Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
2014 Budget: $3.9 billion (total)
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is currently the largest private foundation in the world with total grant payments of $32.9 billion since its inception, supporting interventions in more than a hundred countries worldwide.
Launched in 2000 by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda, the foundation initially prioritized research and innovation in health and education and later expanded its focus to cover even wider global development concerns,
including policy and advocacy. In 2013, the foundation spent $1.8 billion on global development projects in the areas of agricultural development, vaccine delivery and polio eradication.
In their latest annual letter, Bill and Melinda, on behalf of the foundation, stated their interest in creating breakthroughs in disease eradication, farming, mobile banking and online education over the next 15 years.
Open Society Foundations
2013 Budget: $873 million (total)
The Open Society Foundations was founded in 1979 by investor and philanthropist George Soros to support the transition of post-communist societies in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Thirty years since its launch, Open Society
has spent more than $11 billion to fund a range of initiatives to advance human rights and justice, governance, education, health, and media and information worldwide.
The foundation remains at the forefront of campaigns that develop international tribunals to hold accountable those responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide;
demand transparency and accountability for revenues derived from exploitation of natural resources; and implement national freedom and information laws.
Ford Foundation
2013 Budget: $569.85 million (total)
The Ford Foundation started in 1936 when Edsel Ford, son of Ford Motor Co. founder Henry Ford, provided $25,000 for "scientific, educational and for charitable purposes." Today, it has net assets of $11.9 billion and has distributed $16.3 billion in grants.
The foundation annually approves around 1,400 grants in Latin America, the United States, Asia and Africa.
These grants are in line with the foundation's three focus areas: democracy, rights and justice; education, creativity and free expression; and economic opportunity and assets.
In 2013, the foundation provided $123 million to human rights initiatives, including advancing racial justice and minority rights, reforming civil and criminal justice system, and protecting rights of women and other marginalized groups.
Aga Khan Foundation
Average annual budget: $325 million (total)
The Aga Khan Foundation’s main areas of focus are rural development, health, education, civil society and the environment. It works in resource-poor and remote areas in 16 countries around the world, with a particular focus on Asia and Africa, and a staff size of about 3,800.
The foundation is part of the Aga Khan Development Network, a group of 11 private, non-denominational , international agencies that each focus on different areas of development. The network has an average annual budget of $600 million for nonprofit development activities.
Clinton Foundation
2013 Budget: $294.7 million (total)
The Clinton Foundation has been working in the areas of poverty alleviation, global health, economic development, and climate change and the environment since it was established by former U.S. President Bill Clinton in 2011.
To meet its objectives, the foundation has set up different initiatives, each focusing on a specific development challenge. Among these, the Clinton Health Access Initiative had the highest development budget for activities
in developing countries in 2013, exceeding $80 million. CHAI focuses on health systems strengthening and expanded care and treatment for HIV, AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
2013 Budget: $288 million (total)
Founded in 1964, the California-based foundation finances development projects dedicated to the youth, scientific development, health and restoration, and preservation of natural resources. Its global initiatives include environmental conservation and research,
expanding access to reproductive health services and organizational support. Locally, the foundation supports interventions supporting children, families and communities.
As of December 2013, the foundation’s total investment portfolio reached $6.5 billion and awarded grants exceeding $288 million.
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
2013 Budget: $275 million (total)
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation was established in 2000. Headquartered in California, the foundation mainly focuses on environmental conservation, patient care and the development of new technologies through scientific research. Locally, it also provides support to scientific museums and conservation efforts in the San Francisco Bay Area.
In 2013, its grant budget reached $275 million, of which $119 million was allocated to the environment sector. Meanwhile, areas of health and scientific research each received investments of $49 million and $87 million, respectively.
Master Card Foundation
2013 Budget: $171.6 million (total)
Established in 2006 through the shares gifted by MasterCard Worldwide, the MasterCard Foundation has net assets exceeding $9 billion. In 2013, it disbursed $172 million to partner organizations in 57 countries.
The foundation’s work focuses on promoting financial inclusion and advancing youth education as a means of driving economic growth in developing countries. Its financial inclusion program aims to expand access to microfinance and other financial services,
while its youth learning programs focuses on scaling access to education, developing the skills of out-of-school youth and connecting youths to jobs.
Recently, the foundation launched a $50 million challenge fund, which will be used to extend financial services to people living in poverty in sub-Saharan Africa. Based in Toronto, Canada, the foundation operates independently of MasterCard Worldwide.
The Rockefeller Foundation
2013 Budget: $156 million (total)
The Rockefeller Foundation has been operating for more than a hundred years and has offices in the United States, Italy, Thailand and Kenya. Its development interventions in Asia and Africa focus mainly on responsible environmental management, generating employment opportunities, providing support for resilience in urbanizing communities and health and nutrition. In 2013, the foundation reported $156 million in grants and direct charitable activities.
Carnegie Corporation of New York
2013 Budget: $123.3 million (total)
Established in 1911 by Andrew Carnegie, the Carnegie Corporation of New York aims “to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding” through its grant-making. Internationally, the corporation focuses on reducing direct threats to peace and security, and investing in global development in sub-Saharan Africa and Eurasia. International peace and security, higher education and research in Africa, and peace building in Africa comprise the foundation’s international programming.