This week's digest includes news about the Ballmer Group's $1 billion commitment to pre-K education; Warren Buffett's holiday funding announcement; and a report from the ClimateWorks Foundation about adaptation and resilience funding. For more great content, including news, RFPs, reviews and commentary, visit us at philanthropynewsdigest.org.
Over the next 10 years, the foundation will annually direct up to $170 million to the state’s Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program to provide an additional 10,000 children from low-income families with access to free, high-quality pre-K education and related services....
In a holiday letter, the billionaire announced plans for millions of shares of Berkshire Hathaway stock to be distributed to four of his family’s foundations as well as his decision to “go quiet” in his role at the investment firm….
The report from the ClimateWorks Foundation found that while foundation investment in adaptation and resilience is at a historic high—more than double the $404 million tracked in 2021—the need for more capital is still growing….
The multi-funder GAIA Climate Loan Fund aims to help bridge the estimated $300 billion annual finance gap in developing countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change....
The Climate and Health Funders Coalition includes Bloomberg Philanthropies, Philanthropy Asia Alliance, Wellcome Trust, and the Children’s Investment Fund, Gates, IKEA, Quadrature Climate, and Rockefeller foundations….
In their own words
“I want to see women everywhere making decisions, controlling resources, and shaping policies and perspectives—but women can’t do well unless they can be well....”
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Melinda French Gates, founder, Pivotal (“Pivotal and Lever for Change announce the 80+ awardees of the $250 million action for women’s health global open call.” Lever for Change press release 11/12/2025)
Supported by Pivotal, French Gates’s philanthropic vehicle, and Lever for Change, recipients were awarded between $1 million and $5 million in funding through the Action for Women’s Health initiative….
The Walmart heir’s commitment will be combined with funds from other impact investors to provide $1 billion for cash-strapped countries to refinance or retire debt in exchange for redirecting freed-up capital towards climate change and environment-related projects....
The commitment from billionaire Jeffrey Yass will help launch a $300 million financial aid campaign for the recently opened school where admission is based strictly on standardized test scores....
News and staff announcements from community foundations in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New York, South Carolina, and Wyoming....
This week's roundup includes news from the Surdna, Los Angeles Parks, and Lung Cancer Research foundations, as well as the Carnegie Corporation of New York, J. Paul Getty Trust, Berks Nature, Collaborative for Gender + Reproductive Equity, and Lambda Legal....
PND poll
PND Poll: With foundation funding for climate adaptation and resilience doubling to $870 million, what should be the top priority going forward?
