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    • NGOs

    Major foundation pauses grants to US, citing unclear policy changes

    In a move likely to rattle global NGOs, one of the world’s largest foundations halts U.S. funding over policy uncertainty.

    By Jesse Chase-Lubitz // 10 October 2025
    The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, one of the world’s largest philanthropic organizations focused on improving the lives of children, announced it will no longer fund U.S.-based nonprofits, citing uncertainty over the U.S. policy environment for foreign funders. In a statement released Friday, CIFF said its board had decided “as a precautionary measure” to redirect funding and restructure contracts away from U.S. NGOs until the “applicable laws and rules, and the execution of them, are made clearer by relevant authorities.” The foundation emphasized that it remains committed to its global mission and will continue to scale its work through non-U.S. partners. While CIFF does not break down its giving by country, in 2024, it gave $12.7 million to the Rockefeller Foundation; $7.3 million to PATH Foundation; $7.1 million to Piramal Foundation USA; and $6 million to The Carter Center. Its total grants added up to $640 million in 2024. CIFF declined to provide further comment to Devex upon request. “This is a deeply sobering signal: major funders are stepping back from life-saving and life-improving work because of policy uncertainty,” the CEO of an organization that received a termination notice told Devex. “First USAID, now this -- organizations are left feeling there is no safe harbor for sustaining critical missions. For grantees, the risks that would warrant such an abrupt end were never made clear. A more responsible approach would have included longer notice and time for leaders and communities to plan a thoughtful transition.” The decision signals growing unease among foreign foundations about regulatory ambiguity in the United States, particularly around cross-border philanthropy and foreign funding compliance. While CIFF did not specify which U.S. policies prompted the move, legal experts say recent shifts in enforcement and increased scrutiny under laws governing foreign influence and tax compliance may be driving the caution. CIFF, founded by British hedge fund billionaire Chris Hohn, has long worked with major U.S. development and advocacy groups on issues ranging from child health to climate change. The foundation disburses much of its finances through partnerships that channel funds overseas. The move could have significant implications for the development and climate sectors, where CIFF has been a key donor to American NGOs operating globally. Organizations that rely on CIFF’s support may now face disruptions or be forced to establish non-U.S. entities to maintain funding streams. “First of likely several (nervous) dominoes to drop," Nathaniel Heller, executive vice president at Global Impact Ventures, wrote on LinkedIn. “This will also have ripple effects on fiscal sponsors in the US that accept CIFF funds on behalf of sponsored projects & programs.” For now, CIFF says its priority is ensuring that they are “fully compliant” with the rules and regulations in the countries where it operates while maintaining its impact on vulnerable children worldwide.

    The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, one of the world’s largest philanthropic organizations focused on improving the lives of children, announced it will no longer fund U.S.-based nonprofits, citing uncertainty over the U.S. policy environment for foreign funders.

    In a statement released Friday, CIFF said its board had decided “as a precautionary measure” to redirect funding and restructure contracts away from U.S. NGOs until the “applicable laws and rules, and the execution of them, are made clearer by relevant authorities.” The foundation emphasized that it remains committed to its global mission and will continue to scale its work through non-U.S. partners.

    While CIFF does not break down its giving by country, in 2024, it gave $12.7 million to the Rockefeller Foundation; $7.3 million to PATH Foundation; $7.1 million to Piramal Foundation USA; and $6 million to The Carter Center. Its total grants added up to $640 million in 2024.

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    Read more:

    ► Trump's 'America First' global health plan sidelines NGOs

    ► Opinion: Foreign agent laws are spreading like wildfire and crippling NGOs

    ► Trump’s scrutiny of nonprofits escalates, with Soros’ OSF at the center

    • Humanitarian Aid
    • Funding
    • Democracy, Human Rights & Governance
    • Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF)
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    About the author

    • Jesse Chase-Lubitz

      Jesse Chase-Lubitz

      Jesse Chase-Lubitz covers climate change and multilateral development banks for Devex. She previously worked at Nature Magazine, where she received a Pulitzer grant for an investigation into land reclamation. She has written for outlets such as Al Jazeera, Bloomberg, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, and The Japan Times, among others. Jesse holds a master’s degree in Environmental Policy and Regulation from the London School of Economics.

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