Open Society Foundations

About Open Society Foundations

The Open Society Foundations work to build vibrant and inclusive democracies whose governments are accountable to their people. To achieve this mission, we give thousands of grants every year to groups and individuals in over 120 countries that work on the issues we focus on—promoting tolerance, transparency, and open debate. We also engage in strategic human rights litigation and impact investing, while incubating new ideas and engaging directly with governments and policymakers through advocacy to advance positive change. We seek to shape public policies that assure greater fairness in political, legal, and economic systems and safeguard fundamental rights. We build alliances across borders and continents on issues such as corruption and freedom of information. We place a high priority on protecting and improving the lives of people in marginalized communities. The Open Society Foundations were founded by George Soros, one of the world’s foremost philanthropists, who since 1984 has given away $32 billion of a personal fortune made in the financial markets.