International giving · Europe
Which US foundations give to Bulgaria?
US foundations sent $11M to organizations in Bulgaria across 130 grants, from 45 different funders. Read from IRS 990 filings.
The short version
- 45 US foundations have made grants to Bulgaria, totaling $11M across 130 grants on record.
- FOUNDATION TO PROMOTE OPEN SOCIETY (NY) is the largest US funder of Bulgaria organizations, with $4M.
- That is about $1.77 per resident across all years on file, for a country the World Bank classes as high income.
- LIGHT AND SALT INTERNATIONAL is the most Bulgaria-focused funder, directing 75% of its overseas giving here.
- US giving to Bulgaria has fallen over the filing years on record.
The biggest funders, year by year
Each top funder of Bulgaria with its total, and how that giving falls across the filing years — darker means more.
| '17 | '18 | '19 | '20 | '21 | '22 | '23 | '24 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FOUNDATION TO PROMOTE OPEN SOCIETY$4M | ||||||||
| CHARLES STEWART MOTT FOUNDATION$2M | ||||||||
| FRIENDS OF THE ROYAL TEXTILE ACADEMY OF$1M | ||||||||
| The Coca-Cola Foundation Inc$710k | ||||||||
| THE JM KAPLAN FUND INC$500k | ||||||||
| LIGHT AND SALT INTERNATIONAL$438k | ||||||||
| ENVIRONMENT & CORAL REEF$400k | ||||||||
| THE J PAUL GETTY TRUST$313k | ||||||||
| WELLSPRING PHILANTHROPIC FUND INC$305k | ||||||||
| RANCH SPUR CHARITABLE TRUST$295k | ||||||||
| THE CHRISTOPH ESCHENBACH FOUNDATION FOR$288k | ||||||||
| JOHN D AND CATHERINE T MACARTHUR$200k |
* 2025 onward is still arriving — 990s lag 12–24 months, so the most recent years under-report.
Top US funders of Bulgaria
Bulgaria's dedicated funders
Foundations that send most of their overseas money to Bulgaria — the specialists, not just the biggest checks.
What the money funds
By the kind of organization receiving the money — universities, hospitals, research institutes, and so on.
1 recipient
3 recipients
2 recipients
3 recipients
1 recipient
3 recipients
1 recipient
1 recipient
Largest recipients in Bulgaria
Spelling, accent, abbreviation, and language variants of the same organization are merged into one recipient. Organizations abroad have no US EIN, so this resolution is best-effort.
1 US funder · 2 grants
2 US funders · 6 grants
1 US funder · 1 grant
1 US funder · 6 grants
1 US funder · 4 grants
1 US funder · 5 grants
Who funds whom
The largest funder-to-recipient ties — which US foundation backs which organization in Bulgaria.
Where the funders are
The US states home to the foundations giving to Bulgaria, shaded by dollars granted. Click a state.
Notable grants
The largest individual grants to Bulgaria on record.
Questions and answers
- Which US foundation gives the most to Bulgaria?
- FOUNDATION TO PROMOTE OPEN SOCIETY is the largest US funder of Bulgaria organizations on record, with $4M across 13 grants.
- How much do US foundations give to Bulgaria?
- 45 US foundations have granted a combined $11M to organizations in Bulgaria across 130 grants in the IRS filings on record, about $1.77 per resident.
- What do US foundations fund in Bulgaria?
- The largest areas are human rights & democracy, arts & culture, research & science, by the kind of organization receiving the money.