King Baudouin Foundation United States (KBFUS) is the American branch of the King Baudouin Foundation (KBF), an international grantmaking foundation based in Brussels, Belgium. It provides grants to left-of-center organizations, operates donor-advised funds, and allows such organizations to raise tax-deductible donations from foreign donors. ¹

The Institute for Human Sciences, an Austrian-based humanities educational organization associated with billionaire investor and philanthropist George Soros, fundraises from its American supporters through KBFUS. ²

Background

King Baudouin Foundation United States was founded in 2002. Based in New York City, it is the American branch of the King Baudouin Foundation, a grantmaker dedicated to “democracy” and “diversity” in European countries and abroad. ¹

The King Baudouin Foundation was founded in 1976 and runs initiatives in Africa such as the Africa Prize. It also helped establish the European Foundation Center, the Network of European Foundations, the European Venture Philanthropy Association, and Transnational Giving Europe. ^{3 1} It is a partner of the European Policy Center. KBF also serves as a philanthropic advisor to individuals and corporations that seek to contribute to communities. ¹

Activities

King Baudouin Foundation runs two annual Signature Programs: “the Art of Science and Fundraising” and “Spotlight African Innovators.” They are participatory “full-immersion” conventions for professionals and philanthropists. Participation is by invitation only and the Foundation considers the sessions “intensive.” ⁴

The Art and Science of Fundraising invites members from European and African universities and cultural institutions to study how to implement more successful development strategies. It hosts discussion panels with New York fundraising professionals to inform invitees on strategic planning, trustee involvement, prospect identification, donor cultivation, capital campaigns, and planned giving. ⁵

Spotlight African Innovators is a convention that highlights the work of significant creative partners from Africa with the goal of uniting them with interested investors and philanthropists. In alternate years, KBFUS also celebrates the winner of the Africa Prize, one of its parent groups’ initiatives, that awards winners €200,000 and connections with donors, bringing them on a roadshow in the United States to raise awareness for their issue and organization. ⁶

Funding

KBFUS has facilitated at least $130 million in grants since roughly 2019. ¹ It runs the “American Friends Fund,” a fund for foreign nonprofits to receive tax-deductible gifts from institutions and individuals in the United States. KBFUS charges a management fee on all contributions. ⁷

The Institute for Human Sciences, an Austrian-based humanities educational organization associated with billionaire investor and philanthropist George Soros, fundraises from its American supporters through KBFUS. ⁸

In 2020, KBFUS had a total revenue of $56,677,232, total expenses of $57,245,460, and net assets of $29,883,8240 according to its tax returns. ⁹

According to its tax returns, KBFUS dedicated $46,988,712 to European recipients, $6,963,813 to Sub-Saharan African recipients, $1,076,114 to Middle Eastern and North African recipients, $174,439 to North American recipients outside the U.S., $15,830 to East Asian and Pacific recipients, and $50,000 to Russia and neighboring recipients. ¹⁰

Leadership

As of October 2022, Jean Paul Warmoes was the executive director of KBFUS. He is a former director of the King Baudouin Foundation. Its board is chaired by Thomas Leysen, the chairman of Umicore and Mediahuis, a European publishing group, and the chair of the supervisory board of Royal DSM. On the investment committee, Ahmed Fahmin of Alapointe Capital served as chair, with other members hailing from Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Fiduciary Trust International. ¹¹

1. “About.” KBFUS.org. Accessed October 15, 2022. https://kbfus.org/about/.
2. “Partners and Donors.” IWM.at. Accessed October 2, 2022. https://www.iwm.at/about/partners-and-donors.
3. “KBF Africa.” Kbf.africa.org. Accessed October 15, 2022. https://kbfafrica.org/.
4. “Our Programs.” KBFUS.org. Accessed October 15, 2022. https://kbfus.org/our-programs/.
5. “The Art and Science of Fundraising.” KBFUS.org. Accessed October 15, 2022. https://kbfus.org/programs/the-art-and-science-of-fundraising/.
6. “Spotlight African Innovators.” KBFUS.org. Accessed October 15, 2022. https://kbfus.org/programs/spotlighting-african-innovators/
7. “American Friends Funds.: KBFUS.org. Accessed October 15, 2022. https://kbfus.org/services/american-friends-funds/
8. ^[1] “Partners and Donors.” IWM.at. Accessed October 2, 2022. https://www.iwm.at/about/partners-and-donors.
9. King Baudouin Foundation United States, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). 2020. Part I. Lines 12, 18, 22.
10. King Baudouin Foundation United States, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). 2020. Schedule F, Part I, 3 – Activities per Region.
11. “People.” KBFUS.org. Accessed October 15, 2022. https://kbfus.org/about/people/#staff.