Skoll Global Threats Fund Makes First Grants
John Elkington
January 23, 2010
At a time when the number of challenges is growing almost exponentially, it’s helpful when thoughtful, experienced people sit back and attempt to pull clearer signals out of the background noise. That’s what the Skoll Foundation has done in building up to the launch of its Global Threats Fund.
The Global (previously ‘Urgent’) Threats Fund was created in 2009 by Jeff Skoll to support innovative ideas and individuals combating those global challenges which, if unchecked, could bring the world to its knees. It has just announced its first round of grants, which are designed to “work towards the elimination of all nuclear weapons (Ploughshares Fund) and the promotion of a peaceful, two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (J Street).”
“The challenges we face are huge and complex and we need to leverage better the many disparate efforts underway to tackle them,” said Skoll, who also founded Participant Media and the Skoll Foundation and served as eBay’s first president. “We must create powerful networks of like-minded partners, build public consciousness and drive policy choices that work. The mission of the Skoll Global Threats Fund is to confront global threats imperiling humanity by seeking solutions, strengthening alliances, and spurring the actions needed to safeguard the future.”
The first two grants go to:
- Ploughshares Fund: $1 million to engage policy officials and expand public support to stop nuclear proliferation and promote reduction of global nuclear arsenals. Contact: Naila Bolus nbolus@ploughshares.org.
- J Street: $200,000 in growth capital to this pro-peace organization founded to promote meaningful American leadership to end the Arab-Israeli and Israeli-Palestinian conflictspeacefully and diplomatically. J Street is redefining what it means to be pro-Israel to include recognition of the urgency of establishing a Palestinian state.
Additional information is available at www.skollglobalthreats.org.