Give2Asia, an American philanthropic organization which helps donors based across the globe to facilitate full circle grantmaking in China, including Taiwan and Hong Kong SAR. Give2Asia’s deep local knowledge, rich experience, and specialized local offices offer individuals, corporations, and associations guidance and resources to achieve their philanthropic goals.

Give2Asia’s mission is to strengthen communities throughout Asia by making cross-border giving easier and more effective. We envision healthy and prosperous communities supported by cross-border philanthropy and locally led development.  

Give2Asia is 501(c)(3) public charity based in Oakland, California with offices in Beijing. We also have two affiliates:

Myriad Australia Ltd (previously Give2Asia Australia Ltd) is an international nonprofit based in Melbourne that serves as a strategic partner and ally for Australian philanthropists and corporations. G2AA is endorsed by the Australian Taxation Office as a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR).

Give2Asia Foundation Limited enables trusted charitable giving from Hong Kong SAR to the world. It is a tax exempt organization under Section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance.

U.S. donors can support most locally-registered charities in the locations where Give2Asia works. To be eligible for an international grant from Give2Asia, recipient charities must pass our due diligence process. We also comply with any applicable regulations in both the giving and receiving country.

For donors in Australia, grants are limited to projects focused on poverty alleviation. Contact us to discuss whether your preferred charity is likely to qualify.

At Give2Asia, we believe that local knowledge and familiarity with target beneficiaries is integral to the success and long term impact of a project. As a result, our giving reflects the priorities of donors and the needs of the local charities we serve. In most years, our top-funded causes are Education, Health, Livelihood, and Disaster Relief. However, we also help donors support a diverse range of charities from circus programs for disadvantaged kids in Cambodia to media literacy training in Bhutan.

Donations made to Give2Asia and our affiliates may qualify as a charitable contribution for tax purposes. However, this only applies in specific jurisdictions. Gift acknowledgments and tax receipts (“acknowledgements”) can only be issued from the charitable entity to which you make your donation.

Please ensure that you are giving to the Give2Asia entity in the location where you seek tax benefits. Donations cannot be refunded once an acknowledgment has been issued.

For more details, please read our Tax Benefits page. If you have any questions, please contact us before sending your gift.

For credit card donations, gift acknowledgments and tax receipts (“acknowledgements”) will be sent to the email address you provide. If you do not receive it within 1 hour, please check your spam folder.

For other donation methods, your acknowledgement will be sent after your donation is received and processed by our team. This can take 1-4 weeks depending on the donation method. If your donation is time-sensitive, please contact us before sending your gift so we can advise on the fastest method.

Friends Funds: For charities that establish a Friends Fund at Give2Asia, new donations (e.g. via credit card) go into a fund and can be requested by the nonprofit as needed. This process takes 1-2 weeks.

Donor-Advised Funds: On average, it takes 6-8 weeks from the time Give2Asia receives your donation for the grantee to receive the grant funds. In disaster response situations, we expedite fund transfers.

Give2Asia is a nonprofit organization, and the majority of our funding comes from the donors and funders we serve.

To cover the cost of facilitating and monitoring international grants, we charge:

• a small percentage of the grant amount, which varies based on the size of the grant
• a nominal setup fee for due diligence (only required for new Friends Funds)

Our credit card processor charges approximately 2-3.5% for credit card donations.  Our processors for cryptocurrency donations charge approximately 1% in transaction fees.

Give2Asia does not charge annual fees. We have no minimum activity requirements for donors or Friends Funds.

By default, Give2Asia does not charge any investment management fees. If a donor decides to select an investment policy for their Donor-Advised Fund, Give2Asia charges a management fee equaling 1% of the fund’s average balance annually (assessed as a 0.25% balance fee quarterly).

To learn more about fees associated with your gift, request a consultation with our international grantmaking team.

Yes. In a country where relationships and face-to-face partnerships are key to success, Give2Asia’s long history and in-country staff can help you engage in long-term program building and community partnerships. We were one of the first charitable organizations to officially register a China Representative Office when the ONGO law took effect in 2017, and as such partnership with Give2Asia is one of the simplest and most impactful ways of donating to organizations in China.

Our full offering of services include:

1. Advised grant making,
2. Value-added research and advisory services,
3. Partnership development, and
4. Full program management.

For a quick introduction to grantmaking into China, read our blog post on the topic.

Give2Asia offers unrivaled due diligence capabilities that take every step possible to ensure grant funds are used wisely and as intended. With local staff familiar with the local language and context, Give2Asia identifies world-class organizations, groups with a demonstrated record of success, and organizations with innovative approaches to the challenges faced by the regions’ communities.

WHY DUE DILIGENCE IS IMPORTANT

If a donor recommends an organization that has not already been approved by Give2Asia, we will conduct a due diligence review to establish the recommended organization’s eligibility. This required process has become both more important and complex as government guidelines for funding overseas entities have changed to ensure proper accountability. Give2Asia is committed to ensuring that any grants made to on-the-ground partners are not used to support any form of violent political activity or terrorist organizations. In addition to Give2Asia’s own review of management policies, the due diligence review ensures that the recommended organization complies with Executive Order 13224, the USA Patriot Act, the U.S. Treasury Department Voluntary Guidelines on anti-terrorist financing, and prudent and best practices for funding overseas. We monitor the U.S. Government’s regulations and guidelines regarding anti-terrorist financing and international grantmaking to ensure we are in full compliance with the most recent laws and best practices.

Give2Asia’s due diligence procedures include a pre-grant Eligibility Application for prospective grantees, as well as thorough grant administration, monitoring, and reporting. The due diligence process is described below. However, please note that these are general due diligence steps; Give2Asia reserves the right to flexibly determine qualified grantees, taking into account an organization’s development and management. While Give2Asia is extremely careful about due diligence, the procedure should not overly burden grantees or prevent grants to qualified organizations.

ORGANIZATIONAL DUE DILIGENCE

Give2Asia’s due diligence process includes the following steps:

• Review of prospective grantees’ articles of incorporation, by-laws, and other documentation to ensure the organization’s charitable purpose and that it has an appropriate governance structure
• Confirmation of legal registration
• Check of the organization, board members, and key staff against watch lists of ineligible recipients published by the U.S. Treasury Department and other federal and international agencies
• Review of annual reports and other program reports to determine organizational experience, capabilities and track record
• Assessment of organizational reputation in-country
• Review of financial information, including:
  • Current and past budgets showing sources and uses of revenue
  • Internal or independent financial reviews and audits, depending on size of grant
  • Periodic reports on operations and use of foundation-granted funds
  • Accounting practices and systems used by the organization

PROJECT DUE DILIGENCE

Give2Asia also takes the following steps to exercise proper due diligence on each grant:

• Review of grant proposal and budget submitted
• A written grant agreement with specific provisions setting forth mutual responsibilities, signed by both parties
• Confirmation of the receipt of funds
• Periodic written reports from the grantee are required describing the grant’s impact and expenditures – reports which are passed on to the donor at the end of a grant period
• Review of reports and financial statements from the grantee to ensure that the funds are used as agreed and that the project was well managed and implemented

Learn more about why due diligence matters for international donations.

Due diligence can take 4-6 weeks on average, but can be longer or shorter depending on the grantee organization’s ability to submit requested documentation.

While global philanthropy has become more important in recent years, it also has become more complex and challenging with new regulations requiring specific due diligence activities and in-depth knowledge of grantees. Give2Asia has the expertise to navigate U.S. government regulations governing overseas grantmaking and assures all grants are in compliance with all current laws and guidelines.

• Donor advised fund provisions of the Pension Protection Act of 2006. This law includes provisions that define donor advised funds and govern their operations. Give2Asia’s fund and grant administration policies are in full compliance with the Act, which allows international grants provided one of two due diligence procedures are followed. In most cases Give2Asia utilizes the process called “expenditure responsibility,” which requires a pre-grant inquiry, grant agreement, separate accounting for charitable funds, and financial tracking and reporting.
• USA Patriot Act of 2001 (reauthorized in 2005). This law increases existing criminal penalties for knowingly or intentionally providing material support or resources for terrorism.
• Executive Order 13224. This order prohibits transactions with those entities deemed by the Executive Branch and other US agencies to be associated with terrorism, and freezes all assets controlled by or in the possession of those entities that support them. Give2Asia checks the principals of every group we fund against the relevant prohibited persons lists.
• US Department of the Treasury Anti-Terrorist Financing Guidelines: These “Voluntary Best Practices for U.S.-Based Charities” provide guidance for how charitable organizations can comply with the USA Patriot Act and Executive Order 13224. The Guidelines describe how international funders should make grants and transfer funds to non-U.S. organizations. Give2Asia’s procedures, from approving charities through grant administration, take these best practices into account.

Give2Asia actively monitors the changing regulatory landscape governing international grantmaking.

For donations made online, you will receive an automated email that qualifies as a tax receipt. For checks, wires, or stocks donations, a paper receipt is mailed out within two weeks of receiving the donation. If no address is provided, no receipt will be mailed. Please contact us if there was an issue with your receipt.

A Facebook Fundraiser is the best way to run a crowd-funding campaign for a nonprofit you support through Give2Asia. Facebook will transfer 100% of funds raised to Give2Asia, enabling your donors to receive any applicable tax benefits.

To raise funds for a nonprofit through Give2Asia:

• Make sure the nonprofit you want to support has an active Friends Fund at Give2Asia by searching for their Fund page
• Go to Facebook and create a Facebook Fundraiser for Give2Asia, since we are the registered 501(c)(3) charity that Facebook recognizes.
• Include the overseas nonprofit’s name in the title of the fundraiser so we know who should receive the funds (e.g. “Mary’s Fundraiser for Water and Healthcare Foundation”)
• Share the fundraiser link with your friends and supporters

Publicizing Give2Asia: Public use of Give2Asia’s name or trademarks must comply with any contracts signed with Give2Asia and with our Brand Guidelines for Partners. Please read this document, as it includes important requirements and guidelines.

Publicizing corporate grants: Grantees and Friends Fund partners should be aware that some funders require written approval before using their name, logo, and/or publicizing a Give2Asia grant.

Grant terminology: In general, the organization that has “made a grant” or is a “project sponsor” is Give2Asia. The donor can be said to have “made the grant possible” or “supported” the organization. The donor can also be said to have “made a donation to Give2Asia for the purposes of supporting education in China.”

This is important for legal reasons that preserve Give2Asia’s independence and the donor’s tax benefits, and not because Give2Asia seeks to deny the donor recognition.

When in doubt, please consult your Give2Asia Philanthropy Advisor.

Give2Asia actively monitors the requirements of India’s Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) to facilitate compliance for our donors and grantees.

For an overview of India’s FCRA requirements, please see our article on FCRA Requirements for India Grant Recipients.

To learn about the 2020 FCRA update and how it affects grantmaking in India, please read How India’s updated FCRA law affects donors and charities.

To discuss how FCRA will affect your grant to an India-based charity, contact your account manager or request a consultation with our international grantmaking team.

Religion and religious organizations play an important role in many communities across Asia. Recognizing this, Give2Asia and its donors regularly support faith-based institutions based in and working in Asia. When making grants to these types of organizations, Give2Asia adheres to guidelines adopted by our Board of Trustees that stipulate that grants must be used for charitable activities that provide a public benefit within the community.

When considering a grant to a faith-based organization, Give2Asia conducts the due diligence process required for all new potential grantees. As part of this due diligence, Give2Asia evaluates the institution’s professed mission and purpose which should promote social welfare and peaceful coexistence, as well as its demonstrated commitment to non-discriminatory public benefit. Give2Asia also examines the proposed project to ensure that it does not include any disallowed activities.

GRANTS MAY NOT BE USED FOR THE FOLLOW PURPOSES

• Proselytizing or any activities focused on religious conversion
• Pilgrimages and personal religious ceremonies
• Religious rallies and protests
• Activities that discriminate in the selection of beneficiaries
• Activities or support for institutions that profess a doctrine of hatred, intolerance, or violence

EXAMPLES OF PROGRAMS ELIGIBLE FOR SUPPORT

• Schools and educational programs (please note that programs must not require students to profess any particular faith or mandatorily attend classes or activities focused on the doctrine of one faith, except where mandated by government policy)
• Health clinics and services
• Social services for the most vulnerable
• Preservation of facilities and traditions that are of cultural, social, and historical significance