2. Ford Foundation $58.3 M
  3. The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation $33.3 M
  4. Open Society Institute $30.5 M
  5. John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation $30.3 M
  6. Wellspring Philanthropic Fund $27.5 M
  7. Oak Foundation $22.2 M
  8. Fund for Policy Reform $16.8 M
  9. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation $16.5 M
  10. NoVo Foundation $11.8 M
  11. Humanity United $10.5 M
  12. Silicon Valley Community Foundation $9.8 M
  13. The Libra Foundation $9.3 M
  14. Omidyar Network Fund $8.6 M
  15. The Sigrid Rausing Trust $6.4 M
  16. Foundation For The Carolinas $6.3 M
  17. Tides Foundation $5.3 M
  18. Freedom House $4.8 M
  19. The David and Lucile Packard Foundation $4.8 M
  20. Foundation to Promote Open Society $4.6 M
  21. Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation $4.4 M
  22. Fondo Centroamericano de Mujeres $3.3 M
  23. The Kendeda Fund $3.3 M
  24. The Skoll Foundation $3.3 M
  25. The Libra Foundation $3.1 M
  26. M = Millions

Bilateral and Multilateral Funding

20%
Share of OECD
human rights funding

$751.5 Million out of
$3.9 Billion for all rights
1,343 Disbursements

Top Funders

  1. Sweden $136.8 M
  2. United States $103.6 M
  3. Switzerland $91.6 M
  4. United Kingdom $79.4 M
  5. Norway $62.0 M
  6. Germany $61.1 M
  7. European Union Institutions $51.3 M
  8. Netherlands $29.7 M
  9. Denmark $20.9 M
  10. Finland $20.7 M
  11. Australia $16.6 M
  12. International Labour Organisation $12.5 M
  13. Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) $12.3 M
  14. Spain $12.3 M
  15. France $6.6 M
  16. Belgium $6.4 M
  17. Italy $5.2 M
  18. Ireland $5.0 M
  19. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) $3.4 M
  20. United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) $2.6 M
  21. Korea $2.3 M
  22. World Health Organization (WHO) $2.1 M
  23. Iceland $1.4 M
  24. Austria $1.2 M
  25. Canada $1.1 M
  26. M = Millions

Key Findings:
2017 Funding

Key Findings

Foundation Funding by Issue

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

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.

Bilateral and multilateral funding includes disbursements not directed toward a specific country or region (designated in the OECD data set as “Bilateral, unspecified”). This includes disbursements providing a global benefit or used to cover the donor’s administrative costs.