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NEW YORK (Jan. 18, 2023) – Comic Relief US, the nonprofit that harnesses the power of entertainment to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty in the US and around the world, revealed today new grantmaking initiatives. Bolstered by the most successful Red Nose Day campaign in its history, the organization has expanded its investments, particularly in domestic health, where existing inequalities have been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. These new initiatives supplement ongoing support for grantee partners that ensure children are safe, healthy, educated and empowered, and contribute to Comic Relief US’ commitment to achieve $1 billion in social impact by 2032.
RECORD-BREAKING FUNDRAISING YEAR
2022 was a record-breaking year with Comic Relief US raising over $50M and its flagship Red Nose Day campaign the most successful to date. In partnership with Walgreens, NBC, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Stephen Colbert’s Spartina Productions, CBS, and Funny or Die, Comic Relief US rallied the public and galvanized consumers by driving donations and engagement, resulting in record fundraising to end intergenerational poverty. Of the funds raised, $1 million will go towards its Innovation and Growth Fund, for which Comic Relief US is seeking $10 million in investment to scale its work through new issue-driven campaigns and community-rooted social impact models.
All of Comic Relief US fundraising efforts support a vision of a more equitable future.
“Our strength is leveraging the power of entertainment to mobilize donors through creative and innovative fundraising campaigns. This year we expanded our capabilities to a tremendous result,” said Comic Relief US CEO Alison Moore. “This record-breaking year of fundraising allows us to achieve so much more impact as we accelerate our work to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty. With this momentum, we are investing in organizations that support each of our pillars, with a particular focus on investing in community-based, nonprofit organizations. We are so grateful to our partners and supporters for helping make 2022 one of our most impactful years yet.”
NEW GRANTS FOCUSED ON DOMESTIC HEALTH EQUITY
In 2022, Comic Relief US invested nearly $32 million through grants to 44 organizations, making it the second-largest year for grantmaking in its history. Approximately 42% of these grants went to Black, Indigenous, and locally-led organizations with a focus on bolstering proximate leadership and community-led work for long-lasting, systemic impact. Eight of the grantees are new partners focused on domestic health equity.
These grants build on the nonprofit’s efforts to increase health equity globally, following a $45 million commitment to The Global Fund made in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the US government in 2022. Funds from Comic Relief US will help build healthier communities, both by increasing access to health services and healthy food and by supporting broader systems change for sustainable impact, including efforts to mitigate climate-related health events.
This new cohort of grantees promotes a range of health equity solutions across the country, including the US South. They include The Concilio, which expands opportunities for Latino families and increases access to health and wellness resources, Grow Dat, which nurtures the next generation of leaders through the meaningful act of growing food, the Student Conservation Association, which fosters youth conservationists and encourages lifelong stewardship of the environment, and the SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, which amplifies the collective voices of indigenous women and women of color to achieve reproductive justice.
DISTRIBUTION OF RAPID RESPONSE GRANTS
Comic Relief US awarded $1.75 million in Rapid Response grants to partners responding to crises that saw children, their families, and caregivers in immediate harm’s way. These organizations deliver crucial services to people experiencing or recovering from natural or human-made disasters.
“In the wake of the challenges and crises that arose from the COVID pandemic, we distributed more funds than ever before via Rapid Response grants,” said Ayo Roach, Vice President of Grants Programs at Comic Relief US. “At this moment of urgency, these grantee partners are providing high-impact relief to help communities heal from the effects of climate change, war, and other humanitarian disasters.”
Investments in domestic health equity and rapid response grants support Comic Relief US’ long-term goal of effecting $1 billion in social impact in the next ten years. For more information, visit comicrelief.org.
About Comic Relief US
Comic Relief US harnesses the power of entertainment to drive positive change to create a just world free from poverty. The nonprofit has raised over $380 million by mobilizing donors of all ages to engage with causes through powerful content-driven campaigns and new digital platforms. Since 2015, Red Nose Day, Comic Relief US’ signature campaign to end child poverty has fundraised over $324 million and positively impacted over 30 million children in the US and around the world. Donations are invested in grantee partners and social impact programs that ensure children are safe, healthy, educated and empowered and that address the root causes of poverty in communities most impacted.
Comic Relief US, also known as Comic Relief, Inc., is a registered U.S. 501(c)(3) public charity. For more information about Comic Relief US and its impact, visit comicrelief.org. Follow @ComicReliefUS on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.