LEGO Foundation
The LEGO Foundation provided USD 196.3 million for development in 2021 through its grantmaking activities. Compared to 2020, this amount represents an increase of 88.2% in real terms.
In 2021, the LEGO Foundation provided USD 92.6 million to the multilateral system, representing 47.2% of its development finance, all of which was earmarked for specific countries, regions, themes or purposes.
The LEGO Foundation channelled almost all of its multilateral aid through UN entities and the World Bank Group.
The United Nations (UN) system received USD 82.2 million from the LEGO Foundation in 2021, notably unspecified UN entities (USD 70 million) and UNICEF (USD 12.2 million).
See the section on geographic and thematic focus for the geographical and thematic breakdown of bilateral allocations earmarked through the multilateral development system.
In 2021, the LEGO Foundation channelled its contributions mostly through non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society (USD 95.2 million) and multilateral organisations (USD 92.6 million).
In 2021, civil society organisations (CSOs) received USD 95.2 million of the LEGO Foundation’s development finance, all of which were earmarked to specific projects. Almost all these funds were channelled through international NGOs.
In 2021, the LEGO Foundation’s development finance was mostly focused on Africa and Asia. USD 52.7 million was allocated to Africa, followed by USD 15.9 million to South Asia and USD 14.3 million to the Middle East, accounting respectively for 26.8%, 8.1% and 7.3% of development finance. Latin America and the Caribbean received USD 12.5 million (6.4%). A sum of USD 94.5 million (48.2%) was unspecified by region in 2021, mainly including support to multi-regional programmes and research.
In 2021, 33.2% of development finance went to the top 10 recipients. The LEGO Foundation’s most significant recipients included South Africa (USD 13.8 million), Uganda (USD 8.2 million), Bangladesh (USD 8.1 million) and Jordan (USD 7.3 million). Moreover, 48.2% of development finance was not allocated by country.
Least developed countries (LDCs) received USD 51.4 million (26.2%) of LEGO Foundation’s gross disbursements in 2021. Upper middle income countries received USD 36.5 million (18.6%), noting that USD 94.5 million (48.2%) was unallocated by income group.
Furthermore, the LEGO Foundation allocated USD 6.8 million to small island developing states (SIDS) in 2021, equal to 3.5% of its development finance. This finance was allocated to Haiti.
Fragile contexts
Support to fragile contexts reached USD 55.7 million in 2021, representing 28.4% of LEGO Foundation’s development finance. Of this, extremely fragile contexts received USD 18.4 million.
Learn more about support to fragile contexts on the States of Fragility platform.
Official website: https://learningthroughplay.com/
The methodological notes provide further details on the definitions and statistical methodologies applied, including core and earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations, the Sustainable Development Goal focus of private development finance, channels of delivery, unspecified/unallocated allocations, the gender equality policy marker, and the environment markers.