BrazilFoundation

What BrazilFoundation does

BrazilFoundation is a 26-year-old US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit philanthropic foundation headquartered in New York City (EIN 13-4131482) that mobilizes international resources to fund vetted Brazilian civil society organizations (OSCs). Its core function is intermediation: connecting individual, family, and corporate donors — primarily in the US and Brazil — with a curated network of 1,069 Brazilian nonprofits across 333 cities via grantmaking, due diligence, and impact monitoring. The organization has directed US$61 million of cumulative philanthropic capital since 2000 and holds Charity Navigator 4-star (2025), Candid Gold Transparency (2023), and Melhores ONGs recognitions as evidence of operational credibility.

The foundation's product portfolio is built around multiple complementary giving vehicles: one-time and recurring online donations, a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) launched in 2024, thematic funds (Luz Alliance Fund for ecosystem restoration across Brazil's seven biomes, Fundo de Mulheres for women's empowerment, Fundo Minas for socio-environmental initiatives, Rio Grande do Sul emergency relief), planned giving, corporate matching gift programs spanning 20,000+ companies, and annual gala fundraising events in New York, São Paulo, Miami, and (newly) Trancoso. There is no proprietary technology platform; the offering is the operational and reputational infrastructure for cross-border philanthropy.

BrazilFoundation's revenue model is entirely donation-based, with no products or services sold. Contributions are accepted via credit card, bank transfer, stock, cryptocurrency, and IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions, all tax-deductible for US donors. The Gala series — with the New York Gala positioned as a flagship international philanthropic event for Brazil — functions as the primary annual fundraising engine, supplemented by corporate sponsorships from a broad roster of partners (Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Itaú Social, Microsoft, Google, Apple, Starbucks Foundation, Mubadala Capital, BTG Pactual, B3, and others). Headcount is modest at 11–50 employees, reflecting an asset-light model that outsources program delivery to its grantee network.

Name

BrazilFoundation

Legal name

BrazilFoundation

Website

https://brazilfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BrazilFoundation is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation that mobilizes global philanthropic resources to fund vetted Brazilian civil society organizations, having directed US$61 million to 1,069 organizations across 333 cities over 26 years.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic Grantmaking Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

akta.pro primary industry

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) Sponsors (BPAGAKAF), Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM), Philanthropy & Foundations Advisory (Donor-Advised Funds, Endowments) (FSAAABAH)

Keywords

• Charitable grantmaking
• Donor advised funds
• Philanthropic advisory
• Civil society funding
• Thematic impact funds

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations (Individual & Corporate): BrazilFoundation receives charitable contributions from individual donors, families, and corporations. Donations can be made as one-time gifts, monthly recurring donations, or annual commitments. The foundation is a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 13-4131482), making contributions tax-deductible for US donors.
2. Donor Advised Fund (DAF) Management: BrazilFoundation offers DAF accounts allowing individuals, families, and companies to make tax-deductible contributions, receive immediate tax benefits, and recommend grants to Brazilian civil society organizations over time. The foundation manages all administrative tasks including donation processing, record keeping, and tax documentation.
3. Philanthropic Event Revenue: Gala events (New York, São Paulo, Miami, Trancoso) serve as major fundraising vehicles. Since 2003, more than 40 events have been held, generating substantial donations for Brazilian social initiatives. The XXI New York Gala 2026 at The Plaza Hotel exemplifies this flagship event model.
4. Planned Giving / Legacy Donations: BrazilFoundation accepts planned gifts through wills, retirement plans (IRA QCDs), and life insurance policies, allowing donors to create a lasting philanthropic legacy in Brazil.
5. Corporate Partnerships & Matching Gifts: Corporate partners support the foundation through strategic partnerships, annual donations, and employee matching gift programs. More than 20,000 companies participate in matching gift programs that double or triple employee donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

BrazilFoundation is a US-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation that mobilizes charitable resources from individual donors, families, and corporations and channels them as grants to Brazilian civil society organizations. Its offering centers on a Donor Advised Fund (DAF), thematic funds (e.g., Luz Alliance Fund), one-time and recurring donation programs, planned giving, corporate matching gift administration, and annual gala fundraising events. The foundation performs due diligence, monitoring, and reporting on grantees operating across 333 cities in Brazil.

Product overview

BrazilFoundation is a nonprofit philanthropic organization structured as a 501(c)(3) charity under US tax code (EIN 13-4131482) that operates as a unified platform connecting global philanthropy with Brazilian civil society. The organization offers a comprehensive suite of giving mechanisms including its core donation platform (one-time and recurring donations), the Donor Advised Fund (DAF) as its primary philanthropic vehicle, Thematic Funds such as the Luz Alliance Fund for environmental restoration, Matching Gift and Planned Giving programs for legacy contributions, and annual Gala events in major cities as flagship fundraising initiatives. These products work together to mobilize resources, provide tax-efficient giving options, and direct funding toward organizations promoting equity, socio-environmental justice, and opportunity across Brazil.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Luz Alliance Fund: Supporting organizations working to preserve and rehabilitate ecosystems for the good of both people and nature, investing in social-environmental initiatives to help restore and preserve 7 Brazilian biomes.
• Donor Advised Fund (DAF)
• Fundo de Mulheres (Women's Fund)
• Fundo Minas

Products and services

• Donor Advised Fund (DAF) A flexible and efficient vehicle for managing philanthropic investments in Brazil, allowing individuals, families, and companies to make tax-deductible contributions and recommend grants to Brazilian civil society organizations over time, with BrazilFoundation handling administration, record keeping, and tax documentation.
• Luz Alliance Fund Thematic fund supporting organizations working to preserve and rehabilitate ecosystems, investing in social-environmental initiatives to restore and preserve Brazil's seven biomes.
• Recurring / Monthly Donations Program Monthly donation program allowing donors to provide ongoing, recurring support to BrazilFoundation to fund transformative initiatives across Brazil.
• Planned Giving / Legacy Donations Legacy giving program allowing donors to include BrazilFoundation as a beneficiary in their will, retirement plan (IRA QCDs), or life insurance policy to create a lasting philanthropic legacy in Brazil.
• Corporate Matching Gift Program Program through which more than 20,000 participating companies match their employees' contributions to BrazilFoundation, potentially doubling or tripling donations.
• Thematic Funds Portfolio Portfolio of themed funds supporting specific causes including environmental preservation (Luz Alliance Fund), women's empowerment (Fundo de Mulheres), and regional initiatives such as the Rio Grande do Sul emergency relief fund and Fundo Minas.
• Philanthropic Gala Events Annual fundraising gala events held in New York, São Paulo, Miami, and Trancoso that mobilize resources for Brazilian civil society organizations, combining ticket sales, auctions, donor honorees, and cultural performances. The New York Gala is described as one of the leading international philanthropic events dedicated to Brazil.

Quantifiable outcome

• US$ 61 million invested in Brazilian civil society over 26 years
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Rede ComuáminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRede Comuá is listed as a supporting partner, appearing as a community/network ally.
• US Embassy in Brazil (Embaixada dos EUA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe US Embassy in Brazil is listed as a supporter, reflecting the binational nature of BrazilFoundation's mission.
• BM&F B3 (BM&FBovespa)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2015, BrazilFoundation announced a partnership with BM&F B3 (now B3) through which 20 projects supported by BrazilFoundation per year would have their second year guaranteed via B3's donation platform.
• Instituto Capim SantominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstituto Capim Santo partnered with BrazilFoundation to co-host the inaugural Gala Trancoso in April 2026, celebrating local culture and philanthropy in Bahia.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Charities Aid Foundation America: CAF America is a US-registered 501(c)(3) that helps US donors give internationally with grantmaking, due diligence, and donor-advised services. Highly comparable to BrazilFoundation's model of routing US philanthropy to vetted grantees abroad, with overlapping DAF-like capabilities.
• American India Foundation: AIF is a US-based 501(c)(3) that mobilizes resources for India-focused development, with galas, corporate partners, and grantee support. Structurally analogous to BrazilFoundation as a country-affinity, US-domiciled international grantmaking platform with event-driven fundraising.
• Give2Asia: Give2Asia facilitates cross-border philanthropy from US and Asian donors to grantees across Asia. Directly comparable to BrazilFoundation in the cross-border grantmaking, donor advisory, and compliance support it provides for US donors giving into a specific region.
• National Philanthropic Trust: NPT is one of the largest US DAF sponsors and a major grantmaking infrastructure provider. Directly comparable to BrazilFoundation in the DAF and donor-advised giving space, though operating at materially larger scale and as a more general-purpose vehicle.
• American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee: JDC is a US-based international grantmaking and humanitarian organization with 100+ years of cross-border giving infrastructure. Comparable to BrazilFoundation in its model of US-domiciled funding routed to vetted international grantees with deep partner networks.
• Global Fund for Women: Global Fund for Women is an international grantmaking foundation that channels donor funds to women-led organizations globally, with thematic funds and a donor-advised component. Comparable to BrazilFoundation in operating thematic grant portfolios (e.g., Fundo de Mulheres) and routing international donor capital to local grantees.

Regional players

• Fundação Lemann: Fundação Lemann is one of Brazil's largest private foundations, focused on Brazilian education and social development. Comparable to BrazilFoundation as a Brazil-focused, large-scale grantmaking foundation, but operating from inside Brazil with a primarily domestic donor base.
• Itaú Social: Itaú Social is a Brazilian corporate foundation and core partner of BrazilFoundation. Comparable as a major Brazil-focused grantmaking foundation, but is domestically structured and corporate-funded, in contrast to BrazilFoundation's binational donor model.

Broad incumbents

• Ford Foundation: Ford Foundation is one of the largest US-based international grantmaking foundations, with a global thematic portfolio including Brazil. Comparable to BrazilFoundation in mission and grantmaking posture, but operates at a vastly larger scale and across many regions.

Emerging players

• Rainforest Foundation US: Rainforest Foundation US funds indigenous-led conservation across tropical forests, including the Amazon. Comparable to BrazilFoundation's Luz Alliance Fund in its focus on Brazilian ecosystems and the use of grantmaking to support local organizations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/brazilfound
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TheBrazilFound
• Facebookfacebook.com/brazilfoundation.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brazilfoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/brazilfound

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BrazilFoundation