By Michael Omotosho |
The United States has announced nearly $2 billion in new health and humanitarian assistance for faith-based and community organizations, marking the largest allocation of U.S. global health foreign assistance to faith-based organizations in more than two decades.
The funding, announced by the U.S. Department of State, will support internationally recognized organizations including World Vision, Compassion International, and Samaritan’s Purse, alongside local faith-based partners delivering healthcare and emergency relief in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.
$1.4 Billion to Expand Global Health Services
According to the State Department, $1.4 billion will be invested under the America First Global Health Strategy (AFGHS) to strengthen faith-based hospitals, clinics, and community health services in more than 20 countries.
A major component of the funding includes up to $850 million over five years for the Faith and Community Initiative (FCI), led by World Vision and a consortium of local faith-based organizations, subject to the availability of funds.
The initiative aims to strengthen more than 2,500 faith-based hospitals, clinics, and community health centres across 17 countries, while training, equipping, and paying over 30,000 community health workers to provide essential healthcare services.
An additional $570 million will be distributed directly to faith-based and community hospitals through agreements signed with partner governments under the AFGHS framework.
The State Department said the investment reflects the critical role faith-based healthcare providers play in many developing countries, where they account for 40 percent or more of all health facilities.
The department also noted that participating organizations have committed to ensuring at least 80 percent of the funding goes directly to frontline healthcare services, significantly higher than the 35 to 40 percent allocated to frontline services under previous State Department awards.
$538 Million for Humanitarian Emergencies
The U.S. government also announced its intention to provide $538 million in humanitarian assistance to support emergency responses in 16 humanitarian crises around the world.
The funding will be channelled through Samaritan’s Purse and a consortium jointly led by World Vision and Compassion International, with the goal of reaching about seven million people with life-saving assistance.
According to the announcement, more than $100 million will be made immediately available to respond to natural disasters while strengthening disaster preparedness in 23 high-risk countries.
Partners Recognised for Emergency Response
The State Department described Samaritan’s Purse as one of its trusted humanitarian partners, citing the organization’s decades of experience delivering emergency relief in conflict zones, disaster-stricken communities, and disease outbreak areas.
It highlighted the organization’s ability to rapidly deploy aircraft, medical teams, emergency supplies, and field hospitals, noting that it recently established a field hospital in Venezuela following the June earthquakes.
The department also praised the World Vision–Compassion International consortium, saying the partnership combines decades of humanitarian experience, strong local networks, and financial accountability to deliver rapid emergency assistance worldwide.
World Vision reported reaching 35.6 million people through 104 disaster responses in 2025, while Compassion International has worked with thousands of local churches across 29 countries over more than 70 years.
U.S. Reaffirms Support for Faith-Based Partnerships
The U.S. government said the record investment demonstrates its commitment to working with faith-based and community organizations that have proven their ability to deliver healthcare and humanitarian assistance in some of the world’s most challenging environments.
The State Department added that the partnerships are designed to improve access to life-saving services, strengthen local health systems, and ensure assistance reaches vulnerable communities quickly while maintaining accountability in the use of public funds.
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