International Grantmaking: An Advisor’s Guide to Global Giving

National Philanthropic Trust (NPT) regularly receives outreach from advisors working with clients who want to know more about conducting effective international philanthropy through a donor-advised fund (DAF). Whether your client is investigating this topic for the first time or is a long-time supporter of specific international organizations, working with NPT can help your clients find answers and deeper insights, and potentially take advantage of a more streamlined approach to giving across borders.

Growth Patterns and Trends in International Grantmaking  

Overall interest in international support has risen significantly over the past few years, on a range of topics. For example, according to the Council on Foundations, between 2020 and 2021, over half of all international grants focused on the Coronavirus response, including health, vaccine access, and economic relief.  More recently, Giving USA reports that donors gave more than $35 billion to internationally focused nonprofits in 2024, up 18% over the previous year.

Donors make international grants for a variety of reasons. There may be a long-time personal connection to their home country or community. They may be motivated by a recent natural disaster or humanitarian crisis. Their cultural curiosity may lead to new perspectives. Most notably, I will speak with advisors working with clients who have been engaged in global giving for many years but have not explored DAFs as a potential vehicle to support cross-border philanthropy. This growing awareness speaks to an opportunity to streamline processes for clients and increase the impact of their charitable intent.

Part of the unique value that an NPT DAF provides is a mix of financial services acumen, due diligence, and philanthropic expertise. Our Philanthropic Consulting team can facilitate smart giving, providing topic-specific insight and data to better inform your clients’ grantmaking activity. In aggregate, the numbers bear this out: In 2024, NPT donors supported causes and nonprofits working in 61 countries around the world, and the total value of International grantmaking has increased more than 250% compared to five years ago.

Support Clients in Their International Giving Efforts – Resources

As international support continues to be an avenue of increasing interest for donors and NGOs, advisors play a key role in providing guidance. Should your clients reach out with questions on international grantmaking, keep this list of resources handy to inform your discussions:

The Fundamentals of International Grantmaking from a Donor-Advised Fund: An expert guide answering the most frequently asked questions when it comes to the basics of international grantmaking.

Tips for Global Giving: These three invaluable toolkits provide insights into donor research, meeting the requirements of international grantmaking, and giving internationally with illiquid and complex assets. 

NPT UK and NPT Transatlantic: Discover more about NPT’s affiliate organizations that support the philanthropic goals of UK-based donors and those with dual UK/US Taxpayers, respectively.

Important Things to Know When Giving Globally: From meeting the requirements of international granting to considering the benefits of unrestricted grantmaking and recurring gifts, this is a helpful reminder for any donor with an international portfolio.

How NPT Conducts Grantmaking Due Diligence, and How to Avoid Charity Scams: With millions lost each year to fraudulent charities, especially in the wake of disasters and crises both nationally and abroad, a reminder of the intrinsic value and need for due diligence.

Get In Touch For More

With over 20 years of experience providing international grantmaking support for both donors and advisors, NPT is ready to help. Contact us at (888) 878-7900 or npt@nptrust.org with any questions.