At the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), held in Yokohama from 20–22 August 2025, Japan reaffirmed its strong support for global health and Africa’s health equity agenda. Prime Minister H.E. Shigeru Ishiba announced that Japan will contribute up to US$ 550 million over the next five years to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance,… [Read More]
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Vanguard Charitable Donors Set New Record in Grantmaking, Expanding Philanthropic Impact
Donor-advised funds (DAFs) once again proved their value and flexibility in times of uncertainty, with Vanguard Charitable reporting a record-breaking year of granting. From July 2024 to June 2025, donors contributed more than $3.5 billion to nonprofits, a 14% increase over the previous year. This included nearly 248,000 grants averaging $14,000 each, directed to 62,950… [Read More]
DAF Donors Increase Charitable Giving as Disasters Drive Higher Payouts
Donor-advised funds (DAFs) continue to demonstrate their growing importance in the philanthropic landscape, with new data underscoring their rapid rise in charitable giving. While debates persist around the advantages and limitations of DAFs compared to private foundations, the structure remains a preferred choice for many high-net-worth individuals seeking effective ways to give. Vanguard Charitable, a… [Read More]
Comcast Donates $50,000 to San Bruno Education Foundation to Expand Digital Opportunities
Comcast has announced a $50,000 donation to the San Bruno Education Foundation (SBEF) during a community barbecue held on August 22. The contribution will support a range of afterschool programs that emphasize technology and digital learning opportunities, aiming to expand access and foster skill development for local students. David Tashjian, regional senior vice president of… [Read More]
Oregon Artists and Cultural Groups Awarded Over $1 Million in Creative Heights Grants
The Oregon Community Foundation has awarded more than $1 million in Creative Heights grants to 14 Oregon artists and cultural groups, enabling them to bring ambitious, community-focused projects to life. The grants, ranging from $24,000 to $100,000, are particularly valuable at a time when federal funding for the arts has been drastically reduced, making private… [Read More]
Over $6.8 Million from PacifiCan to Boost Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Coquitlam
In Coquitlam, British Columbia, the federal agency Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan) announced an investment of over $6.8 million in two local businesses focused on sustainability and innovative technologies in the energy and textile sectors. This initiative reflects British Columbia’s growing ecosystem of entrepreneurs and small businesses tackling contemporary economic and environmental challenges. Moment Energy,… [Read More]
Meet Our 2025 Keepers of the Earth Fund Grant Partners Defending their Lands Against Extractivism and Protecting Indigenous Knowledge, Rights, and Cultures
The Keepers of the Earth Fund (KOEF), an Indigenous-led initiative under Cultural Survival, has announced its 2025 partnerships with Indigenous communities worldwide. KOEF, established to strengthen Indigenous Peoples’ advocacy and community development, has supported 440 projects in 42 countries since 2017, distributing over $2.6 million in small grants directly to Indigenous communities, collectives, organizations, and… [Read More]
WEIDE Fund Empowers Women Beneficiaries in Mongolia as Implementation Accelerates
Forty-six women-led businesses in Mongolia have been selected as beneficiaries of the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund, launched by the WTO Secretariat and the International Trade Centre (ITC) in 2024. The selected micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) were announced at an event in Ulaanbaatar on 25 August in partnership with the… [Read More]
Gavi Launches First Solar-Powered Health Facility in Zambia, Expands US$28M Solarisation Project
Zambia has become the first country to inaugurate a solar-powered health facility under Gavi’s Health Facility Solar Electrification (HFSE) programme, which aims to power 250 clinics across the country. This initiative marks a significant step toward improving healthcare delivery in remote and underserved communities, providing reliable electricity for medical equipment, lighting, and digital tools, and… [Read More]
NUS Secures S$3 Million Mapletree Gift to Expand Service-Learning Courses and Support 60,000+ Seniors and Families
The National University of Singapore (NUS) has received a generous S$3 million pledge from global real estate company Mapletree Investments to strengthen its service-learning courses. This contribution will empower over 4,000 student volunteers annually to support more than 60,000 beneficiaries, including seniors and vulnerable families, highlighting the importance of collaborative efforts among government, community, and… [Read More]
Flood Risk Management in the Western Balkans: Strategies and Success Stories
In the Western Balkans, floods in the Drin River Basin, which spans Albania, North Macedonia, and Montenegro, have long threatened communities, farmland, and infrastructure. With climate change accelerating, these floods are becoming more frequent, severe, and destructive, putting farmers, families, and small businesses at heightened risk. Residents like Robert Tonaj in Shkodër, Albania, have seen… [Read More]
Regional Workshop Boosts African Disability Protocol Ratification and Implementation
The Centre for Human Rights at the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Law recently hosted a two-day Regional Workshop on Enhancing the Ratification and Implementation of the African Disability Protocol. The workshop convened a diverse group of stakeholders from multiple sectors, including the disability sector, academia, donor agencies, government, National Human Rights Institutions, and civil… [Read More]
Israel’s New NGO Registration Rules: Impact on International Aid Coordination
New guidelines for international NGOs operating in Palestine are threatening to further fracture humanitarian efforts in Gaza and the West Bank, aid workers say, by pressuring organisations to comply with Israeli rules or face de-registration. Aid workers report that those unwilling to adhere to these rules are increasingly frozen out, heightening fears for staff safety… [Read More]
Angela Gichaga: Pioneering Healthcare Investment Across Africa
Across Africa, community health systems face chronic underfunding, with an estimated $2 billion annual gap leaving rural clinics without essential supplies, health workers unpaid, and millions of families lacking reliable access to care. This systemic challenge drives Dr. Angela Nyambura Gichaga, a Kenyan physician who shifted her focus from treating individual patients to transforming the… [Read More]
The Rohingya Crisis: Eight Years of Displacement and Struggle
The Rohingya crisis in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, has now entered its ninth year, with the world’s largest refugee camp hosting over 1.5 million Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence in Myanmar. The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate as more than 150,000 new arrivals joined the camps in the past year alone. Residents face persistent threats including malnutrition,… [Read More]
Climate Change Threatens Livestock Productivity and Pasture Availability in East Africa
Climate change is increasingly threatening livestock production in East Africa, with serious implications for food security, rural livelihoods, and greenhouse gas emissions. Traditional methods of estimating livestock carrying capacity—either through localized ground surveys or process-based models—have significant limitations. Ground surveys cannot capture spatial variability or the dynamic nature of rangelands at regional scales, while process-based… [Read More]
Asia-Pacific Accelerates Climate Finance Efforts to Boost Resilience
Over 150 participants from 20 countries, including ministers of finance, development partners, UN agencies, private investors, and civil society representatives, gathered in Bangkok for the Inclusive Climate Finance Dialogue for a Resilient Asia-Pacific. Co-organized by the UNDP Climate Finance Network (CFN) and the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) with support from partners including the UK… [Read More]
Eco-Justice Ethiopia Empowers Waste Pickers and Composters to Promote Environmental Rights
Organic waste management in Ethiopia faces significant challenges, largely due to limited infrastructure, low public awareness, and economic constraints. The country generates large volumes of organic waste that are often uncollected and improperly processed, leading to environmental degradation, health risks, and missed opportunities for resource recovery. In response, Eco-Justice Ethiopia (EJE) is working to strengthen… [Read More]
Water Management at the Heart of Climate Action: Securing a Sustainable Future
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that approximately 2.2 billion people globally still lack access to safely managed drinking water, a challenge that is growing increasingly urgent as demand for this essential resource rises. This issue is the focus of the 35th World Water Week, currently taking place in Stockholm from 24 to 28 August,… [Read More]
South African Civil Society Urges Bold Climate Action in Updated NDC
The 30-day public consultation on South Africa’s draft second Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) closes on 29 August, prompting civil society organisations to call for substantial revisions to enhance ambition, coherence, and accountability in the country’s climate commitments. Groups affiliated with the Climate Justice Coalition (CJC) and the Energy Governance South Africa Network (EG-SA), representing social… [Read More]
UK PACT Supports South African Municipalities to Achieve Energy Independence
South Africa’s energy sector is experiencing significant transformation as municipalities increasingly explore pathways to energy security, economic resilience, and climate action, even as national attention focuses on load shedding and the challenges facing Eskom, the state-owned electricity utility responsible for roughly 90% of the country’s power generation. Local governments are emerging as key players in… [Read More]
African Health Ministers Approve New Framework to Fast-Track Oral Health Progress
African health ministers at the Seventy-fifth session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa in Lusaka, Zambia, have endorsed a new framework aimed at accelerating progress in oral health across the continent. The initiative addresses the widespread prevalence of oral diseases affecting around 42% of the African population and sets ambitious targets, including providing at… [Read More]
Health Communication Network Enhances Emergency Response Capabilities in Angola
Angola has taken a significant step to strengthen public health communication by organizing a national training session focused on the role of the media in responding to health emergencies. The training, supported by the Ministry of Health (MINSA), the Ministry of Telecommunications, Information Technology, and Social Communication (MINTTICS), the World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF,… [Read More]
