Intermediary Organizations for Diaspora Philanthropy: A Systematic Literature Review

Diaspora philanthropy describes the phenomenon that diasporas who live away from their home countries remain connected to their homelands and thus are motivated to give back to their countries of origin. The literature on diaspora philanthropy is growing, and multiple types of intermediary organizations have been identified, usually through single case studies. However, there is a need to systematically document the types and characteristics of intermediary organizations for diaspora philanthropy. This research uses a systematic literature review to define, summarize, and categorize intermediary organizations. Three main types of organizations emerged: nonprofit, government, and for-profit organizations. The nonprofit sector is seen as the primary type and contains five more specific categories of intermediary organizations for diaspora philanthropy. This research presents the current landscape of intermediary organizations for diaspora philanthropy and paves the way for future research on relevant topics.