2025 International Development grants: our largest commitment yet

At a time when many are stepping back from supporting the Global South, the Peter Gilgan Foundation is leaning in.

This year, we’re proud to share that we’ve made our largest financial commitment to date through our International Development grant program—awarding 21 new grants to Canadian organizations working to advance maternal and child health, education, and the economic empowerment of women and girls. These grants align with our continued focus on doing our part to support several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Across our 2025 grantee cohort, we’re seeing several encouraging trends:

• Expanding access to maternal and newborn health services (SDG 3), often integrating critical components like WASH and sexual and reproductive health education.
• Equipping women and adolescent girls with tools for economic mobility (SDGs 1, 5, and 13), including vocational training, financial literacy, and small business development—with many programs also supporting climate resilience through sustainable agriculture, clean energy, and disaster preparedness.
• Investing in teacher training and early learning (SDGs 4 and 5), with a focus on foundational literacy and improving access to quality education in rural and underserved areas.

These projects span all parts of Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond, including countries like Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Malawi, Ghana, Nigeria, Eswatini, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Afghanistan —and reflect the wisdom, ambition, and local leadership we look for in all our partners.

A little less than half of the selected proposals came from first-time applicants, allowing the Foundation to deepen its learning and build new relationships with organizations at the forefront of advancing health, equity, and opportunity for women and children. All grantees are aligned with our commitment to locally driven, community-led approaches that unlock long-term, sustainable progress.

“It’s an exciting moment to step into this role as the Foundation’s International Development Director. In a time when many are pulling back, we’re proud to deepen our support for organizations that are advancing practical, community-led solutions to improve health, education, and opportunity. This year’s grantees reflect the kind of bold, locally grounded impact we’re honoured to stand behind—and we’re looking forward to learning alongside them in the year ahead.”

— Kim Plewes, International Development Director, Peter Gilgan Foundation

We’re honoured to support this inspiring group of changemakers—and we look forward to sharing their stories in the months ahead.

Click here to view the full list of 2025 international development grantees.