In 2023, the growth of newly established foundations in China experienced a notable slowdown compared to the previous two years, according to the latest data. A total of 440 foundations were established nationwide, with 414 of them being charitable organizations, accounting for 94.1% of the total.
The distribution of these foundations across different regions revealed that Zhejiang Province had the highest number of new establishments, reaching 154, followed by Guangdong Province, Fujian Province, Jiangsu Province, Shanghai, and Beijing.
However, Shandong Province, which had previously seen a significant number of foundations experienced a sharp decrease to just 6 in 2023.
Regarding the registration authority hierarchy, approximately 56% of the newly established foundations registered with provincial civil affairs departments, while around 17% registered with municipal departments, and roughly 28% with county-level departments.
In terms of focus areas, the education sector garnered the most attention, with 59% of the foundations dedicated to this field. Other notable areas of focus included poverty alleviation and assistance, community development, safety and disaster relief, medical assistance, and scientific research.
Despite the overall growth in the foundation sector, some foundations faced credit-related issues. As of March 15, 2024, 63 foundations remained on the List of Abnormal Activities, primarily due to failure to submit annual work reports. Additionally, 62 foundations were listed on the List of Serious Violations of Laws and Credit, mostly due to the revocation or cancellation of their registration certificates by the authorities.
