International giving · Oceania
Which US foundations give to New Zealand?
US foundations sent $55M to organizations in New Zealand across 412 grants, from 121 different funders. Read from IRS 990 filings.
The short version
- 121 US foundations have made grants to New Zealand, totaling $55M across 412 grants on record.
- GATES FOUNDATION (WA) is the largest US funder of New Zealand organizations, with $12M.
- That is about $10.33 per resident across all years on file, for a country the World Bank classes as high income.
- Friends of Ren Xue International Inc is the most New Zealand-focused funder, directing 95% of its overseas giving here.
- US giving to New Zealand has fallen over the filing years on record.
The biggest funders, year by year
Each top funder of New Zealand with its total, and how that giving falls across the filing years — darker means more.
| '17 | '18 | '19 | '20 | '21 | '22 | '23 | '24 | '25* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GATES FOUNDATION$12M | |||||||||
| MSIX20 FOUNDATION$11M | |||||||||
| THE AOTEAROA FOUNDATION$10M | |||||||||
| Friends of Ren Xue International Inc$3M | |||||||||
| JOHN TEMPLETON FOUNDATION$3M | |||||||||
| THE WILLIAM & FLORA HEWLETT FOUNDATION$2M | |||||||||
| GLENORCHY MARKETPLACE FOUNDATION$2M | |||||||||
| THE THOMPSON FAMILY FOUNDATION INC$1M | |||||||||
| JOHN D AND CATHERINE T MACARTHUR$1M | |||||||||
| THE BLOOMBERG FAMILY FOUNDATION INC$1M | |||||||||
| HARRY SINGER FOUNDATION$959k | |||||||||
| The Coca-Cola Foundation Inc$930k |
* 2025 onward is still arriving — 990s lag 12–24 months, so the most recent years under-report.
Top US funders of New Zealand
New Zealand's dedicated funders
Foundations that send most of their overseas money to New Zealand — 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.
22 recipients
14 recipients
4 recipients
1 recipient
1 recipient
13 recipients
4 recipients
3 recipients
Largest recipients in New Zealand
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 · 1 grant
4 US funders · 31 grants
1 US funder · 4 grants
4 US funders · 14 grants
2 US funders · 5 grants
2 US funders · 2 grants
Who funds whom
The largest funder-to-recipient ties — which US foundation backs which organization in New Zealand.
Where the funders are
The US states home to the foundations giving to New Zealand, shaded by dollars granted. Click a state.
Notable grants
The largest individual grants to New Zealand on record.
Questions and answers
- Which US foundation gives the most to New Zealand?
- GATES FOUNDATION is the largest US funder of New Zealand organizations on record, with $12M across 20 grants.
- How much do US foundations give to New Zealand?
- 121 US foundations have granted a combined $55M to organizations in New Zealand across 412 grants in the IRS filings on record, about $10.33 per resident.
- What do US foundations fund in New Zealand?
- The largest areas are education & schools, religion & faith, research & science, by the kind of organization receiving the money.