Deepening Sustainable Partnerships to Deliver Safe and Affordable Drinking Water to Communities
The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation board of directors approved $52 million in grants in the second quarter of 2025. The 22 grants span the Hilton Foundation’s initiatives and programs working in the U.S. and internationally.
The Hilton Foundation expanded its long-term partnership with Water4, Inc. to grow the safe water management model through Western Ghana and with the World Resources Institute to strengthen community-led safe water solutions in Ethiopia. The Safe Water initiative supports implementation of sustainable safe water service delivery models in hard-to-reach communities in Ethiopia, Ghana and Uganda. The Foundation’s commitment to support these communities works by creating a locally driven, replicable model that drives equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water (Sustainable Development Goal 6.1).
The following is an overview of the board-approved grants and program-related investments (PRIs) awarded in the second quarter of 2025:
Safe Water – Water4, Inc. was awarded $5 million to expand safely managed water to low-income, rural communities in Western Ghana and to support the model’s long-term sustainability. The World Resources Institute received $4.5 million to enhance water security for rural communities by further institutionalizing and replicating a community-led management approach of districts in Amhara, Ethiopia.
Early Childhood Development – East and Southern Africa – Myriad USA, Inc. was awarded $5 million to support its fiscal sponsorship of the World Health Organization as it works to strengthen national health systems in Kenya, Tanzania, and Mozambique and scale the Global Scale for Early Development measurement tool to improve child development outcomes. ACK Development Services Nyanza Region Limited by Guarantee received $2.2 million to support the delivery of an evidence-based parenting program that supports caregivers and young children in vulnerable communities in Western Kenya. Open Capital Group was awarded $750,000 to advance early childhood development and childcare sustainability in East Africa through innovative, market-driven approaches and tailored support (part of a grant totaling $2.75 million shared with the Refugees initiative).
Early Childhood Development – United States – Young Men’s Christian Association of Metropolitan Los Angeles received $2.2 million to support the holistic needs of young children and their caregivers through the two-generational Early Learning Readiness program.
Foster Youth – Greater Horizons was awarded $4 million to support grassroots nonprofits to expand their programming and improve organizational sustainability to increase their ability and capacity to serve more foster youth and caregivers in Los Angeles County. New Yorkers for Children, Inc. received $4 million to support smaller New York-based nonprofit organizations that conduct programs in the child welfare space and to provide technical assistance that builds such organizations’ capacity. National Center for Youth Law was awarded $2 million to support a youth and data-informed collective impact campaign that will improve reproductive and perinatal health care and education and expand economic stability among expectant and parenting foster youth in Los Angeles County. Sanctuary of Hope received $250,000 in a shared grant to strengthen youth pathways to economic independence, increase access to stable housing and supportive services, and enhance organizational sustainability to ensure a lasting, positive impact (part of a grant totaling $1.55 million shared with the Opportunity Youth and Homelessness initiatives).
Opportunity Youth – Fundación Monte de Piedad, Institución De Asistencia Privada was awarded $1,725,000 to strengthen youth organizations’ capacity and leadership, employer engagement efforts, and national level advocacy relating to policies that secure decent work for opportunity youth in Mexico City. International Youth Foundation received $1.7 million for a job training program that provides case management services for opportunity youth and brings best practices in programming for youth to government and civil society partners in Mexico City. Sanctuary of Hope received $250,000 in a shared grant to strengthen youth pathways to economic independence, increase access to stable housing and supportive services, and enhance organizational sustainability to ensure a lasting, positive impact (part of a grant totaling $1.55 million shared with the Foster Youth and Homelessness initiatives).
Homelessness – Regents of the University of California was awarded $5.95 million to support the California Policy Lab to expand homelessness prevention services, produce research and evaluation, and catalyze data-driven decision-making to increase regional alignment on effective solutions to homelessness in Los Angeles County. Sanctuary of Hope received $1.05 million in a shared grant to strengthen youth pathways to economic independence, increase access to stable housing and supportive services, and enhance organizational sustainability to ensure a lasting, positive impact (part of a grant totaling $1.55 million shared with the Foster Youth and Opportunity Youth initiatives).
Catholic Sisters – Fathers of St Edmund Southern Missions, Inc. received $1.8 million to provide underserved youth and young adults in Selma, Alabama with academic support, career planning and entrepreneurial opportunities through Catholic sister-led poverty alleviating programs.
Refugees – FINCA International Inc. received $1.6 million to finance childcare provision in refugee and host communities through access to and uptake of financial services for refugees and childcare providers in Uganda. Open Capital Group was awarded $2 million to advance early childhood development and childcare sustainability in East Africa through innovative, market-driven approaches and tailored support (part of a grant totaling $2.75 million shared with the Early Childhood Development – East and Southern Africa initiative).
Program-Related Investments
Safe Water – Water4, Inc. was approved for a loan of $2.5 million to finance the cost of installing household water connections to be provided to low-income individuals for free or below cost, expanding access to safely managed water connections for rural households in Ghana.
Other Grants
Aviation – Mission Aviation Fellowship was awarded $1.5 million to sustain last-mile humanitarian air transport in Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Guatemala, Indonesia, Mexico and Mozambique. Angel Flight West, Inc. received $1 million to expand free air transportation for patients by increasing volunteer pilot capacity, improving mission coordination and ensuring long-term financial sustainability under the New Horizons initiative.
Disaster Relief and Recovery – Start Network was awarded $1 million to support the integration of local humanitarian organizations onto the Start Network platform to ensure the locally led delivery of life-saving aid in emergencies.