Accelerate impact for the future

Support our 25th anniversary initiatives

UBS Optimus Foundation network is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and we would like you to join us in making these celebrations truly memorable.

We are proud of the work done by the network of UBS Optimus Foundations and the difference they make to millions of lives every year. Over the past 25 years, the UBS Optimus Foundation has raised over USD 1.5 billion in donations together with our clients and employees, and in the last year alone our current programs that Optimus has funded reached 6.7 million people. Since 1999, we have grown from a small grant-making organization to a network of foundations that drive transformative, scalable impact for marginalized communities globally and locally and have learned many lessons along the way on how to maximize your impact.

This year, to celebrate the anniversary, we use these lessons to make your donation work smarter.

Why this donation opportunity is different

A special matching opportunity and creative solutions for more impact

As we approach our 25th anniversary, we’re launching a dedicated initiative that can multiply your donation.

Thanks to our matching fund generously offered by UBS, we will be matching all donations by 100% up to USD 10,000 (doubling your donation) and 25% thereafter, up to USD 15 million. What’s more, we’ve chosen four initiatives that aim to generate returns, which we then reinvest into kickstarting more partners – ensuring that your donation keeps driving change long after you’ve given.

We’re partnering with trusted, well-known organizations that share our commitment to maximizing impact. We will announce these partners on November 18th. Together we aim to make sure your donation works harder, multiplies, and creates a ripple effect of lasting benefits for communities and ecosystems around the world.

What is blended finance?

Blended finance is a structuring approach to increase investments in sustainable development. It uses capital from philanthropic or public sources to catalyze commercial investment, thereby increasing the pool of available impact funding.

The initiatives you will support

Climate and environment

An ecosystem approach to scaling will help protect coastal communities and marine ecosystems

The challenge we face

By 2050, more than half of the world’s mangrove ecosystems could collapse due to deforestation, pollution, and dam construction. Right now, 20% are already at critical risk. Mangroves are crucial for shielding coastal communities from devastating storms and tsunamis, providing habitats for thousands of species, and playing a key role in combating climate change by capturing carbon dioxide. The stakes couldn’t be higher.

Our collective solution

What if together we could create a global blueprint for mangrove conservation and restoration by supporting mangrove-positive small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)? A powerful coalition of donors, governments, and businesses could have a meaningful and lasting impact. More information on our climate and environment philanthropy.

Location: Global, with a focus on Southeast Asia.

A powerful coalition of donors, governments, and businesses could have a meaningful and lasting impact.
Mangrove trees in shallow sandy areas are focus of our climate and environmental philanthropy

Education

Building public-private partnerships will help to deliver quality education for all

The challenge we face

The Covid-19 pandemic has deepened global learning gaps, particularly for children living in marginalized communities. There are still 60 million primary-aged children not attending school, mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa. To achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), we need to accelerate progress significantly. This requires enrolling a new child in school every two seconds until 2030 and unlocking an additional USD 100 billion in annual funding.

Our collective solution

Imagine if we could scale the delivery of quality education, focusing on foundational skills in literacy and numeracy, and enhancing socio-emotional development for children through strategic partnerships with governments, industries, and the private sector. We could build effective education systems that empower children with the skills they need to thrive. More information on our education philanthropy.

Location: South America / Africa.

A smiling young girl at a school desk with a tablet

Innovative financing: skills for success

Empower youth by making education accessible

The challenge we face

Many talented young people, especially in regions like sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, are unable to afford tertiary education due to financial barriers. In sub-Saharan Africa, only 9% of young people access higher education, far below the global average. This wasted potential hampers economic growth and limits opportunities for these youth.

Our collective solution

What if we could transform lives by making quality tertiary education accessible to young people? Through flexible and innovative financing models like income-share agreements and outcome-based funding, we can invest in education to bridge the education gap and help unlock the potential of youth, providing them with the skills they need to build successful careers and contribute to their communities. More information on our education philanthropy.

Location: Africa/Asia

A young student in a library showing a paper to a teacher

Health

Transforming the last mile for high-quality health – to bring healthcare to the underserved

The challenge we face

There is a USD 4.4 billion annual funding gap for community-level primary healthcare, including Community Health Worker (CHW) programs. This underfunding, coupled with fragmented and inefficient financing, limits the reach and impact of healthcare services. With 70% of CHWs being women, their lack of support is also a significant gender equity issue. Yet, with proper funding and coordination, professional CHWs have the potential to save 2 million lives annually. 

Our collective solution

Imagine how undeserved communities would thrive if we can transform healthcare. By scaling high-quality health services through catalytic finance, and country-level programs, we are able to deploy technology supported CHW programs and other primary healthcare models that make a real difference. More information on our healthcare philanthropy.

Location: Global, with a focus on Africa.

A female doctor visiting a child in a healthcare facility in Africa

How you can help

Make a donation

Financial support is vital to the communities and issues where we aim to have impact. Whether you donate USD 10 or USD 10,000, every donation will be doubled through our matching fund. Your gift will be treated as unrestricted and directed into our overall appeal fund. Our program experts will then allocate these resources strategically across the four initiatives.

Become a matching partner

We believe in the power of collective impact. If you would like to potentially become a named matching consortium partner for the official launch of our anniversary appeal, please let us know and we will contact you to discuss the details.

Follow us

Follow us on UBS Optimus Foundation LinkedIn and keep up to date with our anniversary news and the official launch of the initiatives.

Official launch countdown

We will officially launch our campaign on November 18th, a month before our 25th anniversary. In the meantime, donations are welcome and gratefully accepted.

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Date18 Nov 2024, 10:00 CET
A mangrove forest seen from above is UBS Optimus Foundation Linkedin page cover