Gates Foundation’s top 10 emergency response grant winners

Since its inception, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has expanded its focus from health and poverty alleviation to other areas, such as education, agriculture, and development policy. In 2021, its total funding amounted to $6.7 billion — more than the contribution of 10 Development Assistance Committee member countries, including Italy, Canada, and Sweden. Among its priorities is emergency response — an area under its Global Development program — with grants focused on supporting relief efforts and humanitarian assistance to communities affected by disasters, disease outbreaks, political conflicts, and other emergencies. In over two decades, the foundation has awarded $498.5 million to 96 organizations based in 29 countries for a total of 536 emergency response grants. From $3.5 million in 1999, funding increased to $18.1 million in 2021. The biggest spending was in 2014, worth $55 million. As of August, Gates Foundation has awarded 13 grants in 2022, worth $8.9 million. Where did the money go? Over the last 23 years, the lion’s share of the foundation’s money went to U.S.-based organizations — $330.9 million, or 66.4%. Of this, $212.7 million, or 64.3%, went to eight organizations that are also among the overall top 10 grantees: CARE USA, United States Fund for UNICEF, International Medical Corps, International Rescue Committee, Save the Children USA, Mercy Corps, Oxfam America, and Catholic Relief Services. Switzerland ranked next, with $68.4 million. The bulk of Gates Foundation money, or 60.3%, went to the World Health Organization. Other top countries include Italy, with $20 million; Thailand, with $16 million; and El Salvador, with $10.5 million. More than a quarter of the foundation’s emergency response allocation, worth $130.7 million, went to global projects. This includes improving maternal, newborn, and child health and nutrition, strengthening existing capacity in calamity response, and delivering humanitarian assistance to communities affected by disasters or conflicts. Among the countries, $18.8 million went to emergency response in Sudan, $14.9 million to the Democratic Republic of Congo, and $14.6 million to Nigeria. Top 10 emergency response grant winners The top grantees implemented a total of 307 grants, worth $275.8 million — accounting for 55.3% of Gates’ total funding. Eight among them are based in the U.S., while the remaining two are United Nations agencies based in Switzerland. 1. World Health Organization Location: Geneva, Switzerland Total number of grants: 9 Total grant amount: $41.3 million The emergency response grants awarded to the agency ranged from supporting response to Ebola outbreak in Africa, providing aid to victims of earthquakes and severe drought, to carrying out immunization programs. Its biggest award, worth $24.1 million, was given to support its global health goals. WHO’s two-year budget cycle of 2020 and 2021 shows that Gates Foundation was among its top contributors. Gates provided $751 million in total to WHO — not all for emergency response. It was second in the list of contributors behind Germany, which gave $1.27 billion. 2. CARE USA Location: Georgia, U.S.A. Total number of grants: 49 Total grant amount: $39.1 million CARE USA was among the Gates Foundation’s first emergency response grantees. It was awarded $500,000 in 1999 to provide relief to refugees affected by the crisis in Kosovo. Since then, it has received grants for a number of other activities — from delivering assistance to victims of different calamities, providing emergency health assistance, to supporting water and sanitation projects. Its biggest award was for the implementation of a joint emergency capacity building initiative, worth $5.3 million. 3. United States Fund for UNICEF Location: New York Total number of grants: 28 Total grant amount: $35.6 million UNICEF USA was also among the Gates Foundation’s leading grantees, with awards for emergency response, humanitarian assistance, reducing child mortality, and providing support to countries facing outbreaks. In 2014, it was awarded $5 million for emergency response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. 4. International Medical Corps Location: California, U.S. Total number of grants: 31 Total grant amount: $25.3 million A nonprofit established by volunteer doctors and nurses, IMC provides emergency medical services around the world. Its activities include emergency response to countries affected by calamities or outbreaks. Some of its biggest awards are: $2.6 million for emergency relief in Kenya, $1.7 million to assist the victims of Hurricane Matthew in Haiti, and $1.6 million to support health and nutrition activities in Somalia and Ethiopia. 5. International Rescue Committee Location: New York Total number of grants: 36 Total grant amount: $24.6 million An established humanitarian aid organization, IRC won a number of grants ranging from responding to refugee crisis and supporting response to emergency outbreaks, to improving food security in drought-stricken countries. It received $2.5 million in 2010 to provide emergency responders with training and technical support on the safety and security of women and children. 6. Save the Children USA Location: Connecticut, U.S. Total number of grants: 42 Total grant amount: $23.5 million Save the Children USA is among the Gates Foundation’s long-time partner organizations. Its first grants were awarded in 2000, worth a total of $1 million, to support emergency response in Afghanistan, Mozambique, and the Horn of Africa. Its biggest award, worth $1.5 million, was to help preempt famine in Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. 7. Mercy Corps Location: Oregon Total number of grants: 35 Total grant amount: $23.4 million A global humanitarian NGO, Mercy Corps works in a wide-range of sectors including agriculture, climate and environment, nutrition, peace and governance, and water, sanitation, and hygiene. It was awarded $3.2 million in 2008 to support food-insecure communities and increase their resilience to future emergencies. 8. Oxfam America Location: Massachusetts Total number of grants: 34 Total grant amount: $23 million Oxfam America is an affiliate of Oxfam International, a confederation of 21 organizations focused on alleviating global poverty and responding to emergencies. Its biggest grant was awarded in 2012, worth $2.5 million, to reduce morbidity, mortality, and outbreaks caused by fecal-oral contamination in Senegal. 9. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Location: Geneva Total number of grants: 10 Total grant amount: $21.8 million The other U.N. agency in the list, UNHCR has worked with the Gates Foundation on emergency response for over 15 years. It was awarded $10 million in 2006 to facilitate the repatriation of Sudanese refugees. 10. Catholic Relief Services Location: Maryland Total number of grants: 33 Total grant amount: $18.2 million CRS is a humanitarian organization working in more than 100 countries globally. Its biggest grant, worth $2.8 million, provided assistance to households in Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, and Haiti affected by the global food crisis. Try out Devex Pro Funding today with a free five-day trial, and explore funding opportunities from over 850 sources in addition to our analysis and news content.