The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), based in Barbados, is offering grant funding to support regional events and conferences designed to strengthen the Caribbean’s cultural and creative industries. The initiative aims to foster sector growth, enhance competitiveness, and promote sustainable development in creative fields across the region. Through its Cultural and Creative Industries Innovation Fund, the… [Read More]
Worcester County Nonprofits Receive $2.13 Million in Funding Boost
The Greater Worcester Community Foundation has awarded $2.13 million in grants to 170 nonprofit organizations across Worcester County, with a significant focus on supporting Worcester-based programs in areas such as basic needs, youth development, healthcare, and the arts. The funding, distributed through the Foundation’s annual Community Grants program, includes both project-specific and general operating support,… [Read More]
LGBTQ+ Rights Funding Plummets in 2025: What It Means for Communities Worldwide
In Bangladesh, where same-sex relations remain criminalised under a colonial-era law, the Noboprobhaat Foundation created a rare safe space for LGBTQ+ people in rural areas. The grassroots group provided HIV testing, job training for youth rejected by their families, free counselling, and legal support for cases of blackmail and eviction. These services, however, were severely… [Read More]
€100 Million Funding Package Announced for Irish Civil Society by Ministers McEntee and Richmond
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee, and Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond, have announced a funding package of €100 million to support ten Irish NGOs engaged in development and humanitarian work overseas. The grants, provided through Irish Aid, will fund projects in 45 countries across Africa, Latin America,… [Read More]
€1 Billion Social Protection Boost Announced by Minister Calleary, Effective Immediately
Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary TD has announced that over €1 billion in social protection increases will come into effect from 1 January, as part of Budget 2026. The measures aim to support pensioners, families, carers, people with disabilities, and low-income households, while tackling child poverty across Ireland. The total cost of the January… [Read More]
Federal Child Care Funds in Minnesota Frozen Following Fraud Claims Under Trump Administration
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has frozen federal child care funding intended to support low-income families nationwide. The decision came shortly after a viral video from a conservative influencer accused, without evidence, several Minneapolis day care centers run by Somali residents of committing up to $100 million in fraud. The move has… [Read More]
New Syrian Currency a Strategic Step Towards Monetary Stability, Say Economists to QNA
Syrian economic experts have affirmed that the decision to issue a new Syrian currency, removing two zeros from banknotes, is part of a broader strategy to strengthen monetary stability, restore confidence in the Syrian pound, and facilitate financial transactions for citizens. The move is seen as a critical step toward stabilizing the economy after years… [Read More]
Doctors Without Borders Banned in Gaza, Leaving Clinics to Deliver Life-Saving Care
United Nations agencies and humanitarian partners in ten countries, including the United Kingdom, France and Canada, have urged Israel to reverse its decision to ban several well-established international aid organizations from operating in Gaza. Among those affected is Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières, MSF), a medical humanitarian group that has provided life-saving care in… [Read More]
FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia Strengthens Food Security and Agriculture
World Food Day 2025 brought together people and communities across Europe and Central Asia to promote a sustainable, safe and climate-resilient future where everyone has access to nutritious food. Marked annually on 16 October, the celebration coincided this year with a major milestone: the eightieth anniversary of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization… [Read More]
Another Child Dies in Gaza as Extreme Conditions Worsen, Says UNICEF
UNICEF has reported the death of another child in Gaza, identifying the victim as seven-year-old Ata Mai, who drowned on 27 December during severe flooding in an improvised camp for internally displaced people in Sudaniyeh, northwest of Gaza City. The agency said Ata’s death highlights the extreme risks facing children as winter storms, inadequate shelter… [Read More]
Landmark Central African Republic Elections: Results Expected on 5 January
Preliminary assessments from election observers indicate that the voting process in the Central African Republic unfolded largely as planned, with more than 99 per cent of polling stations opening on schedule on election day. According to the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSCA, the transfer of envelopes containing election results from 19 prefectural capitals to the national… [Read More]
COVID-19 Continues to Cause Severe Disease, While Updated Vaccines Prove Effective
Six years after the first pneumonia cases were reported in Wuhan in December 2019, the world has formally moved beyond the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. In May 2023, following an estimated global death toll of more than 6.9 million, the World Health Organization declared an end to the Public Health Emergency of International… [Read More]
How Health Systems Made Advances in 2025 Despite Wars and Funding Cuts
Even as funding cuts, armed conflict and climate-related shocks placed immense strain on health systems worldwide in 2025, governments and global partners continued to register important gains in disease control, prevention and emergency preparedness. Disruptions to essential services were widespread, yet the year demonstrated both the resilience of health systems under pressure and the tangible… [Read More]
IOC Joins Global Effort to Unlock Ocean Finance and Strengthen Coastal Resilience
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO has joined the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance as an Institutional Partner, marking a significant step toward accelerating global investment in ocean action and coastal resilience. The partnership aims to scale financial solutions that address ocean risk while strengthening the resilience of coastal and island communities facing climate-driven… [Read More]
Virginia Awards $6.2 Million in Growth and Opportunity Grants, Says Governor Youngkin
Governor Glenn Youngkin has announced $6.2 million in Growth and Opportunity for Virginia (GO Virginia) grants to support 10 projects aimed at strengthening the Commonwealth’s economic competitiveness. The funded initiatives focus on innovation, workforce development, and strategic industry growth, and are expected to leverage an additional $4 million in non-state investment to expand their overall… [Read More]
Creating Lasting Impact for Refugees and Community Members: A Practical Guide
Refugee settlements are often located in fragile environments where local communities already face limited access to land, water, and energy. These areas frequently experience erratic rainfall, degraded soils, and low vegetation cover, making them highly vulnerable to environmental stress. When displaced families arrive, pressure on shared natural resources increases, highlighting the need for approaches that… [Read More]
EBRD Supports Green Lending in Uzbekistan to Boost Sustainable Finance
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is providing up to US$30 million in financing to Hamkorbank to support green lending in Uzbekistan and improve access to sustainable finance for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises as well as households. The funding is being extended under the Uzbekistan Green Economy Financing Facility II, which aims to… [Read More]
Lessons from the Early 1990s: Key Insights for Today’s Economy
The transition impact concept was developed to clarify what the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development aimed to achieve through its investments and to guide the selection and design of projects. In the early 1990s, traditional cost–benefit analysis was used to assess project proposals, but this approach measured potential economic value rather than whether a… [Read More]
Israel Bars 37 NGOs from Gaza and West Bank for Failing to Comply with New Registration Guidelines
Israel has announced that the licenses of 37 international NGOs operating in Gaza and the West Bank will expire on January 1, 2026, due to noncompliance with new registration requirements introduced under a government resolution on March 1, 2025. The resolution mandates that NGOs submit detailed documentation about their organization and operations, including a complete… [Read More]
Why Zambia Struggles with Enforcing Its Environmental Laws and Standards
Farmers in Zambia are suing Sino-Metals Leach Zambia, a subsidiary of the Chinese state-owned China Nonferrous Metal Mining Group, following the collapse of the company’s tailings dam on 18 February. The disaster released an estimated 50 million litres of acidic, toxic wastewater and up to 1.5 million tonnes of waste into the Kafue River, causing… [Read More]
Supporting Recovery in Fragile Contexts: Building a Stronger Future
Today, more than half of UNDP’s work takes place in regions devastated by conflict, climate shocks, and disasters, reflecting a commitment to solutions that strengthen resilience, restore hope, and reduce future needs. From Ukraine to Sudan to the Asia-Pacific, UNDP and its partners are delivering tangible impacts where they are needed most, demonstrating that development… [Read More]
JMMB TT Raises $500,000 to Support Jamaica’s Disaster Relief Efforts
JMMB Trinidad and Tobago has successfully raised over TT$540,000 through its CSR Disaster Relief fund, “One Love,” to support communities in Jamaica affected by Hurricane Melissa. The fundraising effort was a combined initiative, drawing contributions from the JMMB Group, its employees, and the wider Trinidad and Tobago public. All proceeds from the fund will be… [Read More]
Caribbean Development Bank Invests USD 190K in Regional Creative Industry Conferences
The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has announced a grant opportunity through its Cultural and Creative Industries Innovation Fund (CIIF), offering a total of USD 190,000 to support regional events and conferences that advance the growth and competitiveness of the Caribbean’s Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs). Applications for this funding close on January 31, 2026, and… [Read More]
