“Fight it Everywhere.” Behind the Push to Rally Private Funders to Support the WHO

Every day, Americans turn nervously to the media and government officials to hear the latest about COVID-19 nationally and in their community. But globally, the situation is even more complex and dangerous—particularly for less-developed countries with fewer resources to address a contagious and hard-to-treat disease. That’s where the World Health Organization (WHO) comes in.

Although the WHO is supported by national governments as well as non-state organizations, it is typically under serious financial stress—even when there’s not a pandemic going on. In view of the COVID-19 emergency, G20 leaders last week committed an additional $5 billion to the WHO’s coronavirus work. Meanwhile, a growing push is underway to mobilize private donations to support the WHO’s work.

A Unique Fundraising Challenge

Inside Philanthropy continues to write about the efforts by community foundations and other local givers across the U.S. to create COVID-19 response funds. These funds ramped up fast with millions in contributions from local individuals, companies and foundations that wanted to ensure the well-being of vulnerable members of their communities.

But regular citizens and organizations who want to contribute to the WHO’s global coronavirus battle didn't have an easy avenue to give. So the United Nations Foundation created a unique funding mechanism, the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, to allow any individual or foundation anywhere in the world to easily contribute to the WHO’s global operations.

“We worked from the beginning with WHO as soon as this crisis began to intensify to look at ways to create a vehicle for nontraditional donors to contribute to WHO,” said Elizabeth Cousens, president and CEO of the U.N. Foundation. "This fund is genuinely unique in that it gives everyone a chance to channel funds to the WHO.”

The fund brought in $100 million in its first two weeks, but the total soon surpassed that, reaching $110 million at last report. Most givers were individuals, but more than 70 foundations and corporations also contributed, as did some 200,000 individuals who primarily gave through digital platforms, including social media. Corporate funders include Facebook and Google, which both contributed matching gifts, as well as American Express, the Caterpillar Foundation, Citi Foundation, Microsoft and Verizon. Private foundations giving to the fund include Ford, Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation. What’s striking is how many major foundations are not on this list, given that the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund has emerged as the most visible conduit of gifts to support the WHO’s urgent work. But fundraising efforts are ongoing.

The U.N. Foundation (launched in 1998 with a $1 billion pledge from media businessman Ted Turner) continues to work with companies that are seeking additional ways to contribute, said Cousens.

It is money that is urgently required. The WHO’s Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan forecasts a need of at least $675 million for critical response efforts in countries most in need of help—just through the end of April. As the pandemic evolves, funding needs are likely to increase. Through a partnership with the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation, givers from Canada and Europe can also easily contribute to the fund.

WHO’s Global Health Mandate

The WHO has the mandate for coordinating the overall global response to public health challenges—a particularly crucial job in the current pandemic, which saw the coronavirus spread to virtually every place on Earth in a matter of weeks. Funds raised through the COVID-19 Solidarity Fund have already made their way to the WHO or to other recipients at the WHO’s direction, said Cousens. So far, the money funded 1.5 million lab kits sent to 120 countries, as well as the protective personal equipment that healthcare workers need to limit their own exposure. Funds are also supporting training for healthcare workers.

The threat of outbreak is especially dire in less-wealthy countries, where clean water supplies or sanitation are inadequate, or where healthcare systems are unable to meet treatment needs. Additionally, some societies have structures that complicate social distancing measures that can slow the spread of the disease.

“Another particular concern now, and that will grow, is for the most vulnerable people who are already facing humanitarian situations such as conflict,” said Cousens.

As we have seen, the virus has spread at different rates in various countries, so even if the number of infections diminishes in several countries, the disease may return in new waves in subsequent months or years. That means the global response is a vital element of defeating the pandemic.

“You can't fight it anywhere if you don't fight it everywhere,” said Cousens. “You have to beat the disease back everywhere, and that takes a coordinated effort.”