International giving · Asia
Which US foundations give to South Korea?
US foundations sent $299M to organizations in South Korea across 1,017 grants, from 164 different funders. Read from IRS 990 filings.
The short version
- 164 US foundations have made grants to South Korea, totaling $299M across 1,017 grants on record.
- GATES FOUNDATION (WA) is the largest US funder of South Korea organizations, with $218M.
- THE STEVE Y KIM FOUNDATION is the most South Korea-focused funder, directing 96% of its overseas giving here.
- US giving to South Korea has fallen over the filing years on record.
The biggest funders, year by year
Each top funder of South Korea 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$218M | $15M | $21M | $24M | $43M | $20M | $28M | $47M | $21M | $0 |
| GOOD VENTURES FOUNDATION$12M | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $7M | $0 | $5M | $1M |
| OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE$8M | $371k | $182k | $171k | $810k | $1M | $2M | $3M | $400k | $0 |
| THE STEVE Y KIM FOUNDATION$8M | $8k | $1M | $1M | $2M | $500k | $1M | $950k | $720k | $580k |
| THE KYUPIN PHILIP AND C GEMMA HWANG FOUNDATION$7M | $0 | $100 | $3k | $1M | $3M | $3M | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| GROWALD CLIMATE FUND INC$5M | $0 | $0 | $0 | $445k | $862k | $1M | $1M | $835k | $0 |
| FOUNDATION TO PROMOTE OPEN SOCIETY$4M | $0 | $0 | $0 | $503k | $650k | $1M | $942k | $1M | $0 |
| MBK EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION INC$4M | $0 | $0 | $0 | $500k | $925k | $850k | $800k | $800k | $0 |
| JPMORGAN CHASE FOUNDATION$3M | $326k | $724k | $792k | $842k | $0 | $0 | $219k | $407k | $0 |
| DK KIM FOUNDATION INC$3M | $808k | $1M | $250k | $104k | $200k | $322k | $200k | $160k | $0 |
| The Coca-Cola Foundation Inc$3M | $0 | $0 | $0 | $250k | $700k | $680k | $350k | $1M | $0 |
| GOD LOVING CHILDREN INC$3M | $270k | $252k | $332k | $335k | $291k | $360k | $349k | $281k | $399k |
* 2025 onward is still arriving — 990s lag 12–24 months, so the most recent years under-report.
Top US funders of South Korea
South Korea's dedicated funders
Foundations that send most of their overseas money to South Korea — the specialists, not just the biggest checks.
What the money funds
By the stated purpose of 1,010 grants that carry one.
100 recipients
275 recipients
50 recipients
91 recipients
22 recipients
51 recipients
8 recipients
23 recipients
Largest recipients in South Korea
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.
2 US funders · 96 grants
1 US funder · 12 grants
1 US funder · 8 grants
1 US funder · 7 grants
1 US funder · 1 grant
1 US funder · 9 grants
A further $185k 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 South Korea.
Where the funders are
The US states home to the foundations giving to South Korea, shaded by dollars granted. Click a state.
Notable grants
The largest individual grants to South Korea on record.
Questions and answers
- Which US foundation gives the most to South Korea?
- GATES FOUNDATION is the largest US funder of South Korea organizations on record, with $218M across 145 grants.
- How much do US foundations give to South Korea?
- 164 US foundations have granted a combined $299M to organizations in South Korea across 1,017 grants in the IRS filings on record.
- What do US foundations fund in South Korea?
- The largest areas are health & medicine, research & science, general & operating support, by the stated purpose of the grants.