National Digest

U.S. foundations giving generously

SEATTLE - U.S. charitable foundations gave money to international causes at record levels in 2007 and their contributions are likely to increase again this year, says a report by an organization that monitors philanthropy.

International giving by U.S. foundations totaled about $5.4 billion last year, according to the report released yesterday by the New York-based Foundation Center.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation accounted for more than half the increase in foundation giving to international causes between 2002 and 2006, said the report, which documents trends in...