Astellas Global Health Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Astellas Global Health Foundation’s grantmaking focuses disaster relief, neglected tropical diseases, communicable diseases, children’s health and children’s mental health.
IP TAKE: This funder supports organizations in low- and middle-income countries in which Astellas does not have a business or commercial presence. The foundation also supports disaster preparedness and relief in those countries where it does maintain operations. Astellas preselects its grantees from the world’s largest and best-known health and non-governmental organizations, many of which are headquartered in the U.S. This is not an approachable funder, so grantseekers will have to network with employees and/or management to make headway.
PROFILE: Established in 2005 and formerly known as the Astellas USA Foundation, the Astellas Global Health Foundation (AGHF) is the charitable arm of the pharmaceutical company Astellas. It seeks to “address the challenges of improving access to health for significantly underserved communities in low-income communities in low- and middle-income countries.” AGHF represents the merging of three former philanthropic organizations—the Astellas USA Foundation, Astellas European Foundation and the Astellas Asia-Oceania Foundation. AGHF currently focuses its grantmaking on neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), communicable diseases, children’s health, and mental health. It also makes grants for disaster relief.
Grants for Global Health
AGHFs children’s health program addresses high child mortality rates and improving access to preventative measures to improve those rates. Its mental health program seeks organizations improving access to mental health diagnosis and treatment. Its disease grantmaking focuses on improving access to healthcare and treatment for major communicable diseases and NTDs.
In its first year, AGHF plans to send requests for proposals (RFPs) to eligible organizations working within its main grantmaking priorities “[t]hat primarily focus on health infrastructure and enhancing the availability and accessibility of quality healthcare.”
Grants for Mental Health
Astellas conducts grants for mental health through its Health and Well-Being program. The foundation does not appear to prioritize any one particular mental illness or issue, but supports programs that promote overall mental health and well-being.
Grants for Disaster Relief
The foundation now offers funding for disaster relief. In particular, it funds efforts to “improve: (1) preparedness, surveillance and response and reduce suffering caused by natural disasters (e.g., creating data and information collection systems that will monitor health risks posed by natural disasters); (2) surveillance and monitoring of biological emergencies (e.g., potential health threats, such as COVID-19, and potential health threats, such as SARS, influenza and cholera); and, (3) initiatives that otherwise provide disaster support through preparedness, surveillance and/or response.
Important Grant Details
This funder made about $2.3 million in grants in a recent year. Most grants ranged from $5,000 to $500,000, with a few outliers reaching the past the $1 million mark. The foundation’s average grant size is about $150,000. Grantees tend to be large nonprofits and NGOs. Recent sums have gone to the International Medical Corps, World Vision and the United States Fund for UNICEF, to name a few.
Astellas does not accept unsolicited proposals for funding. Grantseekers may reach out via email with general inquiries.
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