Global Philanthropy Tracker

The 2023 GPT, the 11th edition of the index, bridges the gap between an increasing need for philanthropy and the lack of knowledge about the scope of cross-border giving.

View the 2023 Global Philanthropy Tracker

Countries covered in the 2023 GPT

The 47 countries represented in the 2023 GPT report cover every world region and varying levels of economic development. They represent a combined 61 percent of the world population and 85 percent of the world’s total gross domestic product (GDP).

In the report, the countries and the data are grouped by income level as defined by the World Bank‘s measure of gross national income (GNI). Using GNI allows for a more holistic view on the countries, accounting for factors such as quality of life and school enrollment. Such social factors can have an effect on an individual’s propensity to give. 

Total Cross-Border Resources

In total, the countries covered by the 2023 GPT contributed USD 70 billion in philanthropic outflows in 2020. When combined with ODA, remittances, and private capital investment, the total rises to USD 841 billion. The largest portion of this money comes from the high-income countries, which contributed about 95 percent of the total amount measured.

Outflows by Cause and Recipient Region

Among the countries with data available on supported charitable causes, education and health were the most supported causes, consistent with the findings in the 2020 report. These two causes directly align with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) number 4 (Quality Education) and 3 (Global Health and Well-Being), respectively. However, a majority of countries do not detail how giving to certain causes aligns with the SDGs.

In terms of the geographic destination of donations, Africa was the most supported region among the countries with available data. This top destination has remained constant since 2018, with Asia also remaining a top recipient of cross-border philanthropy. Meanwhile, Europe has seen an increase in the number of countries sending cross-border donations to the continent.

For information on further changes since 2018 and potential future trends, please visit the Trends & Themes page