Rapid Response Fund
In partnership with
The Rapid Response Fund filled critical time-sensitive funding gaps created by the suspension of US foreign aid in 2025. We worked with experts and former USAID leaders at Project Resource Optimization (PRO) to ensure that high-impact organizations continue to deliver lifesaving interventions in global health, extreme poverty, and humanitarian aid.
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If you're interested in building sustainable, long-term solutions to global poverty and suffering, check out our Catalytic Impact Fund.
Our Objective
The recent cuts to the US government’s foreign aid program have left a devastating gap in global health, extreme poverty, and humanitarian programs, putting millions at risk. Many of the world’s most effective nonprofits–already operating on tight budgets– are now facing existential shortfalls that will stop lifesaving interventions.
That’s why Founders Pledge and The Life You Can Save have joined forces to launch the Rapid Response Fund—a fast, high-impact way to keep critical programs running and ensure that every dollar goes where it’s needed most. We’re collaborating with PRO to identify the most cost-effective organizations delivering real results. As our top-rated partners face financial peril, this Fund will provide immediate bridge support, sustain essential programs, and seize high-impact giving opportunities in a rapidly changing landscape.
This is a pivotal moment—your donation today can help prevent a catastrophic loss of progress in global health, extreme poverty, and humanitarian aid.
Supporting high-impact grantees across a range of cause areas
The Rapid Response Fund will support grantees that represent a powerful mix of initiatives tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges, including:
- Improving acute global health issues through malaria prevention, deworming programmes and iodine supplementation ensuring people have the resources to thrive
- Direct cash transfers to provide economic empowerment and lift communities out of extreme poverty
- Strengthening education systems to break cycles of poverty and build resilience for the future
- Investigative journalism, gender-based violence prevention, and agricultural transformation to drive systemic change and accountability
For further information about the fund and partnership, see our FAQs below.
Fund Recipients
Funding work with government health ministries to identify cost-saving measures and redirect funds to programs that save the most lives. This grant was issued as a bridge grant with our Rapid Response Fund.
Grant expected impact: This grant is projected to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of Ministry of Health budgets, leading to projected cost-effectiveness of the grant that is 15 times higher than our benchmark of delivering direct cash transfers.
Delivering primary healthcare and nutrition services to 190,000 individuals in Sudan by supporting 26 health clinics and two mobile clinics that offer essential care.
Grant expected impact: This grant is expected to treat more than 18,000 children for malnutrition and save 1,200 lives.
Continuing services in 11 health and nutrition facilities in hard-to-reach areas of Darfur, delivering vital humanitarian aid.
Grant expected impact: This grant is expected to save 940 lives, mostly among children under five.
Rapid Response Fund in the Media
- Alliance Press: Philanthropists urged to ‘step up’ as emergency funds launch to plug USAID freeze
- Devex: Rapid response funds for organizations affected by the US aid freeze
- Associated Press: Emergency fundraisers offer a lifeline to groups who’ve lost foreign aid
- Vox: 3 ways you can help the people hurt by Trump’s foreign aid cuts
- Voice of Islam: Radio Interview with Matt Hurst-Smith, CXO of Founders Pledge
