Directory: Non-Youth-Specific Funders

• Sections:     Intro & Context | Themes & Trends | Donors & Funds

3. Directory of International Donors Funding the Youth Sector

This section focuses on funding organizations that have grant-making programs not specifically targeted at young people, but which by their nature (key themes, forms of activity funded, values promoted, etc.), are well suited to funding international youth-led projects. In addition, these organizations fund projects in which many young people participate are beneficiaries.

CHARLES STEWART MOTT FOUNDATION (CSM)

www.mott.org

CSM believes that learning how people can live together most effectively is one of the fundamental needs of humanity. In so doing, people create a sense of community or belonging. CSM endeavors to enhance the capacity of individuals, families, or institutions at the local level and beyond. The foundation’s aim is to promote collective work in any program area that could lead to systemic change. The foundation’s mission is to support efforts that promote a just, equitable, and sustainable society. It runs three main grant-making programs relevant for youth:

Civil society: To support efforts to assist in democratic institution-building, strengthen communities, promote equitable access to resources, and ensure the respect of rights and diversity.

Environment: To support the efforts of engaged citizens who create accountable and responsive institutions, sound public policies, and appropriate models of development that protect the diversity and integrity of selected ecosystems in North America and around the world.

Pathways out of poverty: To identify, test, and help sustain pathways out of poverty for low-income people and communities.

GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE: Europe, U.S., Africa, International

SOURCES OF FUNDS: Revenue from an endowment from a large industrial family in the U.S.

FINANCIALS: Since 2004 the Mott Foundation has given US$77,746,501 in youth-related grants.

FORD FOUNDATION

www.fordfound.org

The Ford Foundation makes grants and loans to build knowledge and strengthen organizations and networks. It seeks to be a long-term and flexible partner with innovative leaders of thought and action. It makes grants from its New York headquarters and regional offices in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, and Russia. Relevant fields of work include community development, environment, civil society, human rights, education, arts and culture, media, HIV/AIDS, sexuality, and reproductive health. Ford Foundation-funded projects can be youth-led, and beneficiaries are also young people, although it does not have a designated youth project-funding program.

GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE: International

SOURCES OF FUNDS: Revenue from endowment

FINANCIALS: 2008 US Dollars

Total Assets 11+ billion

Total Expenditure 610,836,000

Total Grants Expenditure 539,632,000

KING BAUDOUIN FOUNDATION

www.kbs-frb.be/index.aspx?LangType=1033

The foundation is described as “an independent structure that encourages original ideas and sets up new projects” in its 1976 constitution. As a result it supports projects and individuals who are committed to creating a better society. It tries to make a lasting contribution towards greater justice, democracy, and respect for diversity. Based in Brussels, the foundation supports projects internationally. By working with different organizations, the foundation broadens its capacity for support. Until the year 2000, a key focus was combating poverty and the social exclusion of youth. The foundation provided support for young people, including those from immigrant backgrounds, to learn new life skills, to participate more actively in society, and to gain access to leisure activities. It also promoted activities to improve the quality and efficacy of secondary schools. The foundation distributed educational grants as well as a wide range of prizes to organizations for competitions run for or by young people.

The King Baudouin Foundation currently works in the following program areas, some of which are targeted at young people, although not exclusively:

  • Migration and Multicultural Society: Promotes integration and a multicultural society in Belgium and Europe.
  • Poverty and Social Justice: Seeks to identify new forms of social injustice and poverty; and supports projects that build greater solidarity between the generations.
  • Civil Society and Voluntary Work: Encourages social commitment; promotes democratic values among young people; and supports neighborhood and local projects.
  • Health: Promotes a healthy way of life and seeks to help build an accessible and socially acceptable health care system.
  • Philanthropy: Seeks to make philanthropy more efficient in Belgium and Europe.
  • The Balkans: Focuses on protecting the rights of minorities and the victims of human trafficking; and setting up a visa system for students.
  • Central Africa: Supports projects in the field of AIDS prevention and offers guidance to AIDS patients.

GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE: Belgium, Europe, Africa, International

SOURCES OF FUNDS: Belgian National Lottery, revenue from own capital, foundations, corporate partnerships, tasks entrusted by public authorities, gifts and legacies, projects accounts.

FINANCIALS: 2009 Euros

Annual budget 35 million

Total Project Expenditure 32.2 million (92%)

Budget: www.kbs-frb.be/budget.htm?LangType=1033.

MAMA CASH FOUNDATION

www.mamacash.org

The mission of Mama Cash is to mobilize resources from individuals and institutions, make grants to women’s and girls’ groups, and help to build the partnerships and networks needed to successfully defend and advance women’s and girls’ human rights globally. Since 1983, Mama Cash has granted over €30 million to approximately 6,000 women’s groups around the world. Since 2005, some €10 million in grants were made to groups in 122 countries. Mama Cash supports groups of women and girls to transform disempowering laws and practices and create communities that support safety, equality, and opportunity for everyone. It strategically funds women’s and girls’ human rights organizations working for women to have the right to decide concerning their bodies, gain economic justice and independence, and make their voices heard. Grant-Making support is restricted to women’s and girls’ human rights groups and women’s funds worldwide. Mama Cash accepts applications from women’s and girls’ human rights organizations and women’s funds. It has an open application process and also invites organizations and women’s funds to apply for funding. It provides support for awards and prizes, conferences and seminars, general support and general purposes, program development, research, staff development, and technical assistance.

GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS: International

SOURCES OF FUNDS: Gifts from private individual donors, institutional donors (including donor-advised funds, private and public foundations, corporations), bilateral donors, and return on investments.

FINANCIALS: 2007 Euros

Total Assets 2,763,899

Total Gifts 4,734,594

Total Expenditure 4,649,685

European Level Expenditure 580,867

Total Program Expenditure 3,914,205

Number of Grants 250