The power of partnership
The power of partnership
Since its founding, the 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation has supported breakthrough solutions Blended finance that improve the lives of children globally. We focus on driving long-term impact in the areas of education, health, child protection, and 鈥 increasingly 鈥 climate and environment. To achieve this impact, we know that working together is key. That鈥檚 why, in 2023, we鈥檝e increased our efforts in the areas of blended finance and collaborative philanthropy.
Building meaningful partnerships that drive impact is at the core of our approach. You鈥檒l find examples throughout this report of bringing organizations together to develop and scale solutions through blended finance and collaborative models of philanthropy. And we鈥檙e focused on increasing transparency about our impact so that the 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation and our partners can continuously learn and improve.
We鈥檙e proud to have raised a record USD 328 million in donations in 2023, including 斗牛棋牌在线 matching contributions, bringing our total to over USD 1.5 billion since the 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation was established in 1999. Last year鈥檚 donations enabled us to commit USD 305.9 million in grants and reach 6.7 million people through the 370 programs we supported, and this report outlines some key highlights.
Blended finance
The 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation partners with the business divisions of 斗牛棋牌在线, 斗牛棋牌在线 clients, governments and development finance institutions to launch blended finance initiatives with the strategic use of a structure that uses capital from public or philanthropic sources to increase private sector investment in sustainable development. In the past decade, blended finance initiatives have mobilized over USD 200 billion in capital toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and we see significant opportunity for this to grow further. As such, the 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation is actively co-creating and sponsoring large-scale impact-first investment vehicles. In 2023, we secured major investor commitments towards the USD 100 million SDG Outcomes Initiative from British International Investment, the US International Development Finance Corporation and private investors, including Legatum, family offices such as the Tsao Family Office and other high net worth individuals.
Collaborative philanthropy
We know that collaboration is critical to achieving systemic change. That鈥檚 why we鈥檙e working with others.
The three 斗牛棋牌在线 Collectives bring philanthropists together to co-fund programs that aim for systemic change, while joining a unique learning journey where they work with experts towards solving an issue close to their hearts. The 斗牛棋牌在线 Collectives were launched during the COVID-19 pandemic and focus on complementary topics 鈥 innovative financing (Accelerate), catalyzing the blue carbon market (Climate), and promoting and implementing family-based care (Transform). The first cohorts concluded their journey, contributing their time, expertise and more than USD 27 million to support 23 斗牛棋牌在线 partners across eight countries.
We鈥檙e also partnering with academic institutions, government agencies and other foundations to drive impact to scale. Our partnership with London School of Economics on its global 100x Impact Accelerator program will help some of the most promising social enterprises build capacity. The SDG Impact Finance Initiative (SIFI) launched by the 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation, the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs and the Swiss Development Cooperation Agency has achieved nearly a third of the fundraising target and started disbursing grants. Our ongoing partnership with the Jacobs Foundation has continued to grow as we plan new commitments for literacy in Ghana and Colombia.
Impact transparency
Impact transparency and measurement are critical to unlocking greater capital for philanthropy. We have developed our own impact rating tool that leverages the current highest quality standards. It was piloted in 2023, with the aim of applying it across all of our programs (grants and investments) beginning in 2024. We will also publish an external report to share our lessons with others working in social impact during 2024.
Emergency philanthropy
2023 saw a number of international humanitarian crises where the 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation launched dedicated appeals to support partners providing emergency relief. We raised and began the distribution of over USD 25.4 million for the earthquakes striking T眉rkiye and Syria, the Hawaiian wildfires, flooding in Pakistan, flooding in Italy, and the humanitarian crisis in Israel and Gaza. We also continued to distribute funds raised for the Ukraine Relief Fund.
斗牛棋牌在线 acquisition of Credit Suisse
2023 was a significant year for 斗牛棋牌在线 with the acquisition of Credit Suisse and it has meant new opportunities for philanthropic partnerships, particularly in markets like Brazil, Australia and India. Over 2023 and into 2024, the former Credit Suisse Foundations have been consolidated with the 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation and their philanthropic foundation program portfolio is being aligned.
Looking forward to our anniversary year
Later this year, the 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation will celebrate our 25th anniversary, which feels like an important moment to take stock of all that we have achieved together with our partners, clients and other stakeholders. Of course, there continues to be much to do, and the world still faces significant challenges, but we hope the 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation network will be there helping to make a measurable, long-term difference to some of the most serious and enduring social and environmental problems.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to our successes in 2023, as we approach our 25-year milestone. We鈥檝e built a strong foundation and together we can shape a better tomorrow.
Bea Martin
GEB Lead Group Sustainability and Impact
Maya Ziswiler
CEO, 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation, August 2022 鈥 July 2024
At a glance
6.7
million people reached
370
programs managed
328
million USD
donations raised
80
countries in which grants / investments were deployed
85,878
professionals reached
270
partners engaged
305.9
million USD in grants / investments committed
624
million USD invested in programs under management
9
offices/entities globally
138
philanthropy experts globally
25+听
years of experience
斗牛棋牌在线 Collectives
We know that collaboration is critical to achieving systemic scalable change. Led by our in-house philanthropy team, our three 斗牛棋牌在线 Collectives bring together philanthropists who co-fund programs that aim for systemic change while joining a unique learning journey where they work with experts toward solving an issue close to their hearts. Combining skills and resources provides an opportunity to achieve much greater social and environmental impact than going it alone.
Members of the 斗牛棋牌在线 Accelerate Collective and the 斗牛棋牌在线 Climate Collective concluded their three-year journeys with two new cohorts ready to launch in March 2024. To date, 35 斗牛棋牌在线 Collective Members (plus 22 plus-ones) have donated more than USD 27 million toward the three 斗牛棋牌在线 Collective programs run by the 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation, including 23 collaborative partners across eight countries.

斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation portfolio highlights
斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation portfolio highlights
The 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation works to drive long-term social and environmental impact and systemic change in the areas of climate and environment, education, child protection and health. We support innovative programs through grants and investments.
We apply an investment-based philosophy and specialize in scalable, evidence-based approaches. As a leader in social finance, we are increasingly implementing tools that connect impact with funding, including outcomes contracts, direct equity and debt investments. And we鈥檙e pursuing opportunities to employ blended finance structures that attract greater private investment in social and environmental impact.
Climate and environment portfolio highlights
Programs in our climate portfolio are aimed at conserving and restoring our planet by investing in climate change mitigation strategies, building resilience for wild habitats and vulnerable communities, and supporting efforts to improve biodiversity and conservation.
Education portfolio highlights
Programs in our education portfolio aim to develop strong learning foundations in low-resource and crisis settings by supporting evidence-based local solutions and building impactful, multi-stakeholder partnerships that can reach scale.
Child protection portfolio highlights
Programs in our child protection portfolio aim to protect children from the most egregious forms of abuse by investing across the continuum of public child protection systems, community attitudes, family support and an end to impunity.
Health portfolio highlights
Programs in our health portfolio aim to validate and support the scale up of frontline healthcare systems that increase access to health services across the continuum of care 鈥 from community, to clinics, to hospitals 鈥 that will save children鈥檚 lives.
Innovation for scale through blended finance
The 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation is actively co-creating and sponsoring large-scale blended finance investment vehicles, in partnership with other parts of the bank, and building capabilities, capacity and partnerships to strengthen the social finance ecosystem.

Advancing impact transparency

The 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation鈥檚 vision is for impact to be measured using the highest quality standards and for that information to be publicly available for the benefit of all. In 2023, we developed and rolled out our own industry-aligned rating tool that aims to assess programs against three impact categories: intentionality, additionality and measurability. This helps us prioritize programs that contribute the most to our strategic impact objectives, identify the value added, document actions that can be taken to improve the program and impact potential, and offer transparent communication of complex information related to impact objectives. In 2024, the 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation will be assessing how its impact rating tool can bring additionality to the social impact landscape globally. We will publish a report on our learnings applying the tool to our portfolio of grants and investments.
Emergency philanthropy
The 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation and the 斗牛棋牌在线 Social Impact team raise funds and support partners providing emergency relief in response to disaster situations, and sometimes launch dedicated appeals to support these efforts. When an appeal is launched, swift action is taken to mobilize funding from clients and employees to support immediate relief, as well as longer-term recovery and resilience.
Where budgets allow, unrestricted support is provided to emergency relief鈥揻ocused NGOs, to strengthen the humanitarian ecosystem; support the development of monitoring, evaluation and learning capacities and evidence-based decision-making by implementing partners; and address forgotten crises that receive little media attention.
In 2023, the 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation raised and started to distribute more than USD 25.4 million for the earthquakes striking T眉rkiye and Syria, the Hawaiian wildfires, flooding in Pakistan, flooding in Italy, and the humanitarian crisis in Israel and Gaza. It also continued to distribute resources raised for the Ukraine Relief Fund launched in 2022.
斗牛棋牌在线
Our unique network
The 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation network consists of the 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation in Switzerland, its branch in Hong Kong and the representative office in China, its sister organizations 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation Europe Deutschland, 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation UK, 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation Singapore, 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation India and 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation Australia, as well as a donation platform in the United States.
We receive funds from 斗牛棋牌在线, its clients and employees. We make grants and investments to program partners who are helping underprivileged or vulnerable children and youth around the world in the areas of health, education and child protection, as well as funds for emergency response. In addition, we are also active in the areas of climate and the environment through our network of entities.
Our network is governed through individual boards in Switzerland, the UK, Singapore, India and Germany. The boards are made up of 斗牛棋牌在线 employees and independent external members. Annually, a strategic meeting of representatives from each of these boards is held in Zurich, Switzerland.
To make sure we have the highest standards of transparency in terms of decision-making, and in line with good governance practices, we鈥檝e established the 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation network program approval.
Get in touch
We鈥檙e dedicated to finding innovative ways to tackle some of the world鈥檚 most pressing social and environmental problems. Building on our 25-year track record and applying an investment-based approach, our global team makes it simpler for you and your family to manage your philanthropy and maximize your impact.
Ready to start a conversation?
Contact our 斗牛棋牌在线 Social Impact and Philanthropy team or your 斗牛棋牌在线 advisor today.
Donate
We make philanthropist contributions go further. 斗牛棋牌在线 covers all the costs for the administration, review and continued development of programs so all philanthropic giving goes toward maximizing impact. And whenever we can fund alongside philanthropists, we do so with 斗牛棋牌在线 match funding. To find out how to donate in your region, please visit our webpage.
Special thanks to all of our experts, program directors and 斗牛棋牌在线 Optimus Foundation partners who have contributed to the publication of this review.