Funding to non-UK universities by the UK’s top 100 foundations

The Association of Charitable Foundations (ACF) publishes each year its Giving Trends index of the UK’s top 300 foundations. The ACF is the membership association for foundations and grant-making charities in the UK, and it matters because it represents the interests of around 400 member institutions which, collectively, hold assets of around £67bn and give – according to its research - over £2.9bn annually. Its Giving Trends index provides a picture of giving among the UK’s leading philanthropic, family and corporate foundations. The Giving Trends index of the top 300 foundations is important because they contribute two-fifths (42%) of the total amount of grant spending carried out through all UK charitable foundations. They are also influential in setting the tone and pattern of philanthropic funding in the UK.

• According to our study of Britain’s top 100 grant-giving foundations and trusts, as listed in the ACF’s Giving Trends 2019 reveals that 188 non-UK universities have received £400.9m over the past six years.

• British foundation funding to international universities is dominated by the UK’s largest foundation, The Wellcome Trust. It gave £206.4m (51% of all international funding to non-UK universities) to 140 non-UK universities over the past six years.

• Funding from the top 100 foundations to international universities has steadily increased over the past six years. In 2014, £43.4m was shared between 51 universities; by 2019, that figure was £56.1m shared between 73 non-UK universities.

• While overall disbursements have notably declined in 2019 compared to the previous two years (2018: £79.4m; 2017: £99.0m), the number of non-UK universities receiving funding is at its highest, pointing to the increased internationalisation of UK university philanthropy.

• The decline in non-UK university giving in the past three years reflects a reported decline in giving by the ACF in its 2019 Giving Trends, which the association attributes to “tensions in international trade, UK economic uncertainty due to the decision to leave the EU, and the destabilising effect of global politics”.

• North America is the preferred region for UK foundation university giving (37.7%), followed by Africa (18.5%) and Europe (16.7%).

• The most popular destinations for UK giving are all English-language countries. US universities receive the largest amount of UK university philanthropy. 45 American institutions shared £146.6m between 2014-19.

• Australian universities are next: 10 institutions received £40.4m (10.1% of all UK university philanthropy).

• Nine South African universities received £34.3m (8.5%) while 10 universities in Eire received £29.0m (7.2%) putting it in fourth place.

• Europe is the home to the largest number of institutions receiving UK philanthropy. 49 universities shared £66.8m.

• Giving to European institutions has jumped markedly since before the Brexit referendum in 2016. In 2014, 10 universities received £4.1m. In 2019, 19 European universities shared £14.5m in funding.

• Ireland (#1), Belgium (#2), Germany (#3), France (#4) and the Netherlands (#5) are the preferred European countries for UK university philanthropy.

• The top five funders of non-UK universities are:

  • Wellcome Trust (£206.4m)

  • Arcadia Fund (£53.2m)

  • Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (£35.4m)

  • Aga Khan Foundation (£26.3m)

  • AKO Foundation (£22.5m)

• The top five recipients of UK philanthropy are:

  • Monash University, Australia (£33.9m – funded by Wellcome)

  • Yale University, United States (£27.2m – funded primarily by Arcadia)

  • University of Pennsylvania, United States (£21.7m – funded primarily by AKO Foundation)

  • Aga Khan University, Pakistan (£24.3m – funded by the Aga Khan Foundation)

  • University of Cape Town, South Africa (£19.2m – multiple sources)