The TripAdvisor Charitable Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The TripAdvisor Charitable Foundation supports immigrants and refugees, global development and global health.
IP TAKE: The TripAdvisor Charitable Foundation, described as addressing “some of the most pressing humanitarian challenges facing global communities,” is an important ally to have in the global development and displacement giving areas. Unfortunately, its not accessible or transparent, which is common for corporate, private foundations. However, giving tends to support global nonprofits and NGOs that are based in the U.S. Grassroots outfits will find it difficult to secure a grant here since the foundation is focused on high-impact work, but some smaller, regional grantees have received support. This foundation does not share much on its website, but an address and phone number are provided below. It likes to collaborate with more established grantee-partners, so this is a good funder to know, especially in the refugee giving space.
PROFILE: Created in 2010, the TripAdvisor Charitable Foundation is the philanthropic arm TripAdvisor, the online travel company. The foundation seeks to use its “expertise and assets thoughtfully and strategically to improve lives” to support “global nonprofits tackling community development, public health and disaster relief challenges.” This funder maintains a sparse webpage, limiting information about its specific grantmaking priorities and strategies. However, 990s show a pattern of giving for refugee and humanitarian causes, as well as global development and health.
Grants for Refugees and Humanitarian Aid
While not a stated giving area for the TripAdvisor Charitable Foundation, grants for refugees has become a major area of giving in the past few years. 990s reflect that TripAdvisor’s grants for refugees appear to focus on:
Meeting urgent humanitarian needs in Europe and the Syria region, as well as other rising refugee crises, such as in Afghanistan.
Enabling access to critical information via technology solutions, helping refugees make smart and informed decisions along their journeys.
Providing essential education and empowerment opportunities for refugee youth.
Supporting and strengthening resettlement opportunities in the U.S., and in other host communities.
Related grants also address global health, humanitarian needs, information technology and “in-kind support for key projects.” According to the International Refugee Committee’s Senior Officer for Corporate Partnerships, Senka Filipovic, the, “Tripadvisor Foundation has consistently been among the first IRC partners to respond to crises and take a public stand for refugees and displaced communities — inspiring and encouraging the private sector to step up with the bold leadership and strong commitments needed to match the global scale of this humanitarian crisis.”
Indeed, in a campaign, called “Welcome Home,” in partnership with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), one of the leading refugee aid organizations in the world, TripAdvisor works to support “refugee resettlement in the U.S., to provide refugees with the opportunity to explore their new communities, to learn about their hometowns, history and culture through tours and activities.” In addition to a long-term partnership with the IRC, TripAdvisor has engaged several other partners, as well as offered matching awards to support grants for refugees.
In seeking to address “the displacement crisis,” the TripAdvisor Charitable Foundation announced a three-year $5 million commitment in 2016 to the global refugee crisis, which has increased to over $14 million and counting between its various partners and grantees. Past grantees in this space include the International Rescue Committee, Mercy Corps and the Helen Bamber Foundation. TripAdvisor also partnered with the World Central Kitchen to support both Afghan refugees and other food security humanitarian needs.
Grants for Global Development and Health
The TripAdvisor Charitable Foundation does not name specific goals for its global development grantmaking, but recent tax filings suggest a commitment to projects and organizations that aim to create economic opportunity for disadvantaged communities around the world.
Grantees include the Impact Hub Association, which builds entrepreneurial communities that focus on solving pressing social issues, and the crowdfunding platform GlobalGiving, which focuses on grassroots development projects in developing nations.
Global health encompass a smaller area of giving in recent years, and the TripAdvisor Charitable Foundation does not name funding priorities in this area.
Recent grantees in this space include Doctors Without Borders USA and the American Friends of ZanaAfrica.
Other grant opportunities:
TripAdvisor does not offer typical grantmaking common with other organizations, preferring to rely on in-kind donations, matching support, and employee engagement; however, this is not a hard and fast rule.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, TripAdvisor engaged in several emergency response programs. For instance, it supported restaurant workers.
Important Grant Details:
The TripAdvisor Charitable Foundation’s grants range widely from $5,000 to $500,000, but a few grantee-partners have received sums of up to $1 million. The foundation’s most common grant amount is $100,000.
Most of TripAdvisor’s grantees are large global nonprofits and NGOs that are based in the U.S., but some smaller or medium-sized grantees receive support on occasion.
Giving to U.S.-based organizations occurs all over the country, but tends to concentrate in Massachusetts, where the foundation is based, and has also occurred on both coasts.
This funder does not provide a direct avenue for getting in touch. According to tax filings, it does not accept unsolicited requests for funding.
PEOPLE:
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CONTACT:
Tripadvisor Charitable Foundation
400 1st Ave.
Needham, MA 02494
(781) 800-5000
