During the Covid health crisis, many donors got involved in public utility organizations. Three initiatives have thus emerged under the umbrella of Swiss Philanthropy Foundation, spurred on by partner institutions and organizations, in particular the World Health Organization and the Verbier Festival Foundation. Swiss Philanthropy Foundation has also taken a temporary action to support organizations benefiting from its thematic funds.
In the ccontext of the global health crisis, the WHO launched in March 2020 the first and only common fund for individuals, companies and organizations to directly contribute to the global response to COVID-19: COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.
In order to expand the global network of donors, WHO has partnered with Swiss Philanthropy Foundation and the United Nations Foundation. These two public utility foundations were in charge of collecting donations, which are then used by WHO and its partners to help countries according to the COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (2019-2020) and its updated version for 2021-2022.
The fund was co-hosted by the United Nations Foundation and Swiss Philanthropy Foundation from March 13, 2020 to March 13, 2021. As of March 13, 2021, the newly created WHO Support Foundation officially became the primary fundraising agent. On December 31, 2021, the fund was closed by WHO, which continues its fight against COVID-19. In total, Swiss Philanthropy Foundation received CHF 32.3 million from 3’850 donors. Swiss Philanthropy Foundation is honored to have been able to participate in this global initiative.
More informations about the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund impact
In the press :
An emergency relief fund has been created by the Verbier Festival to provide support to Verbier Festival Academy alumni – soloists, chamber players and orchestral musicians, singers and conductors who are facing loss of revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The fund is hosted and administered by Swiss Philanthropy Foundation.
To find out more, we invite you to consult the dedicated page on the Verbier Festival website.
The impact of COVID-19 on the NGOs that come to the aid of the most disadvantaged is devastating: reduction in activities, cash flow problems, difficulty in retaining employees, risk of closure, with in addition to new vital needs of certain beneficiaries, poorer and more vulnerable.
It is in this context that Swiss Philanthropy Foundation in collaboration with WISE philanthropy advisors, created the “COVID-19 Rapid Support Fund“, a collaborative fund that helps and supports long-standing NGO partners.
In record time, the Foundation gathered the support of philanthropists wishing to make a financial commitment to help these organizations, and mandated WISE philanthropy advisors to identify the organizations most in need, with which the Foundation already had a link in within the framework of its thematic funds.
The fund was the subject of exemplary solidarity and generosity, since in a few weeks, and thanks to an SPF match, CHF 690,000 were raised. This mobilization has helped some 17 organizations around the world, particularly in Lebanon, Brazil, Colombia, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, Cambodia, Philippines and Vietnam.
Discover the testimony of one of the beneficiary organizations.