Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation
ActivePhilanthropy & VoluntarismFunds Individuals
About Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation
The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation concentrates on reproductive health, abortion access, and health systems strengthening—especially across sub‑Saharan Africa—while also backing U.S. abortion access infrastructure and research/training. It funds a mix of government health ministries, global institutions, technical training centers, and U.S. reproductive‑rights nonprofits and intermediaries, often providing large multi‑million dollar grants and repeat support to core partners. The foundation’s giving emphasizes capacity building (training, health bureaus, ministries), direct service and crisis support (abortion funds, hotlines), and policy/advocacy infrastructure via funder intermediaries.
Focus Areas
Capacity building for national and regional health systems in sub‑Saharan Africa (ministries of health, regional health bureaus)Global reproductive health training and research (Center for International Reproductive Health Training, university partnerships)U.S. abortion access infrastructure and direct service support (NAF Hotline Fund, National Network of Abortion Funds, Planned Parenthood)Large-scale funding to multilateral/global health organizations and disease control (WHO, Global Fund)Support for philanthropic intermediaries and policy/advocacy vehicles (New Venture Fund, Neo Philanthropy, Hopewell Fund)
About Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation
The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation’s largest recent grants show a clear pattern of very large checks to abortion access and public-health systems. In 2025 it gave $60,574,746 to NAF Hotline Fund for program support, following $54,890,802 in 2024 and $48,427,544 in 2023 to the same recipient. The foundation also made major health-system grants across sub-Saharan Africa, including $50,000,000 to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Nigeria and $36,742,555 to Imbuto Foundation in Rwanda. Its work is not limited to one channel. The foundation funds national ministries of health, regional health bureaus, reproductive-health training groups, hospitals, global health institutions, and U.S. abortion-access organizations. Recent awards include support for the World Health Organization, Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc, and the Center for International Reproductive Health Training. The pattern suggests a grantmaker that uses large, repeated awards to sustain core partners over time, rather than distributing many small grants across unrelated causes. The foundation also funds individuals through a scholarship program for Nebraska students.
What Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation Funds
Reproductive health and abortion access are central to the foundation’s grantmaking. It gave $25,386,143 to Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc in 2025 for program support, and $60,574,746 to NAF Hotline Fund for program support. In sub-Saharan Africa, it backs public health systems through ministries and regional health offices. Examples include $32,772,283 to the Ministry of Health Rwanda in 2025 and $24,300,000 to the Ministry of Community Development Gender Eldery and Children Tanzania. Training and research also appear as a distinct theme. The foundation awarded $30,000,987 to the Center for International Reproductive Health Training in Rwanda for program support and $27,689,857 to the same organization in Ethiopia for project support. Global health institutions receive support as well, including $35,000,000 to The Global Fund to Fight Aids Tuberculosis and Malaria for program support and $22,662,174 to the World Health Organization for program support.
How Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation Gives
Typical grants are large: the 25th percentile is $182,370, the median is $350,712, and the 75th percentile is $1,022,262. The recent grant list also shows repeated multi-year support to the same core recipients, including NAF Hotline Fund, the Center for International Reproductive Health Training, Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc, and several African health ministries and bureaus. The foundation is a regular funder rather than a donor-advised fund, and it makes no program-related investments. It also gives to individuals through a scholarship program.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$1.5B
Total Assets
$2.7B
Total Revenue
$2.7B
Total Expenses
$1.6B
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $182K and $1M, with a median of $351K.
25th Percentile
$182K
Median
$351K
75th Percentile
$1M
Geographic Reach
National39 states funded
About 15% of grants go to recipients in DC.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Where Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation Funds
Top 10 recipient countries by grant volume for Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 1,409 | $1.9B | 88.4% |
| 2 | Ethiopia |
Unlock Deep Analysis
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeSee Similar Funders
Free Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeExplore related grant guides
Want a Personalized Pitch for Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation?
Sign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Free plan available
No contracts
Cancel anytime