International giving · Americas
Which US foundations give to Costa Rica?
US foundations sent $47M to organizations in Costa Rica across 491 grants, from 113 different funders. Read from IRS 990 filings.
The short version
- 113 US foundations have made grants to Costa Rica, totaling $47M across 491 grants on record.
- THE FORD FOUNDATION (NY) is the largest US funder of Costa Rica organizations, with $6M.
- That is about $9.14 per resident across all years on file, for a country the World Bank classes as high income.
- TURTLE BEACH WILDLIFE RESERVE is the most Costa Rica-focused funder, directing 100% of its overseas giving here.
- US giving to Costa Rica has fallen over the filing years on record.
The biggest funders, year by year
Each top funder of Costa Rica with its total, and how that giving falls across the filing years — darker means more.
| '17 | '18 | '19 | '20 | '21 | '22 | '23 | '24 | '25* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE FORD FOUNDATION$6M | |||||||||
| GORDON E AND BETTY I MOORE FOUNDATION$5M | |||||||||
| WK Kellogg Foundation$5M | |||||||||
| The Coca-Cola Foundation Inc$5M | |||||||||
| FOUNDATION TO PROMOTE OPEN SOCIETY$3M | |||||||||
| WELLSPRING PHILANTHROPIC FUND INC$3M | |||||||||
| TURTLE BEACH WILDLIFE RESERVE$2M | |||||||||
| THE DEMAIN FAMILY FOUNDATION INC$2M | |||||||||
| ROCKEFELLER BROTHERS FUND INC$1M | |||||||||
| MARGARET A CARGILL FOUNDATION$1M | |||||||||
| OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE$940k | |||||||||
| THE BIPIS FOUNDATION$922k |
* 2025 onward is still arriving — 990s lag 12–24 months, so the most recent years under-report.
Top US funders of Costa Rica
Costa Rica's dedicated funders
Foundations that send most of their overseas money to Costa Rica — 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.
5 recipients
7 recipients
3 recipients
9 recipients
9 recipients
1 recipient
3 recipients
7 recipients
Largest recipients in Costa Rica
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.
5 US funders · 19 grants
4 US funders · 12 grants
1 US funder · 19 grants
1 US funder · 1 grant
7 US funders · 19 grants
6 US funders · 15 grants
Who funds whom
The largest funder-to-recipient ties — which US foundation backs which organization in Costa Rica.
Where the funders are
The US states home to the foundations giving to Costa Rica, shaded by dollars granted. Click a state.
Notable grants
The largest individual grants to Costa Rica on record.
Questions and answers
- Which US foundation gives the most to Costa Rica?
- THE FORD FOUNDATION is the largest US funder of Costa Rica organizations on record, with $6M across 31 grants.
- How much do US foundations give to Costa Rica?
- 113 US foundations have granted a combined $47M to organizations in Costa Rica across 491 grants in the IRS filings on record, about $9.14 per resident.
- What do US foundations fund in Costa Rica?
- The largest areas are food, water & agriculture, environment & climate, research & science, by the kind of organization receiving the money.