We received proposals for innovative, collaborative projects addressing climate, health, and refugee support. In total, we have selected five projects. Over the next year, each team will use their $25,000 Swift Grants to implement their respective projects.

The 2021 awardees are:

• Bard College & University of Waterloo: The two universities will expand their online Worldwide Teach-In on Climate and Justice in March to engage students and faculty members from all disciplines in underserved countries in Africa. The project aims to reach more than 200,000 students from over 100 countries to learn about climate change, climate solutions, and climate justice.
• The Himalayan Cataract Project, Inc., & Helen Keller International: The two leading organizations offering support for the sight-impaired will team up to provide cataracts screenings, training for medical personnel, and subsidized surgeries to reduce preventable cases of blindness in Tanzania. The team will use this as a pilot program in the hope of scaling the model across Sub-Saharan Africa.
• New Energy Nexus & Power For All: This partnership will implement a course on "Energy Microgrids" as part of a clean energy online school that will equip startup entrepreneurs, starting with Asia, with the knowledge and tools to launch their first startup. This course is designed to be scaled to reach thousands of aspiring clean energy entrepreneurs across the world.
• Talent Beyond Boundaries & Southern New Hampshire University (Global Education Movement): These two Larsen Lam ICONIQ Impact Award finalists will team up to create an internship and long-term employment program for 150 refugees in Lebanon. The program will also train employers on how to recruit and retain refugee employees.
• Task Force for Global Health’s Global Partnership for Zero Leprosy, Neglected Tropical Diseases Support Center, and Focus Area for Compassion and Ethics: These three Task Force for Global Health organizations will work collaboratively to implement a human rights and advocacy program for people affected by neglected tropical diseases (NTD), based off an existing model for people affected by leprosy. The program will train advocates to mobilize communities, advocate for patients, and reduce stigma around NTDs.

Congratulations to the Swift Grantees! The teams will share their lessons learned and progress at the end of their grant periods so stay tuned – sign up for our newsletter to get the latest updates. We look forward to seeing the big impact of these small projects.