International giving · Africa
Which US foundations give to Ethiopia?
US foundations sent $537M to organizations in Ethiopia across 823 grants, from 81 different funders. Read from IRS 990 filings.
The short version
- 81 US foundations have made grants to Ethiopia, totaling $537M across 823 grants on record.
- THE SUSAN THOMPSON BUFFETT FOUNDATION (NE) is the largest US funder of Ethiopia organizations, with $241M.
- That is about $4.06 per resident across all years on file, for a country the World Bank classes as not classified.
- THE CHILDRENS INVESTMENT FUND FOUNDATION is the most Ethiopia-focused funder, directing 53% of its overseas giving here.
- US giving to Ethiopia has risen over the filing years on record.
The biggest funders, year by year
Each top funder of Ethiopia with its total, and how that giving falls across the filing years — darker means more.
| '17 | '18 | '19 | '20 | '21 | '22 | '23 | '24 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE SUSAN THOMPSON BUFFETT FOUNDATION$241M | ||||||||
| GATES FOUNDATION$188M | ||||||||
| A GLIMMER OF HOPE FOUNDATION$36M | ||||||||
| The David and Lucile Packard Foundation$30M | ||||||||
| THE CHILDRENS INVESTMENT FUND FOUNDATION$7M | ||||||||
| WELLSPRING PHILANTHROPIC FUND INC$6M | ||||||||
| FOUNDATION TO PROMOTE OPEN SOCIETY$5M | ||||||||
| Omidyar Network Fund Inc$4M | ||||||||
| OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE$3M | ||||||||
| THE BLOOMBERG FAMILY FOUNDATION INC$3M | ||||||||
| BIG WIN PHILANTHROPY INC$2M | ||||||||
| CONRAD N HILTON FOUNDATION$2M |
* 2025 onward is still arriving — 990s lag 12–24 months, so the most recent years under-report.
Top US funders of Ethiopia
Ethiopia's dedicated funders
Foundations that send most of their overseas money to Ethiopia — 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.
27 recipients
26 recipients
5 recipients
7 recipients
11 recipients
19 recipients
6 recipients
3 recipients
Largest recipients in Ethiopia
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 · 6 grants
4 US funders · 21 grants
1 US funder · 3 grants
1 US funder · 4 grants
2 US funders · 26 grants
1 US funder · 20 grants
Who funds whom
The largest funder-to-recipient ties — which US foundation backs which organization in Ethiopia.
Where the funders are
The US states home to the foundations giving to Ethiopia, shaded by dollars granted. Click a state.
Notable grants
The largest individual grants to Ethiopia on record.
Questions and answers
- Which US foundation gives the most to Ethiopia?
- THE SUSAN THOMPSON BUFFETT FOUNDATION is the largest US funder of Ethiopia organizations on record, with $241M across 39 grants.
- How much do US foundations give to Ethiopia?
- 81 US foundations have granted a combined $537M to organizations in Ethiopia across 823 grants in the IRS filings on record, about $4.06 per resident.
- What do US foundations fund in Ethiopia?
- The largest areas are health & medicine, economic & community development, human rights & democracy, by the kind of organization receiving the money.