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Advancing Human Rights

The State of Global Foundation Grantmaking

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  • Years
    • 2011 - 2015
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
    • 2012
    • 2011
  • Regions
    • Asia & Pacific
    • Caribbean
    • Eastern Europe, Central Asia, & Russia
    • Global Programs
    • Latin America & Mexico
    • Middle East & North Africa
    • North America
    • Sub-Saharan Africa
    • Western Europe
  • Issues
    • Access to Justice/Equality Before the Law
    • Civic and Political Participation
    • Economic and Labor Rights
    • Education, Religion, and Culture
    • Environmental and Resource Rights
    • Equality Rights and Freedom from Discrimination
    • Expression and Information Rights
    • Freedom from Violence
    • Health and Well-being Rights
    • Human Rights, General
    • Migration and Displacement
    • Sexual and Reproductive Rights
    • Transitional Justice and Peacebuilding
  • Populations
    • Children & Youth
    • Human Rights Defenders
    • Indigenous Peoples
    • LGBTQI
    • Migrants & Refugees
    • People with Disabilities
    • Sex Workers
    • Women & Girls
  • Strategies
    • Advocacy, Systems Reform and Implementation
    • Arts and Culture
    • Capacity-building and Technical Assistance
    • Coalition-building and Collaboration
    • Grassroots Organizing
    • Litigation and Legal Aid
    • Media and Technology
    • Research and Documentation
    • Scholarships and Travel
    • Security and Resilience
  • Bi/Multilateral
Strategy

Litigation and Legal Aid, 2013

Taking legal action to establish progressive jurisprudence to advance human rights, instigate reform of national laws which do not comply with international human rights standards, and enable individuals and communities to seek remedies for human rights violations. Ensuring all people have equitable access to legal assistance and representation.

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  • Trends, 2011 - 2015
  • 2018
  • 2017
  • 2016
  • 2015
  • 2014
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  • 2012
  • 2011
Explore:
Select a Section
  • Top Foundation Funders
  • Regional Focus
  • Issue Focus
  • Population Focus
  • Sample Grants

2%
Share of foundation
human rights funding

$56.4 Million out of
$2.3 Billion for all rights
455 Grants

Top Foundation Funders

  1. Open Society Foundations $10.1 M
  2. Ford Foundation $6.8 M
  3. The Sigrid Rausing Trust $5.8 M
  4. The Oak Foundation $5.6 M
  5. Comic Relief UK $5.3 M
  6. The Atlantic Philanthropies $5.3 M
  7. Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation $3.9 M
  8. National Endowment for Democracy $2.4 M
  9. American Jewish World Service $1.4 M
  10. Public Welfare Foundation $1.4 M
  11. Fund For Global Human Rights $1.4 M
  12. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation $900.0 K
  13. EEA and Norway Grants $769.1 K
  14. Searle Freedom Trust $735.0 K
  15. CS Fund $680.0 K
  16. Avina Americas $596.0 K
  17. Trust for London $588.5 K
  18. Robert Sterling Clark Foundation $545.0 K
  19. Unbound Philanthropy $516.2 K
  20. Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund $375.0 K
  21. Eurasia Partnership Foundation $299.5 K
  22. Mama Cash $280.2 K
  23. NoVo Foundation $200.0 K
  24. Eli & Edythe Broad Foundation $200.0 K
  25. UN Women's Fund for Gender Equality $200.0 K
  26. M = Millions

Key Findings:
2013 Funding

Key Findings

Foundation Funding by Region

Asia & Pacific

$3,294,554 (6%)
53 Grants (12%)

Caribbean

$1,084,743 (2%)
3 Grants (1%)

Eastern Europe, Central Asia, & Russia

$6,270,350 (11%)
81 Grants (18%)

Global Programs

$2,887,116 (5%)
15 Grants (3%)

Latin America & Mexico

$6,932,034 (12%)
73 Grants (16%)

Middle East & North Africa

$2,112,706 (4%)
24 Grants (5%)

North America

$20,501,594 (36%)
105 Grants (23%)

Sub-Saharan Africa

$10,214,977 (18%)
69 Grants (15%)

Western Europe

$5,527,741 (10%)
45 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 Issue

  • Access to Justice/Equality Before the Law

    $13,969,663 (25%)
    120 Grants (26%)
  • Health and Well-being Rights

    $10,742,718 (19%)
    27 Grants (6%)
  • Economic and Labor Rights

    $5,386,845 (10%)
    23 Grants (5%)
  • Freedom from Violence

    $4,681,878 (8%)
    60 Grants (13%)
  • Equality Rights and Freedom from Discrimination

    $4,680,201 (8%)
    40 Grants (9%)
  • Migration and Displacement

    $3,712,661 (7%)
    28 Grants (6%)
  • Human Rights, General

    $3,482,530 (6%)
    23 Grants (5%)
  • Expression and Information Rights

    $2,640,140 (5%)
    28 Grants (6%)
  • Civic and Political Participation

    $2,635,123 (5%)
    24 Grants (5%)
  • Environmental and Resource Rights

    $1,554,207 (3%)
    45 Grants (10%)
  • Sexual and Reproductive Rights

    $1,151,853 (2%)
    11 Grants (2%)
  • Transitional Justice and Peacebuilding

    $1,149,758 (2%)
    11 Grants (2%)
  • Education, Religion, and Culture

    $627,581 (1%)
    15 Grants (3%)

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

  • Migrants & Refugees

    $7,701,515 (14%)
    67 Grants (15%)
  • Women & Girls

    $7,604,566 (13%)
    104 Grants (23%)
  • Children & Youth

    $4,608,107 (8%)
    56 Grants (12%)
  • People with Disabilities

    $2,533,341 (4%)
    24 Grants (5%)
  • LGBTQI

    $1,852,349 (3%)
    27 Grants (6%)
  • Indigenous Peoples

    $1,466,576 (3%)
    37 Grants (8%)
  • Human Rights Defenders

    $1,304,176 (2%)
    19 Grants (4%)
  • Sex Workers

    $367,637 (1%)
    6 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

  • The Atlantic Philanthropies
    Reprieve (United Kingdom)
    To reduce excessive and abusive U.S. counter-terrorism practices through litigation and other legal advocacy strategies.
  • The Fund for Global Human Rights
    Unissons-Nous pour la Promotion des Batwa (Burundi)
    To provide legal representation to Batwa victims of discrimination in strategic legal cases in national and regional courts.

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