By Michael Gwarisa
The United States has announced nearly US$2 billion in new health and humanitarian assistance for faith-based and community organisations working across some of the world’s most difficult environments, in what Washington says is its largest allocation of global health foreign assistance to faith-based organisations in more than two decades.
The funding, announced on August 6 under the Trump administration’s America First Global Health Strategy, will support healthcare delivery, community health workers, emergency response and disaster preparedness across multiple countries.
The announcement comes as the United States reshapes its global health assistance, with faith-based organisations set to play a larger role in delivering services directly to communities.
“This historic announcement is the largest allocation of global health foreign assistance to faith-based organizations in over 20 years,” the US Mission in Geneva said.
The package includes US$1.4 billion for health services delivered through faith-based and community hospitals, clinics and health facilities in more than 20 countries.
Of this amount, up to US$850 million over five years, subject to the availability of funds, will be channelled through the Faith and Community Initiative award to World Vision and a consortium of local faith-based implementers.
The initiative is expected to strengthen more than 2,500 faith-based hospitals, clinics and community hubs across 17 countries, while more than 30,000 community health workers will be trained, paid and equipped to provide essential services.
A further US$570 million will be provided directly to faith-based and community hospitals and clinics through funding contained in Memorandums of Understanding signed with governments under the America First Global Health Strategy.
The US says the approach is intended to move more resources towards frontline services.
Under the new arrangements, faith-based and community organisations are expected to direct at least 80 percent of resources towards frontline health services, compared with between 35 and 40 percent under historical US State Department awards.
The US Mission said faith-based healthcare providers account for 40 percent or more of health facilities in many countries receiving US foreign assistance.
By working through these existing networks, Washington says it can expand access to healthcare while reducing administrative costs and strengthening local service delivery.
Humanitarian response
The announcement also includes US$538 million in humanitarian assistance for emergency response across 16 humanitarian crises.
The funding will support Samaritan’s Purse and a consortium jointly led by World Vision and Compassion International, with the US government estimating that the assistance could reach 7 million people with life-saving support.
More than US$100 million will be made available immediately for natural disaster response and preparedness in 23 countries considered vulnerable to disasters.
Samaritan’s Purse, which operates in more than 100 countries, has been selected as one of the key humanitarian partners under the new funding.
The organisation has provided emergency assistance in conflict zones, disaster settings and disease outbreaks, including deploying field hospitals and emergency personnel.
The US Mission cited its recent deployment of a field hospital in Venezuela following devastating earthquakes in June as an example of its emergency response model.
The World Vision and Compassion International consortium will also bring together local faith-based organisations through the Accord Network to support humanitarian responses.
World Vision reached 35.6 million people through 104 disaster responses in 2025, according to the US announcement, while Compassion International has more than seven decades of experience working with local churches in 29 countries.
The US government said the organisations were selected because of their established local networks, experience in humanitarian emergencies and capacity to rapidly deliver assistance.
The funding marks a significant shift in how the United States intends to deliver parts of its global health and humanitarian assistance.
For countries where faith-based facilities form a substantial part of the health system, the approach could mean increased support for hospitals, clinics and community health programmes operated by religious and community organisations.
The US government said the partnerships were designed to ensure assistance reaches people who need it most while strengthening countries’ ability to provide essential services.
“This new funding will be provided to an extensive network of internationally recognized and local faith-based partners,” the US Mission said, naming World Vision, Compassion International and Samaritan’s Purse among the organisations involved.
The announcement comes amid a broader restructuring of US foreign health assistance under the America First Global Health Strategy, which places greater emphasis on partnerships with organisations Washington says have demonstrated the ability to deliver services efficiently and in difficult operating environments.
