International giving · Africa
Which US foundations give to Zambia?
US foundations sent $120M to organizations in Zambia across 544 grants, from 108 different funders. Read from IRS 990 filings.
The short version
- 108 US foundations have made grants to Zambia, totaling $120M across 544 grants on record.
- GATES FOUNDATION (WA) is the largest US funder of Zambia organizations, with $50M.
- THE GUIDRY LEGACY is the most Zambia-focused funder, directing 100% of its overseas giving here.
- US giving to Zambia has fallen 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 | '25* | '26* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GATES FOUNDATION$50M | ||||||||||
| THE SUSAN THOMPSON BUFFETT FOUNDATION$26M | ||||||||||
| ONESIGHT ESSILORLUXOTTICA FOUNDATION FUND$7M | ||||||||||
| CONRAD N HILTON FOUNDATION$5M | ||||||||||
| ALLEN FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES$5M | ||||||||||
| JC FLOWERS FOUNDATION$4M | ||||||||||
| GHR Foundation$4M | ||||||||||
| THE LEONA M AND HARRY B HELMSLEY CHARITABLE TRUST$3M | ||||||||||
| RIPPLEWORKS INC$3M | ||||||||||
| MULAGO FOUNDATION$2M | ||||||||||
| THE FORD FOUNDATION$1M | ||||||||||
| THE GUIDRY LEGACY$958k |
* 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 stated purpose of 544 grants that carry one.
70 recipients
34 recipients
14 recipients
90 recipients
38 recipients
14 recipients
17 recipients
53 recipients
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 · 1 grant
1 US funder · 24 grants
1 US funder · 5 grants
1 US funder · 4 grants
2 US funders · 10 grants
1 US funder · 5 grants
A further $120 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 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?
- 108 US foundations have granted a combined $120M to organizations in Zambia across 544 grants in the IRS filings on record.
- What do US foundations fund in Zambia?
- The largest areas are health & medicine, food, water & agriculture, environment & climate, by the stated purpose of the grants.