Mission:
The United States International Grantmaking project seeks to promote responsible international philanthropy by easing the barriers to cross-border grantmaking for U.S. foundations, streamlining the communication and reporting procedures required by the Internal Revenue Service, and serving as an educational and informational resource for those interested in doing international grantmaking.

Background:
In response to the growing interest in international philanthropy in the 1990s, the Council on Foundations, in cooperation with the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law, launched the USIG Web site in 2000 to provide information about the legal and practical issues of international grantmaking. The two organizations recently redesigned and expanded the site to help international grantmakers confront challenges such as communicating across cultures and complying with government counterterrorism regulations. The updated site offers an introduction to international grantmaking, resources organized by foundation type and issue, a series of forms and documents for international grantmakers, and a section for international grantseekers.

Outstanding Feature:
The Country Information area of the new site provides links to detailed notes on grantmaking in thirty countries. Each note includes provisions of local law that should be considered when undertaking equivalency determinations for foreign grantees under IRS regulations. The site also links to information about local legislation in foreign countries and lists of contacts who are knowledgeable about local procedures for nongovernmental organizations.

Currently, the USIG site features a page for grantmakers interested in responding to the crisis in Iraq. It includes the report Disaster Grantmaking: A Practical Guide for Foundations and Corporations (42 pages, PDF) and links to news and information about organizations addressing humanitarian needs in the country.