International giving · Africa
Which US foundations give to Zimbabwe?
US foundations sent $84M to organizations in Zimbabwe across 334 grants, from 70 different funders. Read from IRS 990 filings.
The short version
- 70 US foundations have made grants to Zimbabwe, totaling $84M across 334 grants on record.
- GATES FOUNDATION (WA) is the largest US funder of Zimbabwe organizations, with $57M.
- That is about $5.06 per resident across all years on file, for a country the World Bank classes as lower middle income.
- MATTER is the most Zimbabwe-focused funder, directing 89% of its overseas giving here.
- US giving to Zimbabwe has risen over the filing years on record.
The biggest funders, year by year
Each top funder of Zimbabwe 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$57M | ||||||||
| THE FORD FOUNDATION$9M | ||||||||
| RIPPLEWORKS INC$3M | ||||||||
| JC FLOWERS FOUNDATION$2M | ||||||||
| THE VIBRANT VILLAGE FOUNDATION$2M | ||||||||
| MATTER$2M | ||||||||
| THE WILLIAM & FLORA HEWLETT FOUNDATION$941k | ||||||||
| WELLSPRING PHILANTHROPIC FUND INC$825k | ||||||||
| FOUNDATION TO PROMOTE OPEN SOCIETY$735k | ||||||||
| FRIENDS OF KING GEORGE VI SCHOOL$721k | ||||||||
| MULAGO FOUNDATION$600k | ||||||||
| THE ANDREW W MELLON FOUNDATION$500k |
* 2025 onward is still arriving — 990s lag 12–24 months, so the most recent years under-report.
Top US funders of Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe's dedicated funders
Foundations that send most of their overseas money to Zimbabwe — 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.
7 recipients
5 recipients
10 recipients
6 recipients
5 recipients
16 recipients
6 recipients
2 recipients
Largest recipients in Zimbabwe
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 · 26 grants
1 US funder · 4 grants
1 US funder · 6 grants
9 US funders · 20 grants
1 US funder · 1 grant
3 US funders · 19 grants
Who funds whom
The largest funder-to-recipient ties — which US foundation backs which organization in Zimbabwe.
Where the funders are
The US states home to the foundations giving to Zimbabwe, shaded by dollars granted. Click a state.
Notable grants
The largest individual grants to Zimbabwe on record.
Questions and answers
- Which US foundation gives the most to Zimbabwe?
- GATES FOUNDATION is the largest US funder of Zimbabwe organizations on record, with $57M across 45 grants.
- How much do US foundations give to Zimbabwe?
- 70 US foundations have granted a combined $84M to organizations in Zimbabwe across 334 grants in the IRS filings on record, about $5.06 per resident.
- What do US foundations fund in Zimbabwe?
- The largest areas are health & medicine, environment & climate, religion & faith, by the kind of organization receiving the money.