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Fact check: What organizations does George Soros fund through his Open Society Foundations?

Checked on June 12, 2025

1. Summary of the results

The Open Society Foundations (OSF), founded by George Soros, provides thousands of grants annually across multiple sectors and operates in over 50 countries with offices in major cities including New York, Baltimore, Berlin, Brussels, London, Paris, and Washington D.C. [1]. The foundation's primary focus areas include:

  • Press freedom organizations
  • Human rights protection groups
  • Economic and social reform initiatives
  • Entrepreneurship support programs
  • National security and human rights campaigns
  • International investigative journalism networks (ICIJ)
  • Migration-related organizations [1]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual points should be considered:

  • The OSF emphasizes that it is a private foundation that sets its own priorities and uses its own funds, though it may collaborate with other funders when objectives align [2]
  • While Soros founded the Open Society Institute, he maintains that his political activities are separate from the organization's work [3]
  • The foundation has a significant global presence, operating in over 50 countries [1]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The question itself might benefit from additional context:

  • The simple listing of organizations funded by OSF can be misleading without understanding the scale and scope of their operations - they provide thousands of grants annually [2]
  • While some sources broadly state that Soros has funded various political projects, they often fail to provide specific details [4]
  • The foundation's work is often oversimplified in public discourse, while in reality it spans multiple sectors and geographical regions [1]

Those who benefit from emphasizing OSF's funding activities might include:

  • Political opponents who want to create narratives about external influence
  • Grant recipients who want to highlight their legitimate funding sources
  • The foundation itself, which benefits from transparency about its activities
Want to dive deeper?
How much money does George Soros donate annually through Open Society Foundations?
What are the main focus areas and priorities of Open Society Foundations grants?
Which political organizations and candidates have received funding from George Soros?
What controversies surround George Soros and his philanthropic activities?
How does Open Society Foundations' funding compare to other major philanthropic organizations?