The largest charitable foundations in the world are much more than just financial assistance to people with disabilities, sick children and adults. These organizations are engaged in the collection and delivery of humanitarian aid, support important social projects in education and healthcare, global initiatives in the scientific and cultural spheres. Their goal is to improve the quality of life of people around the world. A characteristic feature of the philanthropic sphere in recent years is the joint activities of various international foundations to provide global support where it is needed most.

TOP-28 largest charitable foundations of the planet:

• Stichting INGKA Foundation
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation 
• Wellcome Trust
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute
• Ford Foundation
• J. Paul Getty Trust
• Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• Li Ka Shing Foundation
• The Church Commissioners for England
• William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
• Kamehameha Schools
• Lilly Endowment
• W. K. Kellogg Foundation
• Robert Bosch Foundation
• Garfield Weston Foundation
• David and Lucile Packard Foundation
• John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation 
• The Pew Charitable Trusts
• Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
• Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation
• Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
• The MasterCard Foundation
• William Penn Foundation
• The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust
• Tulsa Community Foundation
• The California Endowment
• Rockefeller Foundation 

Today, the LinDeal.com team offers to consider the largest charitable foundations in the world and learn more about the specifics of the work of each of them.

The largest charitable foundations in the world

Owners of billions of dollars of capital spend them in different ways. Someone buys luxury cars, yachts and villas on the sea coasts. Others prefer to act more prudently, creating charitable organizations, investing their money in medicine, education, the development of the latest technologies.

1. Stichting INGKA Foundation

One of the largest charitable foundations in the world. According to experts, the total value of its assets exceeds $ 36 billion. The organization was registered in the Netherlands in 1982. Its founder is the Swedish billionaire Ingvar Kamprad, the owner of IKEA. At the disposal of the fund is IKEA Holding, which controls 207 of the company's 235 branches around the world.

The official stated purpose of the charity is to encourage initiatives and financial support innovations in the field of interior design and urban architecture. However, a few years ago, the foundation expanded its program to talented children from developing countries. Today, he is also actively cooperating with the UN on the organization of assistance for Rohingya refugees from Myanmar.

2. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

To date, the fund, founded by Bill and Melinda Gates, is one of the most famous and promoted not only in the United States, but also in the world. It was established in 2000. Today, the value of its assets exceeds $ 50.7 billion. The main goals of the organization are poverty reduction in the poorest countries, global health development, expansion of educational opportunities and support for IT companies engaged in the development of innovative technologies.

In addition to Bill and Melinda Gates, the activities of the fund are controlled by Warren Buffett. One of the main features of the organization is the fact that it applies business methods to donations, which allows it to occupy a leading position in venture philanthropy. Every year, the official website of the foundation publishes the "official message" of its founders, which contains a brief report on the activities over the past period and tells about plans for the future.

3. Wellcome Trust

One of the oldest private charities in Europe and the third largest fund in the world by assets (more than 20 billion euros). It was founded in 1936, in the UK, by the heirs of the British pharmaceutical magnate, philanthropist and collector Henry Wellcome. Its goal is to fund biomedical research aimed at improving the health of the world's population. Actually, it is for this reason that most of the grants of the trust are allocated for the purpose of creating the latest pharmaceuticals.

The Foundation is a co-founder of the international medical project "Human Genome" and the main sponsor of the Sanger Institute.

With the support of the trust, the Science Museum was opened in London. It is also implementing a global research programme that conducts research on malaria and a number of other diseases whose outbreaks regularly cause large numbers of deaths in Kenya, Malawi, Thailand and Viet Nam.

4. Howard Hughes Medical Institute

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) is a non-profit American medical research institute located in Maryland. It was founded in 1953 by engineer, businessman - aviator Howard Hughes. Today it is the largest private medical and biological research organization not only in the United States, but throughout the North American continent.

Every year, HHMI spends more than $ 1 trillion to finance various research projects. The institute's total donations exceed $18.2 billion, making it the second richest charitable organization in the United States. Over the past decades, the Foundation has supported 24 Nobel Prize winners in various fields of biology, health, and chemistry.

5. Ford Foundation

The Ford Foundation was established in 1936 by American industrialist and entrepreneur Henry Ford. However, he began his active development only after 1947, when most of the enterprises and assets belonging to the businessman who died by that time passed at his disposal. There were rumors that in the period from 1950 to 1966, the Ford Foundation was used by the US CIA for political intervention and destabilization of the situation in the countries of Eastern Europe. However, despite all the accusations and a thoroughly tarnished reputation, he managed to preserve and even increase most of his assets.

Today, the Ford Foundation is one of the largest charitable non-governmental organizations on the planet, and its representative offices are successfully operating in all parts of the world. Grants and loans are allocated for the implementation of projects aimed at eradicating poverty and eliminating injustice, developing international cooperation and disseminating the achievements of mankind.

6. J. Paul Getty Trust

The J. S. Kennedy Foundation is a foundation that has been found Paula Getty is the richest private art organization in the world, with assets estimated at $7.7 billion. The Trust operates one of America's most famous museums, with more than 1.6 million visitors a year. No less attention is paid by the management of the organization to the support of various cultural organizations, the development of library and archival funds, the implementation of the publishing program.

The Getty Trust also has a Getty Research Institute located in California. He is engaged in in-depth study of the theory of fine arts, organizes a variety of exhibitions, publishes electronic books. The Getty Institute for Nature Conservation specializes in the global promotion of environmental practices, the preservation of historical and cultural heritage, participates in long-term educational programs.

7. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation is a charitable foundation in the UAE established to address social issues such as unemployment and illiteracy. The organization plans to ensure the UAE's leading position in the field of humanitarian activities at the local, regional and global levels.

The ruler of Dubai announced the creation of the fund in May 2007, allocating $ 10 billion for the development of education in Arab countries. This charitable donation has become one of the largest in the history of our planet. Sheikh Mohammed is confident that by joint efforts, regional authorities will be able to bridge the gap between the Arab world and developed Western countries, create new jobs and reduce poverty. Today, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation ranks seventh in the list of the largest charitable foundations.

8. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is one of the most prominent and successful philanthropic institutions in the United States. The activities of this private foundation are focused exclusively on health and health. His mission is to improve "the health of all Americans." It has $11 billion in assets at its disposal, and the total amount of grants and loans reaches $ 500 billion a year.

The founders of the fund are convinced that the competent use of the resources available to mankind can bring serious economic and social benefits to society. Since its foundation, the organization has built its charitable activities on the basis of a continuous cycle of research and practical application of the knowledge gained.

9. Li Ka Shing Foundation

Li Ka Shing Foundation is a charitable organization founded in 1980 by Hong Kong entrepreneur Lee Ka-shing. As of 2015, the fund ranked second among private non-governmental enterprises in terms of assets.

According to Lee Ka-shing, he perceives the organization he founded as a "third son", to whom he plans to leave a third of his capital as a legacy. The entrepreneur is particularly active in supporting projects that promote social progress by increasing access to quality education, health services and research, promoting cultural diversity and community participation. He also strongly encourages the reform of education in Asian countries, believing that this can contribute to positive and sustainable changes in society at the regional level.

10. The Church Commissioners for England

The Church Commissioners for England is a British foundation that supports the work of the Church of England. It was founded in 1947. England's church commissioners promote a "Christian approach to ethical and responsible investment"."

The Church Commissioners for England have investment assets in the amount of 9.2 billion pounds. The organization directs all profits to the implementation of missionary projects, the development of church dioceses in developing countries, the payment of pensions and salaries to clergymen.

11. William and Flora Hewlett Foundation 

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation is a family affair of the Hewlett spouses, the owners of Hewlett-Packard, who invested in it not only most of the capital they have, but also a piece of their own soul. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation is engaged in providing financial and administrative support to the global health system, developing education, providing assistance to people with HIV infection, and protecting the environment.

The foundation began its activities in San Francisco, today its representative offices operate in more than 50 countries around the world.

Its largest projects are: the National Campaign to Prevent Teenage and Unplanned Pregnancy, the International Planned Parenthood Federation Worldwide Inc, the Center for Global Development, etc.

12. Kamehameha Schools

Kamehameha Schools (KS) is a private charitable foundation established in 1887, according to the will of Princess Bernice Pauaha Bishop, the great-granddaughter and last direct descendant of King Kamehameha I. The mission of the foundation is to improve the well-being of Hawaiians by opening up free access to education for them.

The school includes several educational campuses located on the largest islands of the Hawaiian archipelago. The number of students exceeds 7,000 thousand people, while among them there are many older people. Kamehameha Schools employs about 2300 pedagogical and administrative staff who come as part of a charitable mission from Europe, the USA, Canada, and Russia.

13. Lilly Endowment

Lilly Endowment is a fairly narrowly focused trust that annually allocates millions of dollars for the development of healthcare, education and science. When allocating grates, preference is given to projects implemented in the territory of the US state of Indiana.

The founder of Lilly Endowment is a major pharmaceutical tycoon J. S. Miller. C. Lilly Sr., whose philanthropic activities were actively supported by his sons and heirs. Throughout its history, the organization has sought to support religious and educational goals by "nurturing the spirit, character, and intellect" of American society.

In mid-March 2022, Lilly Endowment announced support and funding for a number of new projects focused on business and entrepreneurship, education, health and well-being, employment, racial equality in housing and homeownership, and economic mobility.

14. W. K. Kellogg Foundation

The WK Kellogg Foundation is an American charitable organization that finances global projects to improve the well-being and health of children. Founded in 1930, by entrepreneur W.C. Kellogg, who is the owner of an international concern for the production of breakfast cereals.

The WK Kellogg Foundation is headquartered in Michigan. Therefore, the foundation provides the greatest support to projects aimed at testing hearing and vision, immunization of children and adolescents living in Michigan rural communities. In the past few years, the organization has also become a participant in charitable programs in Brazil, Mexico and southern African countries.

15. Robert Bosch Foundation

Robert Bosch Stiftung is one of the largest foundations in Europe related to private charitable activities. The Trust was founded by the will of Robert Bosch, who died in 1942. Every year it finances over 800 projects in the fields of health, education, culture, natural sciences and humanities.

Today, the Foundation manages the Robert Bosch Hospital (Stuttgart), the Research Institute for Clinical Pharmacology, and the Institute for the History of Medicine. Since 2014, the Robert Bosch Multidisciplinary Academy has been operating in Berlin, where talented students from all over Europe study. Each year, the organization pays three major cash prizes for the co-production of films to young German filmmakers and their partners from Arab countries.

16. Garfield Weston Foundation

The Garfield Weston Foundation is registered in the United Kingdom of Great Britain. The founder of the organization is a Canadian businessman W. Garfield Weston. During his lifetime, he was personally or through companies belonging to him dealing with a wide range of humanitarian problems.

The head office of the foundation is located in London, its representative offices and branches operate in many countries of the world. Since 2021, the Garfield Weston Foundation has focused on funding and supporting global life sciences research, programs aimed at protecting the environment and the environment.

Over the past 25 years, annual donations to the fund have grown from £1 million to £30 million. According to the statements of its leaders, during its existence, the organization has allocated grants and loans totaling 680 million pounds.

17. David and Lucile Packard Foundation

The David and Lucille Packard Foundation is an American private organization established in 1964. After the death of David Packard in 1996, the trust became the beneficiary of most of the businessman's fortune.

The foundation's goal is to "improve the lives of children, families and communities, and to restore and protect our planet." His charitable activities are carried out in four main areas: nature conservation; reproductive health; family and children; local projects.

18. John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

The MacArthur Foundation is one of the oldest charitable foundations in the United States, founded in 1978. Today he is active in 60 countries around the world. Over the years of its existence, the organization has paid out awards, prizes and grants in the amount of $ 4 billion.

The main programme areas of the MacArthur Foundation are:

• global security and sustainability;
• human and social development;
• "genius grants";
• peace and security.

Individuals, various non-profit organizations, cultural and art institutions can receive the support of the fund.

19. The Pew Charitable Trusts

The Pew Charitable Trust is an independent, non-profit trust established in 1948 by the Pew family. Initially, he was solely concerned with providing anonymous donations. However, over time, the policy of the organization has changed. And if her early priorities included medical research in oncology and assistance to the American Red Cross, today the main emphasis is on working with environmental problems. The Pew Charitable Trust successfully cooperates with the leading "green" NGOs of the planet, is one of the main sponsors of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

20. Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation is an American foundation created by the co-founder of Intel IT Corporation Gordon E. Moore and his wife Betty E. Moore, in the fall of 2000. Its task is to financially support environmental projects, scientific research, programs in the field of health.

According to available information, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation annually allocates more than $ 48 million in grants. In the past few years, preference has been given to large interdisciplinary studies that can eventually lead to serious discoveries that can improve the quality of life of mankind.

21. Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation

The Knuth and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (KAW) is a Swedish charitable organization created by the Wallenbergs. It was created to support scientific and practical research in the field of medicine, technology and natural sciences. It was founded in 1917. For more than a century of history, KAW has supported several dozen large-scale projects that have managed to lead to real scientific breakthroughs.

These days, grants are allocated in two key categories:

1. Research projects;
2. Financing of talented scientists and young researchers.

The Foundation also regularly acts as an initiator of strategic projects and scholarship programs.

22. Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is a private foundation founded in 1969 in the United States. The president of the organization is the poet and playwright Elizabeth Alexander, who is positive about the financing of various projects and start-ups in the field of art.

Mellon also has his own research group, which specializes in studying social problems related to obtaining vocational education in the United States, the formation of library and archival funds, and the organization of communications in the modern scientific community. The amount of donations in favor of Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is in the amount of 5-6 billion dollars, the amount of annual grants is 300 million dollars.

23. The MasterCard Foundation

The MasterCard Foundation is an independent private foundation based in Toronto, Canada. It was established in 2006. Today, official representative offices and branches of the organization operate in 49 countries of the world. Since 2019, the company has been actively implementing the Young Africa Works strategy aimed at increasing access to financial services and youth training in Africa. The Fund also participates in programs aimed at reducing economic and gender inequalities, improving the quality of education and medical services.

24. William Penn Foundation

The William Penn Foundation was established in Philadelphia in 1945. A private charitable foundation finances mainly environmental projects implemented in the territory of the US state of Pennsylvania. Annual donations to the organization exceed $2.2 billion. To date, the fund is among the five richest benefactors in the United States. He regularly awards multimillion-dollar grants aimed at the overall improvement of the quality of life and well-being of the American people. The William Penn Foundation cooperates with all major environmental organizations on the planet.

25.The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust is a private trust that finances a variety of projects in the field of medicine, education, ecology and environmental protection. Most of the organization's program is concentrated in New York, while its assets include participation in several breakthrough global initiatives. In 2020-2021, about 60% of the fund's annual grants are aimed at supporting medical projects. The remaining 40% is divided between educational and environmental programs. The volume of donations of the trust exceeds $ 2 billion.

26. Tulsa Community Foundation

The Tulsa Community Foundation (TCF) is one of the most prominent public foundations in the United States. Its headquarters are in Oklahoma. It was founded in 1998 by banker, oilman and philanthropist of Tulsa George Kaiser. Over the years, the organization has allocated about $ 580 billion for government and local charitable projects. Up until 2015, the TCF was considered America's most influential public organization. However, due to criticism and numerous negative comments from the press, which accused the management of the foundation of trying to influence local authorities, the reputation of the Tulsa Community Foundation has suffered somewhat, and development has seriously slowed down.

27. The California Endowment

The California Foundation is a large non-profit public organization incorporated in California in 1996. Now The California Endowment positions itself as the largest charitable organization in the United States, which has assets of three billion dollars. The main activity of the fund is information propaganda in the field of healthcare. At the same time, in recent years, the organization has been paying a lot of attention to projects related to immigration, education, abortion, and gender social changes.

For example, one of the latest programs of the California Foundation was the provision of financial support to business owners from among sexual minorities.

28. Rockefeller Foundation

The Rockefeller Foundation is a private American foundation created by the richest family in the United States, in May 1913. As of the beginning of 2022, it is in the TOP-40 of the largest charitable organizations in terms of the amount of grants allocated. According to press estimates, the fund has assets at its disposal in the amount of $ 4.1 billion. It is noteworthy that it was the Rockefellers who allocated the first grant to support the international Red Cross. Over its 100-year history, the Rockefeller Foundation has managed to earn the image of a pioneer, funding revolutionary initiatives and research in various spheres of human life.

Conclusion

Charity every year becomes more and more popular not only among millionaires and billionaires, but also among ordinary citizens. If you do not have enough free time for volunteer work, but are eager to help, the most reasonable solution will be to find a reliable and responsible charitable foundation to which you can donate even a small amount of money, and the organization independently decides where and for what purposes to send the collected money.