The Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS) urges governments and intermediaries to facilitate more formal diaspora philanthropy as development finance pressures grow across Asia.
HONG KONG (April 14, 2026) — The Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS) today released its latest report, Giving Back Home: Exploring Diaspora Philanthropy to China, India, the Philippines and Vietnam, an in‑depth examination of how regulatory environments, institutional trust and giving infrastructure shape the philanthropic engagement of Asian diaspora communities.
Drawing on interviews with 40 experts, practitioners and diaspora donors across the four countries, the report, part of CAPS’ Policy Brief series, highlights both the strong desire among diaspora communities to support their home countries and the persistent barriers that limit the scale and effectiveness of formal giving from overseas.
CAPS’ original research finds that while many diaspora members want to “give back home,” regulatory complexity, geopolitical tensions and trust gaps are preventing formal philanthropic capital from flowing back at scale. Against a backdrop of rising fiscal pressures and declining overseas development assistance to parts of Asia, the report positions diaspora philanthropy as a significant yet underexamined source of development finance for the region.
Diaspora Philanthropy: High Interest, Uneven Participation
The study finds that while some segments of the Asian diaspora across the United States, Canada, Australia and other countries have significant financial capacity and many have deep cultural ties to their countries of origin, formal philanthropic giving back to their home countries is inconsistent. Concerns around geopolitical tensions, reputational risk, and complex compliance requirements in both host and home countries continue to deter many prospective donors.
“As traditional sources of funding from overseas recede, diaspora philanthropy represents a flexible and relational source of capital that can complement public funding and domestic philanthropy,” said Dr. Ruth Shapiro, Co-Founder & Chief Executive at CAPS. “Our research shows that there is high willingness and capacity among overseas Chinese, Indian, Filipino and Vietnamese communities to give back. But concerns about compliance, geopolitical risk and the effective use of funds dampen these intentions, thus mitigating their potential.
Regulations are Creating Greater Complexity, but Also Increasing Accountability
The report details how the four countries have adopted different approaches to regulating inbound charitable giving, which have evolved in recent years. Prospective diaspora donors view this through two different lenses.
Together, regulations do not prevent diaspora philanthropy, but they do increase transaction costs and uncertainty among some donors. For other donors, regulations have the effect of increasing confidence by signaling oversight and accountability.
Intermediaries are Emerging to Fill the Trust Gap
Across all four countries, intermediaries are playing a role in bridging trust gaps, conducting due diligence, and helping diaspora donors navigate regulatory landscapes and access tax incentives. A rising role is in their ability to connect donors with credible organizations to enable formal cross‑border giving.
Diaspora Donors are Turning to Impact-Led Investments
Diaspora members are increasingly turning to commercial approaches to social impact, seeing opportunities to have impact through this channel. The report identifies rising interest in impact investing and social enterprises among donors connected to China, India, and Vietnam. These models offer alternative pathways to contribute expertise and capital while avoiding the perceived regulatory complexity associated with charitable donations to some countries.
Three Immediate Opportunities to Enable Diaspora Giving
“Diaspora communities want to give, but structural hurdles often prevent goodwill from turning into impact,” said Kithmina Hewage, Director of Policy Engagement at CAPS, who led the research. “For governments in the region, we see immediate opportunities for encouraging a significant and underutilized source of development finance.”
The report outlines actionable strategies to policymakers and others for strengthening formal diaspora philanthropy:
- Integrate philanthropy into diaspora engagement initiatives, moving beyond a focus on investment and remittances.
- Create clear and compliant channels for giving, such as endorsed platforms, pre‑approved funds, or coordinated government–nonprofit mechanisms.
- Leverage diaspora expertise, not just financial contributions, by expanding mentorship, capacity‑building, and volunteer pathways.
About the Report
“Giving Back Home: Exploring Diaspora Philanthropy to China, India, the Philippines and Vietnam” is part of CAPS’ Policy Brief Series and is based on 40 interviews with policymakers, nonprofit leaders, intermediaries and diaspora philanthropy experts across the four countries, as well as regulatory analysis and literature review.
The report focuses on formal philanthropic giving, not informal remittances, and examines the enabling environment for diaspora giving to social delivery organizations in their home countries, which includes nonprofits, foundations and social enterprises or ventures.
About the Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS)
Established in 2013 and working across more than 17 economies in Asia, the Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS) is a nonprofit organization committed to improving the quantity and quality of philanthropic and private giving throughout Asia. Our mission is to maximize private capital for public good, conducting research, advisory, convening and capacity building to engage philanthropists, foundations, family offices, corporates, government bodies, social sector organizations and experts on best practices, models, policies and strategies to facilitate private giving and social investment in the region.
The full report is now available for download on the CAPS website.