International giving · Africa
Which US foundations give to Ghana?
US foundations sent $267M to organizations in Ghana across 1,408 grants, from 178 different funders. Read from IRS 990 filings.
The short version
- 178 US foundations have made grants to Ghana, totaling $267M across 1,408 grants on record.
- GATES FOUNDATION (WA) is the largest US funder of Ghana organizations, with $63M.
- HELPING AFRICA FOUNDATION INC is the most Ghana-focused funder, directing 100% of its overseas giving here.
- US giving to Ghana has fallen over the filing years on record.
The biggest funders, year by year
Each top funder of Ghana with its total, and how that giving falls across the filing years. A stronger color means more.
| Funder | '17 | '18 | '19 | '20 | '21 | '22 | '23 | '24 | '25* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GATES FOUNDATION$63M | $3M | $658k | $800k | $2M | $10M | $11M | $18M | $17M | $0 |
| Mastercard Foundation$31M | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $1M | $29M | $0 |
| THE WILLIAM & FLORA HEWLETT FOUNDATION$28M | $1M | $1M | $2M | $2M | $2M | $5M | $5M | $9M | $0 |
| THE FORD FOUNDATION$25M | $2M | $2M | $1M | $2M | $4M | $5M | $4M | $5M | $0 |
| THE SUSAN THOMPSON BUFFETT FOUNDATION$11M | $0 | $0 | $0 | $672k | $2M | $4M | $2M | $2M | $1000k |
| HELPING AFRICA FOUNDATION INC$10M | $0 | $0 | $696k | $2M | $3M | $1M | $2M | $2M | $0 |
| WELLSPRING PHILANTHROPIC FUND INC$10M | $100k | $1M | $977k | $1M | $1M | $1M | $2M | $2M | $0 |
| CARNEGIE CORPORATION OF NEW YORK$10M | $1M | $1M | $878k | $2M | $800k | $863k | $359k | $2M | $900k |
| JOHN D AND CATHERINE T MACARTHUR FOUNDATION$9M | $475k | $750k | $185k | $425k | $6M | $400k | $300k | $300k | $0 |
| FOUNDATION TO PROMOTE OPEN SOCIETY$9M | $0 | $0 | $0 | $508k | $784k | $1M | $2M | $5M | $0 |
| THE LEONA M AND HARRY B HELMSLEY CHARITABLE TRUST$7M | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $2M | $315k | $0 | $5M |
| THE ANDREW W MELLON FOUNDATION$7M | $200k | $1M | $648k | $1M | $1M | $575k | $975k | $450k | $0 |
* 2025 onward is still arriving — 990s lag 12–24 months, so the most recent years under-report.
Top US funders of Ghana
Ghana's dedicated funders
Foundations that send most of their overseas money to Ghana — the specialists, not just the biggest checks.
What the money funds
By the stated purpose of 1,408 grants that carry one.
340 recipients
114 recipients
97 recipients
149 recipients
71 recipients
65 recipients
78 recipients
31 recipients
Largest recipients in Ghana
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.
14 US funders · 96 grants
7 US funders · 33 grants
1 US funder · 8 grants
3 US funders · 8 grants
1 US funder · 6 grants
2 US funders · 7 grants
A further $12k across 1 grant went to recipients the filings name only in the aggregate (“various”, “multiple organizations”, and the like), so they can’t be attributed to a single organization.
Who funds whom
The largest funder-to-recipient ties — which US foundation backs which organization in Ghana.
Where the funders are
The US states home to the foundations giving to Ghana, shaded by dollars granted. Click a state.
Notable grants
The largest individual grants to Ghana on record.
Questions and answers
- Which US foundation gives the most to Ghana?
- GATES FOUNDATION is the largest US funder of Ghana organizations on record, with $63M across 101 grants.
- How much do US foundations give to Ghana?
- 178 US foundations have granted a combined $267M to organizations in Ghana across 1,408 grants in the IRS filings on record.
- What do US foundations fund in Ghana?
- The largest areas are education & schools, health & medicine, general & operating support, by the stated purpose of the grants.