Tinker Foundation is a private foundation that makes grants to universities and organizations addressing social and economic issues in Latin America. Grantmaking programs include research and advocacy on subsidizing water management, conserving wildlife, and funding legal representation for impoverished or so-called “marginalized” people. ¹

Background

Tinker Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation that was founded in 1959 by Edward Larocque Tinker, lawyer and founder of Tinker Bank, now HSBC Bank. Since its inception, Tinker Foundation has made grants to fund research on Latin America that it argues could be used to improve Latin America economically and socially. ²

As of 2023, Tinker Foundation reports that it has given out over 1955 grants, totaling over $129 million. It makes grants to American graduate students performing research about or related to Latin America and to academic or nonprofit institutions in Latin America. ^{3 4}

Grantmaking

Field Research Grants

In 1979, Tinker Foundation created its Field Research Grant program, providing grants to American Universities with graduate students conducting research on Latin America. The grants subsidize travel to Latin America so researchers can become more familiar with Latin American culture and network with universities and other organizations. ⁵

As of 2019, Tinker Foundation reports that it had made grants to over 40 Centers for Latin American Studies, disbursing over $6.5 million in grants, with the centers matching $4 million in grants. ⁶

Institutional Grants

Tinker Foundation makes what it describes as “Institutional Grants,” which are grants made to organizations that perform research on or engage in addressing issues outlined by the foundation. ⁷

Since the 1980s, Tinker Foundation reports funding organizations that advocate for advancing the “rule of law” as a means of promoting democracy. Such research under its “democratic governance” programs include funding pro bono legal services, advocating for public disclosure of “justice institutions” with respect to the privacy of private citizens, supporting the careers of “justice system actors,” and connecting so-called “marginal groups” to justice services. ⁸

Tinker Foundation also funds organizations that research environmentalist issues, including wildlife conservation, environmentalist agricultural management, and water management policies that subsidize water access. ⁹

Leadership

Since 2017, Caroline Kronley has worked as the president of Tinker Foundation. Previously, she worked as a managing director for Rockefeller Foundation, where she worked for five years, and as a senior associate for Booz & Company and Katzenbach Partners LLC. ¹⁰

Financials

According to its tax returns, Tinker Foundation reported $11.0 million in total revenue for 2021, which came from its sale of assets, dividends and interest earned from securities, and interest earned on its cash investments. ¹¹ Additionally, it reported having $7.1 million in total expenses and $5.2 million of which were categorized as being for charitable purposes. ¹²

1. “Institutional Grants Apply Page.” Tinker Foundation, Accessed August 13, 2023. https://tinker.org/institutional-grants-apply-page/
2. archivist97. “Edward Larocque Tinker.” Tvhs, October 13, 2020. https://www.tvhs.org/post/edward-larocque-tinker.
3. “Supporting the People and Organizations Transforming Latin America.” Tinker Foundation, August 4, 2023. https://tinker.org/.
4. “About Us.” Tinker Foundation, January 19, 2023. https://tinker.org/about-us/.
5. Learning from four decades of funding field research in Latin America. Tinker Foundation, 2019. https://tinker.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/IIE-Tinker-Report_Final-_updated-logo-1.pdf.
6. Learning from four decades of funding field research in Latin America. Tinker Foundation, 2019. https://tinker.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/IIE-Tinker-Report_Final-_updated-logo-1.pdf.
7. “Institutional Grants Apply Page.” Tinker Foundation, Accessed August 13, 2023. https://tinker.org/institutional-grants-apply-page/
8. “Institutional Grants Apply Page.” Tinker Foundation, Accessed August 13, 2023. https://tinker.org/institutional-grants-apply-page/
9. “Institutional Grants Apply Page.” Tinker Foundation, Accessed August 13, 2023. https://tinker.org/institutional-grants-apply-page/
10. “Caroline Kronley.” LinkedIn, Accessed August 13, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-kronley-44723a5
11. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Part I, Lines 1-12.
12. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Part I, Lines 25-26.