International giving · Africa
Which US foundations give to Zambia?
US foundations sent $80M to organizations in Zambia across 440 grants, from 99 different funders. Read from IRS 990 filings.
The short version
- 99 US foundations have made grants to Zambia, totaling $80M across 440 grants on record.
- GATES FOUNDATION (WA) is the largest US funder of Zambia organizations, with $50M.
- That is about $3.73 per resident across all years on file, for a country the World Bank classes as lower middle income.
- JC FLOWERS FOUNDATION is the most Zambia-focused funder, directing 28% of its overseas giving here.
- US giving to Zambia has risen over the filing years on record.
The biggest funders, year by year
Each top funder of Zambia with its total, and how that giving falls across the filing years — darker means more.
| '17 | '18 | '19 | '20 | '21 | '22 | '23 | '24 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GATES FOUNDATION$50M | ||||||||
| THE PAUL G ALLEN FAMILY FOUNDATION$5M | ||||||||
| ONESIGHT ESSILORLUXOTTICA FOUNDATION$3M | ||||||||
| JC FLOWERS FOUNDATION$3M | ||||||||
| GHR Foundation$3M | ||||||||
| CONRAD N HILTON FOUNDATION$3M | ||||||||
| THE LEONA M AND HARRY B HELMSLEY$2M | ||||||||
| MULAGO FOUNDATION$2M | ||||||||
| The Essex Avenue Foundation$600k | ||||||||
| FOUNDATION TO PROMOTE OPEN SOCIETY$525k | ||||||||
| THE GUIDRY LEGACY$508k | ||||||||
| CHARLES STEWART MOTT FOUNDATION$500k |
* 2025 onward is still arriving — 990s lag 12–24 months, so the most recent years under-report.
Top US funders of Zambia
Zambia's dedicated funders
Foundations that send most of their overseas money to Zambia — 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.
13 recipients
7 recipients
3 recipients
13 recipients
7 recipients
5 recipients
31 recipients
1 recipient
Largest recipients in Zambia
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 · 24 grants
1 US funder · 5 grants
1 US funder · 9 grants
1 US funder · 5 grants
1 US funder · 9 grants
1 US funder · 2 grants
Who funds whom
The largest funder-to-recipient ties — which US foundation backs which organization in Zambia.
Where the funders are
The US states home to the foundations giving to Zambia, shaded by dollars granted. Click a state.
Notable grants
The largest individual grants to Zambia on record.
Questions and answers
- Which US foundation gives the most to Zambia?
- GATES FOUNDATION is the largest US funder of Zambia organizations on record, with $50M across 64 grants.
- How much do US foundations give to Zambia?
- 99 US foundations have granted a combined $80M to organizations in Zambia across 440 grants in the IRS filings on record, about $3.73 per resident.
- What do US foundations fund in Zambia?
- The largest areas are health & medicine, food, water & agriculture, environment & climate, by the kind of organization receiving the money.