Rockefeller Foundation-Supported Report Calls for Transforming Philanthropy in Latin America and the Caribbean

• New report proposes innovative philanthropic model based on five agendas that include boosting cross-sector collaboration, purposeful investment, and local leadership
• Mobilizing just 1% of the region’s private wealth could generate more than USD $5 billion annually for social development

BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA | October 30, 2025 – A new report, “Five Agendas to Drive the Transformation of the Philanthropic Sector in Latin America and the Caribbean,” which was supported by The Rockefeller Foundation and conducted by The Resource Foundation and Dalberg Advisors, analyzes philanthropy’s current role in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and offers a new, innovative, and locally-driven approach to strengthen outcomes for communities and people across the region. The report finds that philanthropic giving in LAC is far lower than in other regions of the world, even as need continues to rise.

However, philanthropy in Latin America and the Caribbean has the potential to unlock more than USD $5 billion annually by mobilizing just 1% of the region’s private wealth, according to the authors of the report. That amount is comparable to the total international aid the region currently receives.

The study also identifies the main structural challenges facing LAC’s philanthropic sector, including a lack of strategic investment and public distrust, and calls on philanthropic leaders to rethink how resources.

“Latin America holds tremendous philanthropic potential that remains largely untapped. We need a form of philanthropy that moves beyond short-term fixes and focuses on driving structural and sustainable change,” said Lyana Latorre, Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean at The Rockefeller Foundation.

Transforming Generosity into Sustainable Impact

The study reveals a less formalized philanthropic culture compared to others: According to the World Giving Index, private donations in Latin America and the Caribbean account for just 0.2% to 0.3% of GDP — well below the levels seen in developed economies such as the United States (1.5%) or Canada (1%), and up to 50% lower than in comparable economies like Indonesia or South Africa (both around 0.4%).

According to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in its 2024 publication, “The Complexities of Inequality in Latin America and the Caribbean,” the contrast is even greater when considering that the richest 10% earn 12 times more than the poorest 10%. The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) states that nearly 200 million people live in poverty and 70 million in extreme poverty, totaling around 270 million people living in poverty across the region. This inequality is further worsened by extreme climate impacts, as recently demonstrated by the Climate Finance (CliF) Vulnerability Index, which ranks eight countries in Latin America and the Caribbean among the most vulnerable in the world due to their exposure to extreme events and limited financial capacity.

Building Trust and Activating Untapped Capital

Global aid is also shrinking, as many donor countries are reducing their cooperation budgets, which poses a significant challenge for the LAC region. In response, this new report from The Rockefeller Foundation underscores the urgent need to strengthen local and regional philanthropy to ensure the continuity of transformative initiatives for LAC communities.

Another major challenge is trust. Only 27% of Latin Americans trust NGOs, according to the 2024 Latinbarometro, which limits the willingness to donate to local organizations through formal channels. Compounding this is the prevalence of “silent philanthropy” or invisible generosity, where individuals give directly to local communities or causes without those contributions being tracked or strategically coordinated.

In contrast to the lack of trust, people across the region are demanding impactful actions and tangible results. According to a recent survey by The Rockefeller Foundation, 78% of Latin Americans support international cooperation if it proves effective — above the global average of 75%.

“Around the world, philanthropy plays a vital role in convening unlikely partners, mobilizing capital, and scaling solutions to improves lives and livelihoods,” said Elizabeth Yee, Executive Vice President of Programs, The Rockefeller Foundation. “Building on our storied history in the region, The Rockefeller Foundation is proud to support philanthropies and other partners in Latin America and the Caribbean as they build a healthier, safer, more prosperous future.”

Five Agendas to Transform Philanthropy

Based on this diagnosis, the report proposes five strategic agendas to transform philanthropy in Latin America and the Caribbean. These agendas emerged from an extensive listening process, designed with full awareness of the region’s philanthropic ecosystem’s diversity and complexity. More than 70 leaders from across the region — including philanthropic organizations, businesses, civil society groups, and local actors — shared their insights through interviews and focus groups. The process was also informed by a review of over 40 reports and studies, which helped ground the findings in a solid and diverse evidence base.

1. Cross-sector Collaboration: Drive a cultural shift in how organizations work together. Co-investment without co-creation is merely coordination, not true collaboration. This study calls for a move from isolated projects to long-term alliances between philanthropic partners, built on shared governance, common goals, and joint evaluation mechanisms that enable scalable impact.
2. Mobilizing Local Resources: Cultivate a new generation of donors who view philanthropy as a driver of social transformation, not just a tool for aid. The challenge lies in expanding funding sources, engaging new actors (families, entrepreneurs, and emerging businesses), and creating incentives (via governments and capital markets) for sustained participation in philanthropy. The issue is not a lack of wealth in the region, but the inability to activate it.
3. Purpose-Driven Investment: Focus on the quality, not just the quantity, of funding. The study advocates for more strategic investments that measure returns in terms of social impact, sustainability, and institutional resilience, rather than short-term results. When resources are treated as charity, their potential is limited; when deployed as social investment, they can fuel systemic change.
4. Local Leadership: Viewing communities solely as beneficiaries fosters dependency. It is essential to recognize their knowledge and capacity to lead their own development. Communities must be treated as partners, with shared ownership of change. Philanthropic agendas should be tailored to local realities, honoring cultural, economic, and environmental contexts.
5. Professionalizing the Sector: Strengthening the philanthropic ecosystem is not an overhead cost — it’s a strategic investment. A modern infrastructure is needed, with robust data systems, skilled professionals, measurement and accountability mechanisms that enhance the sector’s legitimacy. Building internal capacity is key to increasing effectiveness and collective impact.

“Philanthropy in Latin America and the Caribbean holds tremendous latent energy. The capital is there, and so is the talent. What we need now is to activate them with purpose, build trust, and demonstrate that investing in the region is not charity — it’s a development strategy,” shared Beatriz Guillén, Executive Director of The Resource Foundation.

About The Resource Foundation

The Resource Foundation is a U.S. public charity with nearly 40 years of experience connecting American donors with trusted organizations across Latin America and the Caribbean. With deep regional expertise and a broad network of hundreds of local nonprofit partners, The Resource Foundation combines technical rigor, agility, and direct knowledge of the region’s cultural, political, and economic realities that allows donors to give with confidence.  Services also include fiscal sponsorship for organizations seeking a compliant pathway to receive U.S. charitable funding. Support is directed to the communities that need it most, advancing lasting change through skills, knowledge, and opportunity. For more information, subscribe to the newsletter, here. Follow on LinkedIn, here.

About The Rockefeller Foundation

The Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on collaborative partnerships at the frontiers of science, technology, and innovation that enable individuals, families, and communities to flourish. We make big bets to promote the well-being of humanity. Today, we are focused on advancing human opportunity and reversing the climate crisis by transforming systems in food, health, energy, and finance, including engaging through our public charity, RF Catalytic Capital (RFCC). For more information, sign up for our newsletter at www.rockefellerfoundation.org/subscribe and follow us on X @RockefellerFdn and LinkedIn @the-rockefeller-foundation.