Record U.S. Foundation International Giving

Foundation Center President Bradford K. Smith reports, "More U.S. foundations are spending more resources on international problems, challenges, and opportunities than at any time in history."

Among the major findings detailed in a new report prepared by the Foundation Center in cooperation with the Council on Foundations, "International Grantmaking IV":

* International giving grew faster than overall giving between 2002 and 2007 after inflation, international support rose by more than 50 percent. (compared to a 22.3 percent rise in total giving).

* The Gates Foundation accounted for more than half of the increase in funding between 2002 and 2006.

* Excluding the Gates Foundation, international giving still grew faster than overall giving.

* Region-specific grants to U.S.-based recipients mainly targeted programs focused on Sub-Saharan Africa.

* Giving related to health issues captured the largest share of international grant dollars, while funding for international development showed the most growth from 2002 to 2006.

* Excluding Gates, the greatest share of international grant dollars went for international development, followed by the environment and health.

[International Business Times]

US foundation giving without the Gates Foundation

U.S. charitable foundations gave money away to international causes at record levels in 2007.

In a new study, The Foundation Center and its study partner, the Washington, D.C.-based Council on Foundations, decided to pull the Gates Foundation dollars out of the equation. International charity still grew faster than all foundation giving during the period of the study.

"The study will show that it's not just about the Gates Foundation ... but I would be the last person to say Gates is not a huge factor," says Rob Buchanan, managing director of international programs for the Council on Foundations.

If you pull Gates out of the equation, the top international priority of all other U.S. foundations is global development, followed by the environment and health.

Buchanan said older family foundations created in the 1940s or 50s were largely focused on giving back to the community where the wealth was generated. Those foundations are now being run by a generation that has more global connections. Newer foundations were started by their contemporaries.

Asked about the economic downturn, only 7 percent of the charitable foundations that responded said they expected to reduce their international support in 2008, while close to half said they expected to increase giving.

[AP]