Development Co-operation Profiles

John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

Introduction

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is a US-based independent foundation with offices in India and Nigeria. The foundation was established in 1978, initially endowed by John D. MacArthur’s bequest.

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation supports creative people, effective institutions, and influential networks building a more just, verdant and peaceful world. The MacArthur Foundation is placing a few big bets that truly significant progress is possible on some of the world’s most pressing social challenges, including advancing global climate solutions, decreasing nuclear risk, promoting local justice reform in the U.S., and reducing corruption in Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria. In addition to the MacArthur Fellows Program and the global 100&Change competition, the Foundation continues its historic commitments to the role of journalism in a responsive democracy and the vitality of the headquarters city, Chicago.

Private development finance

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation provided USD 102.4 million for development in 2022. Compared to 2021, this amount represents a decrease of 21.4% in real terms. Grants represented 91.2% of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s gross disbursements, while the remainder was extended in the form of equity investments.

 

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Support to Ukraine

In 2022, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation provided USD 0.3 million of gross development finance to Ukraine to respond to the impacts of Russia’s war of aggression.

Bilateral and multilateral allocations

In 2022, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation channelled its development finance mostly through non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society (USD 79.5 million) and universities, research institutes or think-tanks (USD 12.9 million).

 

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Multilateral channels

In 2022, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation provided USD 1.1 million to the multilateral system, representing 1.1% of its development finance. All of these were earmarked for specific countries, regions, themes, or purposes. These contributions were channelled through the United Nations and the World Bank Group.

 

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The United Nations (UN) system received USD 750 thousand from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in 2022 in support of activities of UNODC.

 

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Civil society organisations

In 2022, civil society organisations (CSOs) received USD 79.5 million of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s gross bilateral finance. Of this, 20% was allocated to CSOs as core support, while 80% was earmarked to specific projects or programmes. The Foundation’s support to CSOs was evenly distributed across international, donor country-based and developing country-based 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 John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s development finance was primarily focused on Africa and Asia (excluding the Middle East). USD 33.3 million was allocated to Africa and USD 16.6 million to Asia (excluding the Middle East), accounting respectively for 32.5% and 16.2% of gross bilateral development finance. A sum of USD 30.9 million (30.1%) was unspecified by region in 2022, mainly including multi-regional programmes, core support and research grants.

Figure. Bilateral private development finance by recipient country

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In 2022, 60.1% of gross development finance went to the top 10 recipients, most notably Nigeria and India.

 

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Least developed countries (LDCs) and other low-income countries (LICs) received USD 4.4 million (4.3%) of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s gross disbursements in 2022. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation allocated the largest share (41.1%) of its development finance to lower middle-income countries in 2022, followed by upper middle-income countries (17.4%), noting that USD 38 million (37.1%) 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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Furthermore, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation allocated USD 1.3 million of its development finance to land-locked developing countries in 2022.

Fragile contexts

Support to fragile contexts reached USD 35.1 million in 2022, representing 34.3% of John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur 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, 61.9% of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s commitments were allocated to social infrastructure and services and 26.4% to economic infrastructure and services. In terms of sectors, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s largest allocations were allocated to support government and civil society, energy and financial and business services.

 

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Sustainable Development Goals

In 2022, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation committed the largest shares of its contributions to peace, justice and strong institutions (SDG 16), reduced inequalities (SDG 10) and partnerships for the goals (SDG 17) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Support to gender equality and women’s empowerment amounted to USD 7 million, while contributions to combatting climate change totalled USD 23.5 million.

 

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Additional resources

Official website: www.macfound.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.