Development Co-operation Profiles

“La Caixa” Banking Foundation

Introduction

The “la Caixa” Banking Foundation is a charitable foundation based in Spain. Established in 2014, it builds upon the charitable activities of its predecessors, which have gone back more than 115 years.

The “la Caixa” Banking Foundation contributes towards the progress and equality of people, especially those most in need. It focuses on programmes that transform society, such as those that fight against child poverty and social exclusion, that foster employment and help improve the living conditions of the most vulnerable.

Private development finance

The “la Caixa” Banking Foundation provided USD 22.7 million for development in 2022 through its grantmaking activities. Compared to 2021, this amount represents an increase of 19.8% in real terms.

 

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Support to Ukraine

In 2022, the “la Caixa” Banking Foundation provided USD 1.8 million of gross development finance to Ukraine to respond to the impacts of Russia’s war of aggression. An additional USD 1.8 million was granted in support of Ukrainian refugees and asylum seekers in neighbouring countries.

Bilateral and multilateral allocations

In 2022, the “la Caixa” Banking Foundation channelled its development finance through non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society (USD 17.9 million) and multilateral organisations (USD 4.8 million).

 

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Multilateral channels

In 2022, the “la Caixa” Banking Foundation provided USD 4.8 million to the multilateral system, representing 21% of its development finance, all of which was earmarked for specific countries, regions, themes or purposes. These multilateral contributions were provided to the United Nations (UN) system and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

 

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The UN entities received USD 3.2 million from the “la Caixa” Banking Foundation in 2022, accounting of 66.3% of its multilateral contributions. These contributions were provided to UNHCR (USD 2.1 million) and UNICEF (USD 1.1 million).

 

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Civil society organisations

In 2022, civil society organisations (CSOs) received USD 17.9 million of the “la Caixa” Banking Foundation’s gross development finance. Of this, 63.6% was allocated to CSOs as core support, while the remaining 36.4% was earmarked for specific projects or programmes. Almost all these contributions were provided to NGOs in donor countries.

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 “la Caixa” Banking Foundation’s development finance was primarily focused on Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean. USD 11.6 million was allocated to Africa and USD 6.3 million to Latin America and the Caribbean, accounting for 51.2% and 27.7% of gross development finance respectively. A sum of USD 1.8 million (8.1%) was unspecified by region in 2022, primarily including support of refugees and asylum-seekers in donor countries.

Figure. Bilateral private development finance by recipient country

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In 2022, 46.4% of gross development finance went to the top 10 recipients, most notably Ethiopia, Ukraine, Mozambique, Peru and Sierra Leone.

 

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Least developed countries (LDCs) received USD 8.7 million (38.4%) of the “la Caixa” Banking Foundation’s gross disbursements in 2022, followed by upper middle-income countries (27.4%), noting that USD 1.8 million (8.1%) 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 “la Caixa” Banking Foundation allocated USD 4.2 million of its development finance to land-locked developing countries in 2022, and USD 1.1 million to small island developing states (SIDS) in 2022, such as Belize, Saint Lucia and Guyana.

Fragile contexts

Support to fragile contexts reached USD 10.7 million in 2022, representing 47.3% of the “la Caixa” Banking Foundation’s development finance. Of these, extremely fragile contexts received a sum of USD 585 thousand.

 

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, 82% of the “la Caixa” Banking Foundation’s contributions were allocated to social infrastructure and services, mostly education (USD 11.6 million) and population and health (USD 4.2 million). Humanitarian assistance amounted to USD 1.8 million.

 

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Sustainable Development Goals

In 2022, the “la Caixa” Banking Foundation committed the largest shares of its contributions to reduced inequalities (SDG 10), quality education (SDG 4) and good health and well-being (SDG 3) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Support for gender equality and women’s empowerment amounted to USD 1.4 million.

 

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Additional resources

Official website: https://lacaixafoundation.org/en

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.