Private foundations and non-governmental organizations

© UNICEF/HQ05-0872/Noorani

Private foundations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have become an increasingly important source of global HIV/AIDS resources.

Funders Concerned About AIDS, an affinity group of US based foundations, found that foundations committed US$292 million for HIV/AIDS programmes in 2002. This was concentrated among 50 top donors, who together provided US$287 million, of which US$161 million (56%) was for international HIV/AIDS grants and US$126 million (44%) for domestic grants.

Many of these commitments were for multi-year grants; UNAIDS has estimated that foundations and large NGOs together actually paid out at least US$200 million annually from 2001 to 2003 to support global HIV/AIDS programmes. Corporations and businesses also support HIV/AIDS programmes in resource-poor countries through non-cash mechanisms such as price reductions for HIV/AIDS medicines and in-kind support.