Donor Government Funding for Family Planning Remains Steady in 2019

A new KFF analysis finds donor government support for global family planning efforts totaled US$1.5 billion in 2019, matching the previous year’s record level and well above the US$1.1 billion in 2012 since the London Summit on Family Planning that created an international goal of increasing family planning services.

The funding helps to support a range of activities including contraceptives, information, education and communication activities; and capacity building and training in low- and middle- income countries. It reflects donor nation’s funding decisions prior to the global COVID-19 pandemic and does not reflect any changes in priorities sparked by that crisis.

Key findings include:

• Half of donors increased bilateral funding in 2019 (Australia, Canada, Norway, Sweden, and the U.K.) while the other half decreased funding (Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the U.S.).
• Despite a decline by the U.S., it remains the largest bilateral donor to family planning, providing US$592.5 million or 39% of total funding from donor governments. The decline is largely due to timing and does not reflect the actual U.S, appropriations by Congress, which have remained steady.
• Funding for the multilateral United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) remained steady in 2019, with Norway providing the largest contribution at US$62.0 million, followed by Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and the Netherland keeping the funding levels at US$367.6 million, similar to 2018 (US$374.1 million). The Trump administration withheld all U.S. support for UNFPA throughout its tenure.
• Future funding levels for family planning could depend on the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and the changing U.S. administration priorities. The incoming Biden administration has expressed support for global family planning efforts and may seek additional funding, though any funding request would need to be approved by Congress.