AirBnB Community Fund
/OVERVIEW: The AirBnB Community Fund is the philanthropic extension of the Airbnb company and focuses its grantmaking on community development efforts and the needs of refugees, asylum seekers, relief workers and disaster evacuees.
IP TAKE: This funder’s grantmaking process is fairly democratic. The best way for new grantseekers to get on its radar is to introduce yourself to one of the Community Leaders groups and convince them to nominate you for the award. Another way is to network with previous grantees who might be able to make an introduction if your work aligns with this funder’s mission.
It’s notable to mention that this is a funder rising quickly in the refugee giving space and we expect funding to increase here as global refugee crises evolve under the threat of global and climate pressures.
Unfortunately, it’s not an accessible funder, preferring a proactive funding approach, but grants are often global and far reaching.
PROFILE: The Airbnb Community Fund (ACF) is a company sponsored philanthropy organization that is linked to the popular online marketplace for vacation rentals and homestays. The company launched ACF to give back to the places its hosts call home, as well as to support global communities through grantmaking. The funder announced plans to distribute $100 million in its first 10 years of operation, with grants going to organizations in dozens of countries across six continents. ACF grantmaking interests include affordable housing, homelessness, hunger, economic empowerment and disaster relief. The funder also has a Refugee Fund to support people escaping humanitarian crises around the world. Overall, grants extend well beyond Airbnb’s home base in California and have a global reach in diverse communities.
Grants for Community Development
Airbnb’s Community Fund partners with GlobalGiving to support organizations working in one of the fund’s three themes. Currently these are COVID-19 relief, economic empowerment and education, although they will likely change regularly. Both themes and organizations are nominated and voted upon by Community Leaders and the Host Advisory Board. Airbnb made $10 million in grants through the program in 2021.
Grants for Refugees and Disaster Response
Airbnb supports refugees through its Refugee Fund, operated by Airbnb.org, a “501(c)(3) nonprofit with [its] own mission and board of directors” whose primary purpose is to support and assist Airbnb hosts who choose to open their homes and share resources in times of need. Airbnb.org was created in December 2020, but has its roots in its hosts’ response to Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the Nepal earthquake in 2015, the Pulse nightclub shooting in 2016, the Syrian refugee crisis, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, Airbnb.org committed to helping Afghan refugees worldwide, and within six months the organization had provided free, temporary housing to over 20,000 refugees. The Fund has also increased giving to Ukrainian war refugees as the situation develops in East Europe.
Important Grant Details:
Grants range from tens of thousands to millions of dollars. Neither the Community Fund nor Airbnb.org accepts unsolicited proposals or requests for funding and make grants by invitation only. Airbnb provides the names and brief bios of its board members on its website. Airbnb’s contact page requires an Airbnb login.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
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