Estimating the Development Assistance for Health Provided to Faith-Based Organizations, 1990–2013

BackgroundFaith-based organizations (FBOs) have been active in the health sector for decades. Recently, the role of FBOs in global health has been of increased interest. However, little is known about the magnitude and trends in development assistance for health (DAH) channeled through these organizations.Material and MethodsData were collected from the 21 most recent editions of the Report of Voluntary Agencies. These reports provide information on the revenue and expenditure of organizations. Project-level data were also collected and reviewed from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. More than 1,900 non-governmental organizations received funds from at least one of these three organizations. Background information on these organizations was examined by two independent reviewers to identify the amount of funding channeled through FBOs.ResultsIn 2013, total spending by the FBOs identified in the VolAg amounted to US$1.53 billion. In 1990, FB0s spent 34.1% of total DAH provided by private voluntary organizations reported in the VolAg. In 2013, FBOs expended 31.0%. Funds provided by the Global Fund to FBOs have grown since 2002, amounting to $80.9 million in 2011, or 16.7% of the Global Fund’s contributions to NGOs. In 2011, the Gates Foundation’s contributions to FBOs amounted to $7.1 million, or 1.1% of the total provided to NGOs.ConclusionDevelopment assistance partners exhibit a range of preferences with respect to the amount of funds provided to FBOs. Overall, estimates show that FBOS have maintained a substantial and consistent share over time, in line with overall spending in global health on NGOs. These estimates provide the foundation for further research on the spending trends and effectiveness of FBOs in global health.

### 研究背景
数十年来，宗教慈善组织（Faith-based Organizations, FBOs）一直活跃于卫生领域。近年来，学界对宗教慈善组织在全球卫生中的作用关注度日益提升。然而，目前学界对通过这些机构拨付的卫生发展援助（Development Assistance for Health, DAH）的规模与发展趋势仍知之甚少。

### 材料与方法
本研究数据取自最新21期《志愿机构报告》（Report of Voluntary Agencies），该报告收录了各机构的收支信息。此外，研究还从比尔及梅琳达·盖茨基金会、全球抗击艾滋病、结核病和疟疾基金（以下简称全球基金）获取并梳理了项目级数据。共有超过1900家非政府组织从上述三家机构中的至少一家获得了资金支持。两名独立评审员对这些机构的背景信息进行核查，以确定通过宗教慈善组织拨付的资金总额。

### 研究结果
2013年，《志愿机构报告》中收录的宗教慈善组织总支出达15.3亿美元。1990年，宗教慈善组织的支出占该报告中私人志愿机构提供的卫生发展援助总额的34.1%；到2013年，这一比例降至31.0%。自2002年以来，全球基金拨付给宗教慈善组织的资金规模持续增长，2011年该金额达8090万美元，占全球基金对非政府组织捐助总额的16.7%。2011年，比尔及梅琳达·盖茨基金会对宗教慈善组织的捐助额为710万美元，占其对非政府组织捐助总额的1.1%。

### 研究结论
卫生发展援助出资方对于向宗教慈善组织拨付的资金规模存在多样化偏好。整体而言，估算结果显示，长期以来宗教慈善组织在全球卫生领域非政府组织支出中始终保持着可观且稳定的占比。本研究的估算结果为后续开展宗教慈善组织在全球卫生领域的支出趋势与效能研究奠定了基础。