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Posted on October 30, 2025

A View on Realignment in U.S. Private Philanthropy

Birger Stamperdahl, CEO of Give2Asia; CEO of the Myriad Alliance

 

Shifts in U.S. Philanthropy and Relevance to Japan

Globally, donor interests and priorities are evolving in ways that may impact Japanese nonprofits. In the United States, these shifts are more pronounced, driving by social and political changes that are influencing how individuals, corporations, and foundations approach their philanthropy. As of this writing, we are less than one year into the U.S. administration, and already we are observing changes that may be relevant to Japan.

The Role and Consistent Mission of Give2Asia and Myriad Alliance

At Give2Asia and across the Myriad Alliance network, our mission remains consistent: to support cross-border giving and foster trust between private donors and their nonprofit partners in Japan, Asia, and beyond. Our programming has not been scaled back, nor have we shifted away from any geographic areas or thematic priorities. Importantly, we have seen no indication from the federal government that it intends to disrupt these important philanthropic relationships.

Public Funding Cuts and Strategic Adjustments by Major Foundations

However, as a donor-driven organization, we are responsive to changes in funder priorities, which do influence our grantmaking. One notable development is the U.S. government’s decision to significantly reduce public funding for international development—most prominently through the closure of USAID. In response, major U.S. foundations such as the Gates Foundation and the Ford Foundation have begun reassessing their funding strategies. These adjustments resemble a form of triage, aimed at mitigating risk to their programs while supporting overseas partners affected by the loss of federal support.

In our conversations with private funders, several key trends have emerged:

Shifts in Funding Priorities

  • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) funding is no longer a priority. This represents one of the most significant shifts. Prior to 2025, many foundations and corporations sought to extend domestic DEI grantmaking to international efforts. The current U.S. administration’s rollback of DEI initiatives within the government has signaled to private institutions that they also may step away from these efforts. This shift may also impact gender-focused programming, with some donors more cautious about highlighting gender-specific funding priorities.
  • Climate Change and Public Health remain priorities despite being political sensitivities. Although these issues are not in favor with the current administration, private funding remains strong. For example, U.N. Climate Week in New York City this September convened a dynamic international funding community. With USAID funding withdrawn, the federal government may have less influence over private philanthropy in these domains. Meanwhile, governments in Europe and Asia continue to advance global Climate and Public Health agendas, and committed U.S. funders are collaborating across borders to maintain momentum.

Modifications to Tax Benefits

  • Tax incentives have changed under the Big Beautiful Bill. Tax reforms passed in mid-2025 have altered the deductibility of charitable contributions, which may dampen giving in the short term. Corporations can now only deduct charitable gifts that exceed 1% of taxable income. For individual donors, the cap on itemized deductions has been reduced from 37% to 35%, and a new 0.5% floor has been introduced—meaning deductions apply only to donations exceeding 0.5% of adjusted gross income.

Uncertainty in Other Areas

There are other areas where visibility remains limited. For instance, Give2Asia does not typically host government-related exchanges, so we do not have insight into how private funding for such activities is being affected. Similarly, we lack clarity on the current state of deep tech research funding to overseas universities.

At this stage, additional changes remain speculative. No formal discussions are underway that pose a broad threat to cross-border philanthropic giving from the United States.

For philanthropic partnerships involving Japan, these developments may lead to donor-specific shifts—particularly a move away from DEI and increased caution around climate and public health initiatives. Some funders may also redirect support from Japan to developing regions more severely impacted by the loss of USAID funding.

Future Outlook

Historically, corporate giving to Japan has focused on education—especially STEM and job-skills training—as well as employee engagement. We do not currently see these areas being affected by changes in U.S. policy.

The long-term impact of the new administration’s policies remains uncertain. Some optimists suggest that reduced federal taxation could eventually encourage greater charitable giving. For now, however, U.S. funders appear committed to continuing their mission-driven work with determination.

 

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You can also read the Japanese translation here.

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About the author:
Since 2014, Birger Stamperdahl has served as the CEO for Give2Asia. He also serves as CEO for the Myriad Alliance, a network of charitable organizations across the globe forming a single platform to facilitate donor-advised, cross-border philanthropy. His work has focused on philanthropy serving communities across Asia. Today Give2Asia in the US is the global leader in advised giving to China, while Give2Asia Foundation in Hong Kong SAR serves as a global grantmaker for Asia-based donors.

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