Newsletters

Global Philanthropy Update - November 2023

Thursday, November 30, 2023 - 1:48 pm

Brian Kastner

Greetings Friend,

As global grantmakers, we are nearing the end of a year filled with moments of hope but also many moments of despair, from the Middle East to Sudan, Ukraine, and more. In doing our work, we navigate the realities of responding philanthropically to global crises while there are also continued threats to civic space and the operating environment for nonprofits. We thank you for your commitment to strengthening communities globally and look forward to supporting your work in 2024, especially as we launch and expand work to build capacity of global grantmakers.

As we look towards 2024 and beyond, we’re excited for two areas of work that will continue to evolve:

A Revamped Global Grantmaking Training

To help foundations of all shapes and sizes ensure make global grants, the Council is re-launching our Global Grantmaking Essentials training next year. After more than a decade of dormancy, this training will be a virtual 3-half-day course offered twice in 2024. Global Grantmaking Essentials is designed for grantmaking, program, or legal staff at U.S.-based foundations who work globally, including staff at independent and family foundations, corporate grantmakers, community foundations, and public grantmaking charities. The Council remains committed to expanding opportunities for foundations to give internationally, especially in ways that strengthen local civil society. We hope that you’ll join us at the Global Grantmaking Essentials course on April 10, 11, and 16 or save the date for the second offering on October 9, 10, and 16.

Locally Led Development

We’ve recently had several new activities in our work to strengthen how foundations can make more direct global grants and ensure their global grantmaking is more locally led:

In November, the Council and Candid released “Advancing Locally Led Development: An Overview of U.S. Foundations' Direct Global Giving,” which explores the 13% of U.S. foundation giving that went directly to locally registered organizations for work within their country. This free publication analyzes direct global giving from 2016-2019 and includes new findings such as that the top 25 global funders account for more than 75% of direct giving and only 29% of globally focused U.S. foundations made at least one direct grant during the 2016-2019 period.
We convened our Leadership Circle on Locally Led Development in Washington, D.C. on November 8. We were joined by leaders from 12 foundations to engage in candid discussions about taking concrete actions to advance locally led development. Participants heard from DC-based policy experts, representatives from global majority civil society networks, and met with USAID’s leadership to explore opportunities for this work in 2024 and beyond.
We also convened our first meeting of the Locally Led Development Learning Circle in November. This group of foundations is committed to operationalizing locally led practices within their own four walls and across the larger sector.
The RINGO Funder Action Pod will hold the final meeting of 2023 on December 13 from 10am-12pm ET, focusing on takeaways from the #ShiftThePower Summit on December 7-8. Reach out to Zainab Arain to attend

Keep in touch or find ways to engage with this larger initiative on our Locally Led Development page.

Happy holidays,

Natalie Ross Vice President of Membership, Development and Finance natalie.ross@cof.org	Brian Kastner Director of Engagement brian.kastner@cof.org

Legal and Regulatory Updates

Country Notes

The following countries nonprofit law profiles have been recently updated:

View all Country Notes.

OFAC Guidance on Gaza

On November 14, 2023, OFAC issued Guidance for the Provision of Humanitarian Assistance to the Palestinian People, which provides clarity about how funders, individuals, and NGOs can provide humanitarian assistance within Gaza. Notably, OFAC reminds funders to comply with specific sanctions targeting Hamas but reiterates there is no jurisdiction-based sanctions regime. Additionally, OFAC offers clarity around the import of fuel (a significant issue facing relief organizations), permitting this so long as the ultimate beneficiary is not a sanctioned individual or entity.

Nicaragua Continues NGO Crackdown

The government of Nicaragua continues to target NGOs, dissolving more than 25 in recent weeks and seizing their assets. NGOs have been vocal opponents of President Ortega, especially after the 2021 passage of the country’s foreign agent law, which has been used to stifle dissent and chill civil society activity.

A Return to Post-9/11 NGO Concerns?

In the wake of the September 11th attacks, NGOs became a target of governments across the world over largely unfounded accusations of serving as conduits for terrorist financing. Amidst the renewed conflict and chaos between Israel and Hamas, we expect continued attention to be placed on NGOs working in the region and the donors who support them. Relatedly, 100 civil society organizations signed a letter regarding several European countries’ decisions to suspend funding for Palestinian and Israeli organizations citing allegations of terrorist financing.

Just a few weeks ago, The House Ways and Means Committee held a hearing on rising antisemitism and terror financing during which the witnesses urged Congress to fund the President’s National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism. Most of the conversation focused on universities, though some members of Congress and witnesses did raise concerns about nonprofits.

Revisions to FATF Recommendation 8

The Council welcomes recent amendments to the Financial Action Task Force’s Recommendation 8, which has for years been a source concern and advocacy for civil society globally. Civil society action has been vital in shaping these amendments, including efforts led by the Global NPO Coalition on FATF. Recommendation 8 has historically been leveraged by authoritarian governments to enact anti-NGO legislation that curtails their freedoms and poses administrative and compliance burdens with the faulty logic that NGOs are particularly vulnerable to terrorist financing.