The Foundation Center and the International Human Rights Funders Group have partnered to create the first data-driven portrait of how foundations are advancing human rights around the world. The MacArthur-supported report reveals that over 12,000 human rights grants, made by 703 funders, supported more than 6,800 organizations worldwide and amounted to $1.2 billion in 2010. The findings, based on data analysis and interviews with funders, highlight human rights grantmaking in 10 overarching areas of activity, including access to justice and equality before the law, sexual and reproductive rights, and freedom from violence. Better data on the state of human rights funding can help grantmakers identify gaps, improve coordination between donors, facilitate more strategic grantmaking, and encourage new funders to enter the field.
