Hosted within an interactive RShiny dashboard, the platform allows users to explore detailed grant-level data that underpin the OECD Centre on Philanthropy’s reports. Users can access and analyse data by geography, sector, funding source, and recipient organisation, or download the cleaned dataset for further research and strategic planning. This makes it an essential resource not only for researchers and policymakers, but also for foundations seeking potential collaborators and opportunities for co-funding.

The data is collected through a structured grant-level questionnaire sent to major international and domestic philanthropic foundations with a focus on promoting economic development and welfare in developing countries. To reduce reporting burden and ensure accuracy, certain fields are pre-filled with publicly available information, subject to validation by the reporting foundation. Where foundations prefer not to disclose grantee-level data, a non-disclosure agreement with the OECD ensures that only anonymised, aggregated data is published—preserving both transparency and autonomy.

As the most comprehensive global repository of its kind, the database represents a vital step towards what the OECD describes as “co-opetition”—a space where collaboration and shared learning can thrive even among institutions that may also operate independently. By offering a trustworthy, well-maintained evidence base, the dashboard empowers philanthropic actors, policymakers, and researchers alike to make informed decisions and strengthen the impact of philanthropy on global development.

Trust and data integrity are central to the platform’s success. Rigorous validation and cleaning processes underpin the quality of the published data, while secure internal backups ensure long-term data stewardship. In making this resource publicly accessible and easy to navigate, the OECD affirms its commitment to building a more open, informed, and cooperative philanthropic ecosystem.

According to preliminary OECD figures released on 16 April 2025, total ODA fell by 7.1 % in real terms to USD 212.1 billion—the first decline following five years of continuous growth oecd.org+1oecd.org+1 thenewhumanitarian.org+2read.oecd-ilibrary.org+2focus2030.org+2. Humanitarian aid also decreased by nearly 9.6 % over the same period read.oecd-ilibrary.org. These trends highlight a tightening global funding environment. Having comprehensive and reliable philanthropic data, such as that found in the dashboard, is now more crucial than ever to ensure public and private funds are strategically aligned and leveraged effectively.

In addition, recent research is applying artificial intelligence—particularly machine learning and natural language processing—to improve how development and philanthropic grants are classified and understood. For instance, a new technique named BERTopic has been used to extract thematic patterns from donor project narratives, enabling deeper insights into philanthropic objectives arxiv.org. Integrating such methods with the dashboard could enrich its analytical capabilities over time.