IKEA Foundation
The IKEA Foundation is a strategic philanthropy that focuses its grant-making efforts on tackling the two biggest threats to children’s futures: poverty and climate change. Since 2009, the IKEA Foundation has granted more than €1.5 billion to create a better future for children and their families. In 2021 the Foundation decided to make an additional €1 billion available over the next five years to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
The IKEA Foundation provided USD 276.8 million for development in 2021 through its grantmaking activities. Compared to 2020, this amount represents an increase of 60.6% in real terms.
In 2021, the IKEA Foundation provided USD 7.7 million to the multilateral system, representing 2.8% of its development finance, all of which was earmarked for specific countries, regions, themes or purposes.
All of these contributions were extended to the United Nations (UN) system, notably UNHCR (USD 4 million) and FAO (USD 2.3 million).
See the section on geographic and thematic focus for the geographical and thematic breakdown of bilateral allocations earmarked through the multilateral development system.
In 2021, the IKEA Foundation channelled its contributions mostly through non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society (USD 223 million), Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and the private sector (USD 23 million) and universities, research institutes or think tanks (USD 18.1 million).
In 2021, civil society organisations (CSOs) received USD 223 million (80.6%) of the IKEA Foundation’s development finance. A share of 8.7% of the foundation’s development finance was allocated to CSOs as core support, while 71.9% was earmarked to specific projects.
In 2021, the IKEA Foundation’s development finance was primarily focused on Asia (excluding the Middle East) and Africa. USD 44.9 million was allocated to Asia (excluding the Middle East) and USD 40.4 million to Africa, accounting respectively for 16.2% and 14.6% of gross bilateral development finance. A sum of USD 186.4 million (67.3%) was unspecified by region in 2021, mainly including multi-regional programmes.
In 2021, 29.5% of development finance went to the top 10 recipients. The IKEA Foundation’s most significant recipients included India (USD 34.1 million), Kenya (USD 16.1 million) and Indonesia (USD 7.9 million). Moreover, 69.9% of development finance was not allocated by country.
Least developed countries (LDCs) received USD 19.3 million (7%) of IKEA Foundation’s gross disbursements in 2021. The IKEA Foundation allocated the highest share of its development finance (21.5%) to lower middle-income countries in 2021, noting that USD 193.6 million (69.9%) was unallocated by income group.
Fragile contexts
Support to fragile contexts reached USD 32.8 million in 2021, representing 11.9% of IKEA Foundation’s development finance.
Learn more about support to fragile contexts on the States of Fragility platform.
Sectors
In 2021, more than half (58%) of the IKEA Foundation’s aid was allocated to general environmental protection (part of the multi-sector). Commitments in this area amounted to USD 176.9 million. Contributions to social infrastructure and services totalled USD 37 million (12.2%), mostly focusing on government and civil society (USD 23.7 million) and health and population (USD 8.9 million). Commitments to the energy sector (part of economic infrastructure and service) amounted to USD 30 million. Moreover, humanitarian assistance amounted to USD 25.4 million (8.4%) in 2021.
Sustainable Development Goals
In 2021, the IKEA Foundation committed the largest shares of its contributions to the goals on climate action (SDG 13), responsible consumption and production (SDG 12), industry, innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9) and affordable and clean energy (SDG 7) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Contributions to climate action (SDG 13) totalled USD 194.4 million.
Official website: https://ikeafoundation.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.