“[R]ather than other nations conforming to a U.S. model of philanthropy, you will find the emerging trend of the globalization of philanthropy, which is a dynamic process in which actors exchange ideas and practices and engage in shared learning.”

An examination of the other contributors to this initiative highlights key elements of this trend, beginning with the Gates Foundation’s founding partners in creating the CTA. The Wellcome Trust is a U.K. charity and leading global funder for public health. The funding from Mastercard came from its Impact Fund, which was created in 2018 when, “Mastercard committed 20 percent of its savings from U.S. and European tax reform” (para. 3). This commitment of up to $500 million in charitable grants offers an implicit critique of a public policy of tax cuts and the concomitant reduction in public investment, and takes corporate social responsibility to the next level.

Taken together, the three founding partners and the 13 additional donors embody a number of key developments in the globalization of philanthropy:

  • Half of these donors have roots outside of the U.S., with three based in the U.K. and five from the Global South or developing countries.
  • Of these 15 private philanthropies, only three were established before 1999.
  • The participation of one public sector donor, the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (recently replaced by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office), makes the CTA a public-private partnership.
  • One celebrity, Madonna, is supporting the CTA initiative, indicative of the importance of celebrities in global philanthropy.

Read the full article about the globalization of philanthropy by Michael Layton at Johnson Center.