Development Co-operation Profiles

Jacobs Foundation

Introduction

The Jacobs Foundation is a charitable foundation based in Switzerland, established in 1989 by Klaus J. Jacobs and his family.

The Jacobs Foundation is one of the world’s leading foundations that facilitates innovation for children and youth. The foundation wants to co-create evidence-based ideas for learning, support schools in offering quality education and sharing best practices and transform education systems worldwide. The Jacobs Foundation aims to provide children and youth with effective knowledge, skills, tools and equitable opportunities to reach their full learning potential and thrive together.

Private development finance

The Jacobs Foundation provided USD 22.9 million for development in 2022 through its grantmaking activities. Compared to 2021, this amount represents a decrease of 39.4% in real terms.

 

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Bilateral and multilateral allocations

In 2022, the Jacobs Foundation channelled its development finance mostly through non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society (USD 10.5 million), multilateral organisations (USD 5.4 million), public partner partnerships (PPPs), networks and the private sector (USD 5.2 million).

 

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Multilateral channels

In 2022, the Jacobs Foundation provided USD 5.4 million to the multilateral system, representing 23.8% of its development finance, all of which was earmarked for specific countries, regions, themes or purposes. These contributions were provided by the United Nations (UN) entities and the International Finance Facility for Education.

 

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The UN system received USD 4.2 million from Jacobs Foundation in 2022, accounting for 76.9%. UNICEF received all of this funding.

 

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Civil society organisations

In 2022, civil society organisations (CSOs) received USD 10.5 million of the Jacobs Foundation’s gross development finance, all of which earmarked for specific projects or programmes. These contributions were primarily provided to developing country-based and international NGOs.

Learn more about the DAC Recommendation on Enabling Civil Society in Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Aid.

 

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Geographic and thematic focus

In 2022, the Jacobs Foundation’s development finance was primarily focused on Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean. USD 12.6 million was allocated to Africa and USD 3.5 million to Latin America and the Caribbean, accounting for 55.1% and 15.1% of gross development finance respectively. A sum of USD 6.8 million (29.8%) was unspecified by region in 2022, mainly including multi-regional programmes and research grants.

Figure. Bilateral private development finance by recipient country

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In 2022, 62.6% of gross development finance went to individual recipient countries, namely Ghana, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire and Argentina.

 

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The Jacobs Foundation allocated the largest share (48.5%) of its development finance to lower middle-income countries in 2022, followed by upper middle-income countries (14.2%), noting that USD 8.6 million (37.4%) was unallocated by income group.

 

Notes: LDC: least developed country; LIC: low-income country; LMIC: lower middle-income country; UMIC: upper middle-income country; MADCTs: more advanced developing countries and territories.

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Fragile contexts

Support to fragile contexts reached USD 2.6 million in 2022, representing 11.2% of the Jacobs Foundation’s development finance.

 

Notes: HDP: humanitarian-development-peace. The chart represents only gross bilateral contributions that are allocated by country.

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Learn more about support to fragile contexts on the States of Fragility platform.

Sectors

In 2022, the Jacobs Foundation allocated all its grants to social infrastructure and services, notably education.

 

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Sustainable Development Goals

In 2022, the Jacobs Foundation committed the largest shares of its contributions to quality education (SDG 4), partnerships for the goals (SDG 17) and reduced inequalities (SDG 10) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.

 

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Additional resources

Official website: https://jacobsfoundation.org

The methodological notes provide further details on the definitions and statistical methodologies applied, including core and earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations, the Sustainable Development Goal focus of private development finance, channels of delivery, unspecified/unallocated allocations, the gender equality policy marker, and the environment markers.