This article was first published in the German magazine «Stiftung & Sponsoring» (4/2014).

The U.S. Treasury recently adopted new guidelines for U.S.-American foundations awarding grants to foreign recipients, which will significantly simplify the process of international giving. German charities can benefit as well.

More than € 2.5 billion Euros are awarded annually by foundations in the United States to foreign organizations. Apart from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation the Ford Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation or the Coca Cola Foundation give high double-digit millions of Euros to foreign charities. There are also thousands of small and medium-sized foundations that send regular or irregular checks across the pond. «Even German NPOs benefit. 2012, they received at least $ 64 million from U.S. foundations «, has the New York fundraising expert Eelco Keij researched whose consulting firm KeyLance supports NPOs worldwide in acquiring grants from American foundations.

The potential for grants is…