The United Nations Foundation continues to bridge the gap between the UN and people around the world, funding initiatives in climate, health, and gender equality.
The United Nations Foundation was established in 1998 with a historic $1 billion gift from entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner. Since its founding, the organization has raised over $3 billion to support UN causes and built partnerships with more than 40 countries worldwide.
In 2025, the UN Foundation is focusing heavily on three core pillars: combating climate change, advancing universal health coverage, and closing the gender data gap. Through its "Data2X" initiative, the Foundation has helped over 60 countries collect gender-disaggregated data to support policy decisions that directly impact women and girls.
The Foundation's "Clean Cooking" program has also gained significant traction, providing access to clean cooking solutions for over 150 million households in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, reducing indoor air pollution and improving respiratory health outcomes.
Partnership with the private sector remains central to the Foundation's strategy. In 2025, major corporations including Google, Microsoft, and Unilever pledged a combined $800 million to support UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), channeled through the UN Foundation's global grant-making network.
Looking ahead, the Foundation aims to mobilize $5 billion by 2030 to accelerate progress on the SDGs, with a particular focus on countries most vulnerable to climate-related disasters.
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