Thousands of foundations in the United States make grants internationally. While they support varying causes and countries, they are bound together through a common legal and regulatory framework that enables this work. Having a shared space to access collective knowledge – and learn from it – helps the entire field move forward.
We created the Center for Global Grantmaking to serve that need. It’s a central source for trusted resources, knowledge, and advocacy on behalf of the field. It features an ever-growing set of relevant resources including:
- Premier professional development course – Our Global Grantmaking Essentials course provides a thorough overview of the laws governing global grantmaking and offers practical solutions for foundation staff responsible for making grants abroad.
- Easy-to-use global grantmaking law guidance – The Council’s extensive legal resources include a comprehensive overview of global grantmaking laws and regulations written for the non-lawyer.
- Sector-leading data and insights – Our State of Global Giving reports are released every four years and offer sector-wide insights and changing trends on who is funding in which countries and what issues global grantmakers care about.
- Scores of resources and templates – Leverage Council legal expertise and decades of experience on international grantmaking rules by exploring useful guidance on issues like equivalency determination and expenditure responsibility.
- Practical guidance on country-level laws – In partnership with the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL), the Council’s Country Notes are a unique resource designed to help grantmakers understand local laws in 35+ countries.
40+ Years of Supporting Global Funders
The Council’s history of supporting global grantmakers is grounded in four main priorities:
Helping U.S. foundations understand the rules and regulations that govern international grantmaking
Providing convening spaces for global grantmakers to connect and learn from peers
Offering sector-wide data and research to provide foundations with insights about how their peers give and work internationally
Advocating to protect foundations’ right to give globally and reduce the barriers to doing so
1983
The Council commissioned the first edition of Making Grants Overseas, a guide for U.S. foundations to grant internationally.
1989
The Council sought a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service that would facilitate grants to non-U.S. charities by permitting multiple foundations to rely on the same documentation.
1994
Following the IRS’s publication of the generic affidavit format, a wholesale revision and update of Making Grants Overseas was undertaken by the Council. The publication also acquired a new name: Beyond Our Borders.
1996
U.S. International Grantmaking Project (USIG) was co-created with the Council, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) to streamline global grantmaking.
1997
The first publication of global grantmaking data by U.S. foundations, now called "The State of Global Giving by U.S. Foundations," was released. It is now published every four years.
1998
USIG website launched with the first version of what would later be called Country Notes.
2011
The Council launched the Global Grantmaking Institute, its first global grantmaking training program.
2012
After 20+ years of advocacy, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the IRS proposed new regulations designed to facilitate international philanthropy by lessening the administrative and financial burdens for U.S. grantmakers making equivalency determinations.
2013
The Council, in partnership with other leading sector organizations, identified TechSoup as the home of NGOsource, a repository of equivalency determination certifications.
2019
Beyond Our Borders became International Grantmaking: A Guide for Funders Making Grants Outside the United States, a chapter in Mastering Foundation Law, the Council on Foundations Compendium of Legal Resources.
2020
The Council launched its first annual calendar of UN General Assembly Philanthropic Side-Events.
2023
The Council organized a group of foundations to collectively commit to advancing locally led development and signed the Donor Statement on Locally Led Development.
2024
The Council reintroduced its global training, now offered virtually and named Global Grantmaking Essentials.
2025
The Council created Regional Funder Peer Circles in partnership with ICNL to provide spaces for grantmakers focused on particular geographies to connect.
2026
The Council launched the Center on Global Grantmaking.
