Development Co-operation Profiles

William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

Introduction

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation is a U.S.-based private foundation established in 1966. The ethos and values inform its approach of its founders, the William R. Hewlett and Flora Lamson Hewlett and their family. The foundation provides grants to a broad range of institutions – from research institutes and multilateral actors to grassroots organisations working on development.

The foundation’s programmes focus on domestic and international issues. Programmes with an international scope include global development and population, education, environment, cyber, and effective philanthropy.

Private development finance

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation provided USD 197.5 million for development in 2022 through its grantmaking activities. Compared to 2021, this amount represents an increase of 0.4% in real terms.

 

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Bilateral and multilateral allocations

In 2022, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation channelled its development finance mostly through non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society (USD 171.9 million), universities, research institutes or think-tanks (USD 17 million) and multilateral organisations (USD 6.1 million).

 

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Multilateral channels

In 2022, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation provided USD 6.1 million to the multilateral system, representing 3.1% of its development finance. All of these were earmarked for specific countries, regions, themes, or purposes. These contributions were mostly channelled to the World Bank Group and, to a lesser extent, UN entities and other multilateral organisations.

 

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Civil society organisations

In 2022, civil society organisations (CSOs) received USD 171.9 million of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation’s gross bilateral finance. Of this, 35.8% was allocated to CSOs as core support, while 64.2% was earmarked to specific projects or programmes. Developing country-based NGOs received USD 44.9 million, accounting for 26.1% of contributions to CSOs, while international NGOs channelled USD 81 million (47.2%).

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 William and Flora Hewlett Foundation’s development finance was primarily focused on Africa and Asia (excluding the Middle East). USD 64.1 million was allocated to Africa and USD 34.2 million to Asia (excluding the Middle East), accounting respectively for 32.5% and 17.3% of gross bilateral development finance. A sum of USD 90 million (45.5%) was unspecified by region in 2022, mainly including multi-regional programmes and core support.

Figure. Bilateral private development finance by recipient country

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In 2022, 32.2% of gross development finance went to the top 10 recipients, most notably China (People’s Republic of), India and Kenya.

 

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Least developed countries (LDCs) and other low-income countries (LICs) received USD 18.6 million (9.4%) of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation’s gross disbursements in 2022. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation allocated the largest share (15.6%) of its development finance to upper middle-income countries in 2022, followed by lower middle-income countries (11.4%), noting that USD 125.5 million (63.5%) 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 William and Flora Hewlett Foundation allocated USD 9.9 million of its development finance to land-locked developing countries in 2022.

Fragile contexts

Support to fragile contexts reached USD 20.5 million in 2022, representing 10.4% of the William and Flora Hewlett 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, 57.7% of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation’s contributions were allocated to social infrastructure and services, 17.9% to economic infrastructure and services and 24.3% to multi-sector and cross-cutting issues. In terms of sectors, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation’s largest allocations went to support government and civil society (USD 71 million), general environmental protection (USD 50.6 million), energy (USD 34.1 million) and health and population policies (33.4 million).

 

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Sustainable Development Goals

In 2022, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation committed the largest shares of its contributions to partnerships for the goals (SDG 17), reduced inequalities (SDG 10) and climate action (SDG 13) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Support to gender equality and women’s empowerment amounted to USD 67.3 million, and contributions to combatting climate change totalled USD 80.3 million.

 

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Additional resources

Official website: https://hewlett.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.