Top menu

Skip to primary content
Skip to secondary content
  • FAQ
  • Blog
  • Reports
  • Map

Advancing Human Rights

The State of Global Foundation Grantmaking

Main menu

Skip to primary content
Skip to secondary content
  • 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, 2018

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.

Select Year
  • Trends, 2011 - 2015
  • 2018
  • 2017
  • 2016
  • 2015
  • 2014
  • 2013
  • 2012
  • 2011
Explore:
Select a Section
  • Top Foundation Funders
  • Regional Focus
  • Issue Focus
  • Population Focus

2%
Share of foundation
human rights funding

$85.7 Million out of
$3.7 Billion for all rights
734 Grants

Top Foundation Funders

  1. Ford Foundation $10.4 M
  2. Oak Foundation $8.2 M
  3. NoVo Foundation $7.7 M
  4. Foundation to Promote Open Society $5.4 M
  5. William and Flora Hewlett Foundation $4.7 M
  6. Robertson Foundation $3.5 M
  7. JPB Foundation $3.5 M
  8. Sigrid Rausing Trust $2.6 M
  9. Carnegie Corporation of New York $2.0 M
  10. Fund for Global Human Rights $2.0 M
  11. San Francisco Foundation $1.9 M
  12. Freedom Fund (UK) $1.7 M
  13. W.K. Kellogg Foundation $1.5 M
  14. Trust for London $1.4 M
  15. UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women $1.4 M
  16. Schmidt Family Foundation $1.3 M
  17. Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund $1.3 M
  18. Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation $1.3 M
  19. New Israel Fund $1.1 M
  20. Wellspring Philanthropic Fund $1.1 M
  21. St Luke's Foundation $1.0 M
  22. Democracy Fund $990.0 K
  23. Tides Foundation $922.5 K
  24. Global Greengrants Fund $917.6 K
  25. Astraea Foundation $898.9 K
  26. M = Millions

Key Findings:      2018 Funding

Key Findings

Foundation Funding by Region

Asia & Pacific

$4,055,638 (5%)
69 Grants (9%)

Caribbean

$702,505 (1%)
6 Grants (1%)

Eastern Europe, Central Asia, & Russia

$1,407,785 (2%)
26 Grants (4%)

Global Programs

$7,648,009 (9%)
36 Grants (5%)

Latin America & Mexico

$10,453,938 (12%)
143 Grants (19%)

Middle East & North Africa

$2,593,431 (3%)
37 Grants (5%)

North America

$44,813,834 (52%)
296 Grants (40%)

Sub-Saharan Africa

$9,297,050 (11%)
83 Grants (11%)

Western Europe

$4,980,479 (6%)
45 Grants (6%)

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

    $19,720,195 (23%)
    151 Grants (21%)
  • Environmental and Resource Rights

    $12,025,527 (14%)
    150 Grants (20%)
  • Equality Rights and Freedom from Discrimination

    $10,927,961 (13%)
    75 Grants (10%)
  • Freedom from Violence

    $10,687,362 (12%)
    82 Grants (11%)
  • Migration and Displacement

    $10,189,430 (12%)
    85 Grants (12%)
  • Health and Well-being Rights

    $5,425,032 (6%)
    32 Grants (4%)
  • Human Rights, General

    $4,101,402 (5%)
    48 Grants (7%)
  • Sexual and Reproductive Rights

    $3,831,320 (4%)
    22 Grants (3%)
  • Transitional Justice and Peacebuilding

    $3,012,886 (4%)
    40 Grants (5%)
  • Expression and Information Rights

    $1,830,938 (2%)
    13 Grants (2%)
  • Education, Religion, and Culture

    $1,563,845 (2%)
    13 Grants (2%)
  • Civic and Political Participation

    $1,317,204 (2%)
    7 Grants (1%)
  • Economic and Labor Rights

    $1,026,037 (1%)
    16 Grants (2%)

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

    $16,784,118 (20%)
    136 Grants (19%)
  • Women & Girls

    $13,640,341 (16%)
    134 Grants (18%)
  • Children & Youth

    $5,364,893 (6%)
    76 Grants (10%)
  • Indigenous Peoples

    $5,237,041 (6%)
    89 Grants (12%)
  • LGBTQI

    $3,935,683 (5%)
    70 Grants (10%)
  • Human Rights Defenders

    $1,180,953 (1%)
    72 Grants (10%)
  • People with Disabilities

    $662,706 (1%)
    4 Grants (1%)
  • Sex Workers

    $85,798 (0%)
    8 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.

© 2022 Candid. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy