World Bank Launches New Hub to Connect Philanthropists with Development Projects
The World Bank Group has launched a new platform designed to connect philanthropic organisations with development projects, funding opportunities and partners working to address pressing challenges around the world.
The initiative, known as the Philanthropy Hub, aims to mobilise philanthropic capital, expertise and networks to support development programmes and help expand solutions that have demonstrated potential to deliver results.
The World Bank announced the launch on Monday, October 12, 2026, in Bangkok, Thailand, as part of efforts to strengthen cooperation between philanthropic organisations and other development partners.
The platform will serve as a central entry point for organisations seeking opportunities to contribute funding, knowledge and practical solutions to the World Bank Group’s development initiatives.
It is also intended to help move promising ideas and pilot programmes beyond their initial stages by connecting them with the resources and partnerships required to expand their reach.
World Bank Seeks Stronger Philanthropic Partnerships
The launch comes as development needs continue to increase while public resources remain constrained.
According to the World Bank Group, philanthropic organisations are becoming more active in development financing. Their contributions extend beyond grants to include investment capital, technical expertise and the ability to bring different organisations together around common goals.
The Philanthropy Hub will identify opportunities where these resources can support development priorities and help partners coordinate their contributions more effectively.
Paschal Donohoe, the World Bank Group’s Managing Director and Chief Knowledge Officer, said philanthropic organisations bring valuable expertise and innovative approaches that complement the institution’s priorities.
He noted that partnerships were increasingly important as development needs grew and available resources came under pressure.
The hub is expected to help connect ideas, resources and partners so that development initiatives can reach more people and communities.
Platform Supports Existing Development Programmes
The World Bank Group said philanthropic organisations were already contributing to several of its initiatives, including Mission 300, Health Works and Water Forward.
These programmes demonstrate how philanthropic support can complement wider development efforts in areas such as electricity access, healthcare and water services.
The Philanthropy Hub is expected to strengthen these relationships by identifying opportunities for additional funding, sharing expertise and developing partnerships that can help expand the programmes.
The platform will also encourage organisations to align their contributions with shared development priorities rather than operating through isolated initiatives.
Asian Philanthropic Networks Sign Agreements
The launch took place during the first World Bank Group Philanthropy Forum, held alongside the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund Annual Meetings in Bangkok.
The forum was jointly convened with the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network, the Institute of Philanthropy, the OECD’s netFWD network and the Philanthropy Asia Alliance by Temasek Trust.
More than 200 representatives from philanthropic foundations, family offices, development institutions, networks and partner organisations attended the forum.
On the sidelines of the event, two major philanthropic networks in Asia signed memoranda of understanding with the World Bank Group.
The Asian Venture Philanthropy Network will use its regional network to help foundations, social investors and private-sector partners work together in support of World Bank Group initiatives.
The network also announced a dedicated fund to support Health Works, the World Bank Group initiative aimed at helping 1.5 billion people gain access to quality, affordable health services. The fund will finance technical assistance for the programme.
Temasek Trust will contribute its experience in mobilising philanthropic capital, bringing partners together and advancing innovative financing approaches.
Its work with the World Bank Group will focus on developing partnership models that can be expanded across priority initiatives, including AgriConnect, Health Works and Water Forward.
Knowledge Sharing to Support Development Solutions
Beyond funding, the Philanthropy Hub will place significant emphasis on knowledge sharing and the exchange of practical experience.
The World Bank Group is developing a network of knowledge partners that will contribute research, data, regional perspectives and specialist advice to help translate ideas into solutions that can be applied in countries where the institution operates.
The network includes regional philanthropic organisations such as the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, Latimpacto, the Philanthropy Asia Alliance and the Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society.
Strategy and advisory partners include Boston Consulting Group, Bridgespan, Dalberg and Coefficient Giving.
Academic and research institutions are also represented, including the Marshall Institute at the London School of Economics and Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
These organisations are expected to help identify development opportunities, share evidence and practical lessons, and strengthen the connection between research and implementation.
The hub will also support a Multilateral Development Bank Network on Philanthropy, bringing together representatives from leading development banks to exchange lessons and improve cooperation with philanthropic organisations.
Focus on Scaling Up Development Impact
The World Bank Group said the Philanthropy Hub forms part of a wider effort to make it easier to turn innovative ideas into solutions that can operate at a larger scale.
By connecting organisations with funding opportunities, specialist knowledge and potential partners, the platform aims to help development initiatives achieve broader and more lasting results.
The launch also reflects growing interest in combining philanthropic contributions with other sources of capital and expertise to address challenges that governments and development institutions cannot tackle alone.
Through the hub, the World Bank Group intends to strengthen collaboration across the development sector and encourage partners to coordinate their resources around common priorities.
