The Trump administration’s recent military assault on Venezuela has raised serious concerns about a potential human rights disaster, according to Human Rights Watch. In the early hours of January 3, 2026, US forces conducted strikes in Venezuela, taking President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, into custody. They have since been arraigned in a… [Read More]
Declining Funding in Egypt Jeopardizes Education and Health Services
The Egyptian government has severely undermined citizens’ rights to education and health care by failing to allocate sufficient funding, falling short of both constitutional requirements and international standards, Human Rights Watch reported. This chronic underfunding has left schools and hospitals severely under-resourced, with shortages of classrooms, teachers, doctors, and nurses, while families shoulder significant out-of-pocket… [Read More]
How Child-Focused Investments Drive Economic Development and Save Lives in West Africa
A targeted investment of $2.5 million by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is poised to transform humanitarian supply chains in West Africa, significantly improving the lives of children at risk of malnutrition. The initiative focuses on building local manufacturing capacity for Ready to Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTFs), which are essential for treating severely… [Read More]
How the UN Helped Uruguay Pioneer Sustainable Transport Financing Worldwide
Uruguay is breaking new ground in decarbonising its transport and industrial sectors with the launch of the Kahirós green hydrogen project, the country’s first large-scale initiative to produce and use green hydrogen for heavy transport. Launched in December 2025 with an investment exceeding $30 million, the project is financed by Grupo Santander, the International Finance… [Read More]
UN in Iraq: Transitioning from Stability Efforts to Long-Term Sustainability
In Iraq, the United Nations is navigating a significant transition, reflecting both the country’s evolving priorities and the UN’s need to remain relevant and effective. After decades of conflict, Iraq has made tangible progress: nearly five million internally displaced people have returned home, economic activity is recovering, state institutions are regaining confidence, and the country… [Read More]
Ahead of 2026 Elections, UN Urges Uganda to Safeguard Human Rights
UN experts have issued a stark warning regarding the upcoming general elections in Uganda, scheduled for 15 January 2026, highlighting a pervasive climate of fear that undermines the potential for peaceful voting. They expressed concern that patterns of repression observed during the 2021 elections—such as enforced disappearances—are reappearing, with at least 160 cases reported in… [Read More]
$152,000+ in Grants Awarded to Tackle Hunger and Food Insecurity in Northern New York
The Northern New York Community Foundation has awarded $152,175 in grant support during 2025 to 67 food pantries, soup kitchens, and school-based backpack programs across Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties. This funding includes $55,000 approved as year-end aid by the Foundation’s Board of Directors, aimed at strengthening local programs and stocking shelves with essential… [Read More]
Ilute Solar Project Reaches Financial Close, Marking a Landmark Solar IPP Deal in Zambia
Financial close has been successfully achieved for the Ilute Solar Project, allowing construction to begin on one of Zambia’s most innovative renewable energy developments. Announced by Serengeti Energy, Kwama Energy, and FMO, this milestone completes the project’s development phase and establishes a new benchmark for privately financed power generation in Zambia and the wider Southern… [Read More]
PRIO Wins Major Research Grants to Advance Studies on Conflict, Security and Gender
PRIO has secured several new external research grants, underscoring strong confidence in the Institute’s work and its relevance to urgent global challenges. The funding supports five major research areas, including displacement, Nordic security, societal preparedness, the human impacts of the war in Ukraine, and gender, peace and security. Together, these initiatives strengthen PRIO’s capacity to… [Read More]
United States Halts Assistance to Somalia Following Allegations of Aid Diversion
The United States has announced the suspension of all assistance to the government of Somalia following allegations that Somali officials destroyed a World Food Programme warehouse containing US-funded food aid. According to a statement shared on social media by the US State Department, 76 metric tonnes of donor-funded food intended for vulnerable Somalis were allegedly… [Read More]
DEQ Launches New Grant Program for Water Quality Protection Projects
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality is inviting nonprofit organizations and government entities to apply for approximately $1.5 million in grant funding to support nonpoint source pollution reduction projects across the state. Eligible applicants must submit draft applications by February 20, 2026. The funding is aimed at improving water quality in Montana’s lakes, streams, and… [Read More]
Montana 250th Commission Grants Almost $420,000 to 32 Groups Celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary
The Montana 250th Commission has announced the recipients of its statewide grant program, awarding a total of $419,721 to 32 organizations across Montana to support projects commemorating America’s 250th anniversary in 2026. The funded initiatives are designed to deepen public understanding of Montana’s diverse culture and heritage while fostering meaningful connections to the nation’s semiquincentennial…. [Read More]
Protecting Federal Programs Is Essential to Fulfilling U.S. Trust and Treaty Duties
On December 24, 2025, the Native American Rights Fund filed an amicus brief supporting an injunction that blocked a sweeping federal funding freeze directed by the Office of Management and Budget in January 2025. The injunction prevents the enforcement of the original directive as well as similar future policies. The brief was submitted on behalf… [Read More]
U.S. Must Fulfill Its Obligations by Safeguarding Critical Programs
On December 24, 2025, the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) filed an amicus brief in support of an injunction that blocks the sweeping federal funding freeze imposed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in January 2025. The injunction prevents not only the original freeze but also any similar funding restrictions the Administration might… [Read More]
New $6.5M Funding Boost Ensures Performing Artists Lead in Technology Innovation
The Doris Duke Foundation (DDF), in partnership with the Mozilla Foundation, has announced a $6.5 million commitment to their new initiative, Artists Make Technology (AMT), aimed at placing performing artists at the center of technological innovation. Launching on January 7, 2026, AMT seeks to dismantle systemic barriers that have historically excluded artists from shaping technology,… [Read More]
Baring Foundation Upholds Racial Equity as Core to Its Programmes
The Baring Foundation is committing an additional £3 million in funding over the next five years to advance racial justice through its grant-making. This follows an initial £3 million commitment made in 2020, which was distributed through the Foundation’s UK Arts and Strengthening Civil Society programmes between 2021 and 2025 and concluded this year. The… [Read More]
Promoting Women’s Health in The Hills Through Menstrual Education
In Merung, one of the most remote unions in Khagrachari, part of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, menstrual health was long a silent struggle. Limited awareness and the high cost of sanitary pads often kept girls out of school and left women enduring discomfort. The situation is now changing through UNDP Bangladesh’s Women and Girls Empowerment… [Read More]
Nation-Leading Community Service Agreement Rolled Out by NSW Government
The Minns Labor Government in NSW has introduced a landmark agreement aimed at providing greater job security and long-term funding certainty for the community services sector, benefiting nearly a quarter of a million workers. This initiative fulfills the government’s Secure Jobs and Funding Certainty election commitment through the establishment of a new Community Services Funding… [Read More]
Aid Policy in 2026: Key Drivers and Emerging Trends
As 2026 begins, the global humanitarian system is facing a crisis of trust, legitimacy, and resources. Humanitarian agencies are being asked to do more with far less, while major donors show limited appetite for reform and sometimes exacerbate the crises they are meant to address. The sector is caught between appealing to public solidarity and… [Read More]
30 Local Art Projects Receive Grants from Tacoma Arts Commission
The Tacoma Arts Commission has awarded $147,000 in Community Arts Projects funding to 30 Tacoma organizations, groups, and businesses to support public outreach projects in 2026. The funding aims to make arts experiences accessible, community-centered, and reflective of Tacoma’s diverse cultures, bringing dance, music, theater, visual, and cross-disciplinary arts directly into neighborhoods and fostering connection,… [Read More]
Ethiopia’s Displaced: Struggles, Survival, and Resilience
Across Ethiopia, millions of families have been uprooted by conflict, natural disasters, and climate shocks, joining refugees from neighboring countries in a shared search for safety. More than 4.5 million people are internally displaced within Ethiopia, while over a million refugees have crossed borders seeking shelter. Most of these individuals depend heavily on humanitarian aid… [Read More]
Aid Agencies Barred from the OPT: What We Know About the Access Crisis
On 30 December, Israel announced that it would revoke the licenses of 37 international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) operating in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. The affected organisations include prominent agencies such as the Norwegian Refugee Council, International Rescue Committee, ActionAid, World Vision International, Oxfam, Care International, and Médecins Sans Frontières. The move has drawn… [Read More]
SHAPE Framework: Advancing Age-Inclusive Humanitarian Action
SHAPE, which stands for Strategic Humanitarian Assessment and Participatory Empowerment, is a framework designed to strengthen the capacity of local organisations to respond effectively to crises. Originally developed in 2015 under the Start Network’s Shifting the Power programme, SHAPE was adapted by HelpAge International to be age-inclusive, ensuring that older people and other at-risk groups… [Read More]
