Gere Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Gere Foundation supports human rights, global development, global health and humanitarian aid with a strong focus on Tibet.
IP TAKE: The Gere Foundation was founded by the Actor Richard Gere and mainly supports U.S. organizations working to support human rights and cultural preservation in Tibet. Unfortunately, it’s not an accessible foundation as it prefers to find its own projects to support and fund areas that evolve with its founder’s evolving interests. Giving focuses are niche and laser-focused. This is a hard nut to crack unless you can network with the Hollywood crowd to get on its radar.
PROFILE: The Gere Foundation, established by actor and activist Richard Gere in 1991, is perhaps best known for its support of the Tibetan community and the Dalai Lama. This foundation also supports other humanitarian and refugee causes around the world by providing “relief assistance in times of crisis” and working to “alleviate immediate needs resulting from catastrophic events.” Based in Santa Monica, California, the Gere Foundation works mainly through U.S. based organizations that provide international relief. The foundation maintains a sparse website, limiting information about its grantmaking practices and priorities.
Grants for Human Rights
Gere’s human rights funding prioritizes Tibet, but organizations working in other parts of the world have also received funding. Grantees working in Tibetan human rights include the International Campaign for Tibet, which has received ongoing support, the Thiksey Cultural and Welfare Society and Students for a Free Tibet. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, which cast a broader geographical net, have also received funding.
Grants for Global Development
The Gere Foundation does not name specific goals for its global development grantmaking, but tax filings reveal a broad interest in this area based on the founder’s changing interests. Past grantees include Oxfam America and the Institute for Asian Democracy.
Grants for Global Health
Gere’s global health funding has traditionally focused on AIDS/HIV research, diagnosis and treatment, but recent grants also support more general global health causes. AIDS/HIV grantees include the AIDS Research Alliance, the Harvard AIDS Institute, AMFAR and the Stephen Lewis Foundation. Other global health grantees include Médecins Sans Frontières and UCLA Art and Global Health.
Grants for Disaster Relief and Humanitarian Aid
Disaster relief and humanitarian aid are Gere’s smallest areas of funding. Past grantees include the International Rescue Committee and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Organizations.
Important Grant Details:
The Gere Foundation awards around $200,000 a year in grants, most of which is directed to U.S.-based organizations working in Tibet. The foundation’s average grant size is about $7,500. For information about past grantmaking, see the foundation’s charter or recent tax filings.
The Gere foundation does not accept applications for funding or provide a direct way of getting in touch. A mailing address is provided below.
PEOPLE:
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CONTACT:
The Gere Foundation
PO Box 1760
Santa Monica, CA 90406
