Foundation Funding Grew for Most Major Fields, Foundation Center Report Finds

* Foundations awarded a record 188 grants of $10 million or more in 2007. Of the 10 largest, eight were made by the Gates Foundation, mainly for health-related activities and international development.
* International giving — which cuts across all areas and includes grants awarded directly to overseas recipients and to U.S.-based international programs — reached a record 23.4 percent of total grant dollars awarded.
* Among specific populations, the economically disadvantaged benefited from the largest share of grant dollars, rising to a record $5.3 billion.