In recent years, the number of U.S. charitable foundations awarding grants for water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) projects around the world has more than tripled. A new research brief by the Foundation Center, Foundation Funding for Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene, finds that between 2003 and 2010 this growth in the number of active funders was accompanied by a nearly five-fold increase in the number of organizations receiving these grants, to the tune of $144 million in 2009-2010. And, while WASH funding as a proportion of international grantmaking overall has grown from 0.2 percent in 2003, it remains very small (1.7 percent in 2010).
Among other key findings in the report:
- Number of funders: The total number of foundations awarding WASH grants has jumped from 24 in 2003 to 78 in 2010.
- Geographic distribution: 30 percent of all grant dollars in 2009 and 2010 went to Africa, the largest share of any geographic region, while 18 percent went to Asia, and 9 percent went to Central/South America.
- Purpose of grants: The largest proportion of foundation grant dollars support water sector policy and administration (20 percent), followed by basic drinking water supply (17 percent), WASH research (14 percent), and basic sanitation (14 percent).
Read the full report
For more information on WASH funding go to WASHfunders.org
Source: Foundation Center, 20 Mar 2012
