UBS Optimus Foundation
The UBS Optimus Foundation is a grantmaking foundation based in Switzerland. The UBS Optimus Foundation selects programmes that improve children’s health, education and protection; that have the potential to be transformative, scalable and sustainable; as well as programmes tackling environmental and climate issues.
The UBS Optimus Foundation provided USD 78.1 million for development in 2021 through its grantmaking activities. Compared to 2020, this amount represents a decrease of 27.5% in real terms.
In 2021, the UBS Optimus Foundation channelled its contributions mostly through non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society (USD 72.9 million), multilateral organisations (USD 2.1 million) and private sector institutions (USD 1.8 million).
In 2021, the UBS Optimus Foundation’s development finance was primarily focused on Africa and South and East Asia. USD 35.5 million was allocated to Africa and USD 30.6 million to South and East Asia, accounting respectively for 45.5% and 39.3% of the foundation’s development finance. A sum of USD 8.4 million (10.7%) was unspecified by region in 2021.
In 2021, 52.8% of development finance went to the top 10 recipients. The UBS Optimus Foundation’s most significant recipients included China (People’s Republic of) (USD 21.6 million), Ethiopia (USD 2.8 million) and Zambia (USD 2.6 million). Moreover, 31.2% of the foundation’s development finance was not allocated by country.
Least developed countries (LDCs) received USD 17.6 million (22.6%) of UBS Optimus Foundation’s disbursements in 2021. The UBS Optimus Foundation allocated the highest share of its development finance (30.5%) to upper middle income countries in 2021, and 15.7% to lower middle income countries, noting that USD 24.4 million (31.2%) was unallocated by income group.
Sectors
In 2021, more than half of the UBS Optimus Foundation’s development finance was allocated to social infrastructure and services. Investments in this area accounted for 95.8% of the foundation development finance (USD 74.8 million), with a strong focus on support to health (USD 48.5 million), education (USD 13.2 million) and other social infrastructure an services (USD 6.8 million).
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.