--- title: Global Philanthropy Update - October 2026 --- The State of Global Giving 2026 is here! Plus reflections from UNGA 81, upcoming Council events, and growing global funding trends. ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­    ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­   | | | --- | | | | --- | | Greetings Friend, We’re excited to share the 2026 edition of The State of Global Giving by U.S. Foundations, the latest in our nearly three-decade research partnership with Candid. The report covers the years between 2020–2023, with an early look at 2024 — a period shaped by the pandemic, geopolitical uncertainty, and changing priorities. As global challenges become more interconnected, how are donors and foundations responding? Our latest report looks at how U.S. foundations are giving globally, where funding is going, and what's changing. A few findings worth exploring: Global giving is growing: U.S. foundations directed $51.8 billion toward global priorities between 2020 and 2023, $18.4 billion more than in the previous four-year period. Funding priorities are shifting: Our analysis shows how more funding than ever is flowing to global environment and climate change activities. How funding reaches communities matters: Just 14% of global grant dollars went directly to organizations abroad, compared with 54% directed through U.S.-based nonprofits. We take a closer look at these funding channels and the role of intermediaries. More donors are giving globally: U.S. community foundations doubled the share of their giving focused on global priorities, from 4% to 8%. For the first time, we also examined national charitable gift funds, which directed $14.1 billion toward global priorities over four years. Beyond the numbers, we hear directly from funders about the challenges they're facing, how they're adapting, and what they're thinking about for the years ahead. There's much more to explore in our key findings and the full report. Both are available for free. We’ve also built a new home for the Council’s global work: our new Center for Global Grantmaking! The Center brings together our programming, guidance, research, and networks in one place. Funders can find practical resources like our Country Notes and legal and regulatory guidance, learn about upcoming programs and peer groups, and explore new resources like the Global Funder Networks page and Global Philanthropy Glossary. We’re looking forward to building on what’s there with more resources, guidance, and opportunities to connect as the Center grows. We hope you’ll spend some time with the new report and explore our Global Center. And as always, if you have questions about getting involved, joining an upcoming program, or staying connected to this work, you can reach us at engagement@cof.org. Council Updates and Upcoming Events Reflections from UNGA 81 and WINGSForum Over the past few weeks, our Global team joined colleagues at UNGA 81 in New York City and WINGSForum in Montréal. It was great to reconnect and hear what people are carrying into their work right now. At UNGA, our annual Global Foundation CEO Roundtable with Binaifer Nowrojee of the Open Society Foundations and Heather Gerken of the Ford Foundation in a conversation about leading through uncertainty, building resilient institutions, and how philanthropy uses its voice and influence. That energy followed us to Montréal, where WINGSForum’s call to activate, collaborate, and transcend turned the conversation toward local leadership, deeper collaboration, and the networks and infrastructure that make collective action possible. Across both convenings, there was a shared recognition that the strength of this work depends not only on individual institutions, but on how well we connect, learn, and act together. It was wonderful to reconnect with so many members and partners, and we’re grateful to everyone who reached out, joined our conversations, and shared their perspectives. Global Grantmaking Essentials Training Our FINAL Global Grantmaking Essentials training of the year is coming up October 20, 22, and 28. Across three virtual sessions, we’ll cover the practical side of cross-border giving, key regulatory considerations, navigating complex environments to the latest trends shaping global philanthropy, including new data from the 2026 State of Global Giving report. Learn more and register today. Bi-Weekly Global Funder Policy Briefings (Member-Only) Every-other-Friday at 10 a.m. ET, CEOs and senior staff from Council member foundations meet for a brief update on current developments affecting global grantmaking. The conversation includes updates from the Council and our partner, the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC) Our next call will take place on Friday, October 23. Please contact brian.kastner@cof.org for more information. Regional Funder Circles In partnership with the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL), the Council hosts candid peer conversations on the legal, regulatory, and operating trends shaping philanthropy. View all upcoming sessions. Latin America and Caribbean Funder Circle: October 21 at 12:30 p.m. ET. Asia-Pacific Funder Circle: Tuesday, December 8 at 10 a.m. ET. | | --- | | Legal and Regulatory Updates and Resources Global Development in Transition: U.S. Government Updates Court Temporarily Blocks Publication of Foreign Donor Information: A federal judge temporarily blocked the Department of Education from publishing identifying information tied to certain foreign gifts and contracts reported by AAU member universities under Section 117 of the Higher Education Act. The case raises questions about foreign-gift transparency and donor privacy for international funders supporting U.S. colleges and universities. Department of Justice Reinforces FARA Compliance Requirements: The DOJ issued a public reminder that individuals and organizations acting in the U.S. at the direction or control of a foreign government or foreign principal may have obligations under FARA. Foreign funding alone does not trigger FARA - the nature of the relationship and activities matter. Read the Council’s updated FARA guidance for more on what globally engaged foundations and nonprofits should know. State Department Obligates Billions in Foreign Aid Before Fiscal Year-End: The State Department committed more than $4 billion in expiring foreign aid and moved another $2.5 billion into longer-term accounts as part of the USAID closeout. Treasury and IRS Release Proposed Public Policy Doctrine Regulations: Treasury and the IRS proposed new nondiscrimination rules for private schools, colleges, and universities that could affect foundation grants, scholarships, and other education-related funding; no changes take effect yet, and the Council is continuing to assess the implications for philanthropy. Please reach out to govt@cof.org with questions. Congress Raises Concerns About IRS Scrutiny of Tax-Exempt Organizations: Congressional Democrats raised concerns about reports that Treasury and the IRS are investigating certain tax-exempt organizations, including the Open Society Foundations. The Senate passed tax administration reform legislation aimed at modernizing the IRS; the package included language strengthening nonprofits’ right to appeal the revocation of tax-exempt status. OFAC Updates Cuba and Mexico Sanctions: OFAC expanded Cuba-related transaction restrictions to cover certain indirect transactions and separately sanctioned additional individuals and entities in Mexico linked to the Sinaloa Cartel. Both updates may affect sanctions screening for funders and organizations working in these countries. Read the updated Cuba guidance and Mexico sanctions announcement. Global Legal and Regulatory Updates India’s FCRA Amendment Bill Moves Forward in Parliament: India formally constituted a Joint Parliamentary Committee on September 3, 2026, to review proposed amendments to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act. The bill remains pending and includes provisions that could affect foreign-funded assets and organizations receiving international support. Read the Council’s newly updated FCRA guidance. Nicaragua’s Constitutional Reform Raises New Foreign Funding Concerns: A constitutional reform from September would expand government authority over foreign funding and political activity. The measure needs a second approval but is another sign of tighter rules around foreign resources. Malaysia’s AML Enforcement Affects Civil Society Operations: Recent enforcement under Malaysia’s anti-money laundering (AML) and counterterrorism laws has included bank-account freezes and other restrictions affecting civil society organizations, raising concerns about access to banking and the ability to move funds. Sri Lanka Government Holds Back Proposed NGO Law: Sri Lanka has paused plans to move forward with a proposed NGO law that would significantly expand government oversight of civil society and organizations receiving foreign funding. The draft remains under discussion following concerns about registration requirements, government monitoring, and access to foreign funding. Additional News and Resources Fundamedios and Thomson Reuters Foundation: How Civil Society Can Counter the Rise of Legal Restrictions Across Latin America Philea: Unrestricted Funding: A Practical Guide for Funders CAF: World Giving Report 2026 ICNL: U.S. Center for Nonprofit Law Opinions expressed in these articles belong to the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Council. | | --- | | Updated Country Notes We’ve updated the Council’s Country Notes for Brazil, Ethiopia, the Philippines, and Vietnam reflecting recent changes in foreign funding regulations, compliance requirements, and the broader operating environment for nonprofits. | | --- | | | | --- | | Keep in Touch! Share your organization’s impact story with us at engagement@cof.org. View this email as a web page. | | --- | | Shared purpose. Collective voice. Greater impact. 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