In 2024, George Harrison’s Material World Foundation disbursed £573,221 to charities worldwide, a figure that underscores the enduring impact of the late Beatle’s 1973 pledge to donate all publishing royalties from his solo album Living in the Material World—an act that has fueled global support for decades.
The allocation covered public health services, education programmes, emergency aid and environmental projects in the UK and abroad, with grants flowing to Médecins Sans Frontières, Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity and Macmillan Cancer Support, among others.
The foundation is governed by a board of four unpaid trustees, including Olivia Harrison, who decide which causes receive funding and keep administrative costs low so more royalty income reaches beneficiaries.
After Harrison’s death in 2001, a 2002 re‑release of his 1970 single My Sweet Lord generated additional revenue that was funneled into the fund, ensuring a steady stream of donations.
Looking ahead, the trustees plan to use the continued royalties from Living in the Material World to finance new emergency relief efforts and medical research projects in the coming years.