International giving · Africa
Which US foundations give to South Africa?
US foundations sent $1.3B to organizations in South Africa across 3,884 grants, from 369 different funders. Read from IRS 990 filings.
The short version
- 369 US foundations have made grants to South Africa, totaling $1.3B across 3,884 grants on record.
- GATES FOUNDATION (WA) is the largest US funder of South Africa organizations, with $681M.
- That is about $20.99 per resident across all years on file, for a country the World Bank classes as upper middle income.
- THE KRESGE FOUNDATION is the most South Africa-focused funder, directing 99% of its overseas giving here.
- US giving to South Africa has fallen over the filing years on record.
The biggest funders, year by year
Each top funder of South Africa 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$681M | |||||||||
| THE FORD FOUNDATION$111M | |||||||||
| OPEN DOORS INTERNATIONAL INC$87M | |||||||||
| HOWARD G BUFFETT FOUNDATION$55M | |||||||||
| FOUNDATION TO PROMOTE OPEN SOCIETY$39M | |||||||||
| Michael & Susan Dell Foundation$35M | |||||||||
| THE ANDREW W MELLON FOUNDATION$34M | |||||||||
| WELLSPRING PHILANTHROPIC FUND INC$28M | |||||||||
| THE SUSAN THOMPSON BUFFETT FOUNDATION$26M | |||||||||
| CARNEGIE CORPORATION OF NEW YORK$24M | |||||||||
| THE WILLIAM & FLORA HEWLETT FOUNDATION$23M | |||||||||
| CHARLES STEWART MOTT FOUNDATION$22M |
* 2025 onward is still arriving — 990s lag 12–24 months, so the most recent years under-report.
Top US funders of South Africa
South Africa's dedicated funders
Foundations that send most of their overseas money to South Africa — 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.
56 recipients
104 recipients
36 recipients
31 recipients
37 recipients
56 recipients
35 recipients
18 recipients
Largest recipients in South Africa
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.
4 US funders · 187 grants
29 US funders · 374 grants
1 US funder · 8 grants
2 US funders · 56 grants
1 US funder · 4 grants
1 US funder · 34 grants
Who funds whom
The largest funder-to-recipient ties — which US foundation backs which organization in South Africa.
Where the funders are
The US states home to the foundations giving to South Africa, shaded by dollars granted. Click a state.
Notable grants
The largest individual grants to South Africa on record.
Questions and answers
- Which US foundation gives the most to South Africa?
- GATES FOUNDATION is the largest US funder of South Africa organizations on record, with $681M across 836 grants.
- How much do US foundations give to South Africa?
- 369 US foundations have granted a combined $1.3B to organizations in South Africa across 3,884 grants in the IRS filings on record, about $20.99 per resident.
- What do US foundations fund in South Africa?
- The largest areas are health & medicine, education & schools, environment & climate, by the kind of organization receiving the money.