Expanding an evidence-based approach in refugee-hosting districts to improve early childhood development and livelihood opportunities for young children and their caregivers.
The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation board of directors approved over $30 million in grants in the first quarter of 2026. The grants span the Hilton Foundation’s initiatives and programs working in the U.S. and internationally.
Through a continued partnership with Literacy and Adult Basic Education (LABE) Uganda, the Hilton Foundation is working to strengthen opportunities in five refugee-hosting districts by expanding access to high-quality early childhood development and livelihood services for young children and their caregivers. Building on LABE Uganda’s two-generation whole-family learning approach, this investment seeks to improve child wellbeing while supporting caregivers to develop skills and pursue sustainable economic opportunities. Through this community-owned and managed approach, LABE Uganda aims to reinforce locally driven systems that foster nurturing care, advance social and economic inclusion for refugee and host community families, and contribute to more resilient communities over time.
The following is an overview of the board-approved grants awarded in the first quarter of 2026:
Homelessness – Corporation for Supportive Housing was awarded $5,000,000 over two years to increase access to and development of supportive housing in Los Angeles County. National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty received $1,875,000 over three years to strengthen the national effort to end youth homelessness by providing legal analysis, education, and litigation to unhoused youth and youth-serving organizations. Downtown Women’s Center was awarded $1,525,000 over two years to connect women experiencing homelessness and domestic violence to permanent housing and services in Los Angeles County. The People Concern received $1,525,000 over one year to stabilize interim housing and mental health services for homeless adults in Los Angeles County, with a focus on the Westside, Antelope Valley, and Skid Row.
Early Childhood Development – Eastern and Southern Africa – Village Enterprise Fund, Inc. was awarded $1,525,000 over three years to design, implement, and test models that combine early childhood development and economic strengthening programming to drive measurable two-generation impact for families in Uganda, Kenya, Mozambique, and Tanzania.
Catholic Sisters – Avila Institute of Gerontology, Inc. received $1,800,000 over four years for Sisters Aging Well Together, a program for Catholic sisters to assess, develop care plans, and receive comprehensive training to attend to the needs of elderly and infirm sisters. The Association of the Consecrated Women in Eastern and Central Africa was awarded $1,800,000 over three years to implement a regional formation program to build the capacity of newly elected congregational leaders, support skills development of formators, and train sisters on chapter facilitation in 11 countries. The Conference of Contemplative Communities of Kenya Registered Trustees received $1,700,000 over three years to support contemplative communities in 10 countries in Anglophone Africa with ongoing formation and elderly care.
Refugees – The AfriChild Centre Limited was awarded $3,000,000 over four years to improve child wellbeing by expanding access to quality early childhood care and development and livelihoods support in refugee and host community families in Kampala and Yumbe. Literacy and Adult Basic Education (LABE) Uganda received $2,500,000 over four years to scale an evidence-based approach that delivers high-quality early childhood and livelihood services to young children and their caregivers across five refugee-hosting districts in Uganda. Addis Ababa City Government was awarded $2,000,000 over four years to enhance the economic resilience and social inclusion of vulnerable women and refugees in Addis Ababa by promoting sustainable livelihoods and providing integrated, high-quality early childhood development services. Village Enterprise Fund, Inc. received $2,000,000 over three years to design, implement, and test models that combine early childhood development and economic strengthening programming to drive measurable two-generation impact for families in Uganda, Kenya, Mozambique, and Tanzania. Oxfam-America Inc. was awarded $1,600,000 over three years to advance refugee leadership and participation in policy and decision-making at the national level in Ethiopia and Uganda, the regional level in East Africa, and the global level through technical assistance and joint advocacy.
Safe Water – Cewas was awarded $2,400,000 over four years to support local safe water social enterprises in sustainably scaling their operations to provide greater access to safe water for people in rural Ghana and Uganda.