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This report, a joint effort by the Council on Foundations and Foundation Center, examines the current state and recent trends in international giving and engagement by large U.S. community foundations. The first-ever analysis of this type suggests that many community foundations are beginning to adopt a broader, more nuanced definition of “community” than they have in the past.
Our analysis yielded six main findings:
- The total amount and average size of international grants are increasing.
- International giving is becoming more common.
- Most international giving is from advised funds.
- Most international giving is via U.S. intermediaries.
- International giving as a percentage of overall giving has remained constant since 2006.
- Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) represents a significant portion of international giving.
The report is the first-ever analysis of global grantmaking data from large U.S. community foundations, showing that funding international programs are becoming increasingly common.
In 2014, community foundations represented only 0.9 percent of the total number of U.S. foundations, but were responsible for 9.5 percent of the sector’s assets and 12.5 percent of total giving.