The Life You Can Save and Founders Pledge Rapid Response Fund Surpasses $1.5 Million Raised

First grants distributed to high-impact programs affected by recent cuts to foreign aid 

SEATTLE, March 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Life You Can Save, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting extreme poverty, and Founders Pledge, a global nonprofit empowering entrepreneurs to do the most good possible with their charitable giving, have raised over $1.5 million in donations since launching its Rapid Response Fund on Feb. 17, 2025, in effort to backfill funding gaps as a result of the recent U.S. cuts to foreign aid.

The two nonprofit organizations created the Fund to ensure the world's highest-impact charities and programs can continue to function following the suspension of U.S. foreign aid. Grants are being disbursed after reaching this pivotal $1.5 million milestone, less than a month after the Fund's launch. Affected organizations receiving funding are offering critical, cost-effective interventions, particularly in essential healthcare, maternal and child well-being, infectious disease prevention, mental health support, domestic violence intervention and combating organized crime. These include the International Rescue Committee, the Iodine Global Network and Goal 3's IMPALA project.

"Reaching $1.5 million in donations is a testament to the generosity and commitment of our donors, as well as to the power of collective action," said Jessica La Mesa, Co-CEO of The Life You Can Save. "Their support is helping ensure life-saving interventions remain available to those who depend on them. But the work is far from over—significant funding gaps remain."

"As governments across the world begin to follow the lead of the U.S. in cutting back on foreign aid, there is an urgent need for philanthropists to step forward," said David Goldberg, Co-Founder and CEO of Founders Pledge. "The Rapid Response Fund is demonstrating how private donors can prevent devastating disruptions to life-saving programs. We urge individuals and foundations to join us in closing this critical $77 million funding gap before it's too late."

"With over 45 million children suffering from acute malnutrition, access to nutritious food and treatment is a matter of life and death," said Bob Kitchen OBE, Vice President Emergencies at The International Rescue Committee. "The recent U.S. funding reductions have put the International Rescue Committee's (IRC) nutrition centers at risk, with thousands of children's lives at stake. We are deeply grateful for the support of Founders Pledge and The Life You Can Save, which will help us continue providing round-the-clock medical care, therapeutic food, and holistic family support to prevent malnutrition-related deaths. Together with Founders Pledge, the IRC remains committed to helping children survive and recover."

The Life You Can Save and Founders Pledge bring decades of expertise in charity evaluation and strategic philanthropy, ensuring that funds are directed toward the most effective organizations. The Rapid Response Fund leverages this knowledge to identify and support high-impact nonprofits at risk due to funding shortfalls.

"The situation demands urgency—not just in raising funds, but in getting them to our recommended nonprofits affected by the cuts," said La Mesa. "We're balancing speed and rigor to ensure funds reach those who need them most as quickly as possible. With enough support, we hope to cover a significant portion of the gap."  

With over $1.5 million already raised, the fund is making an immediate difference—but ongoing contributions are needed to prevent further setbacks. To continue donating to the Rapid Response Fund, visit founderspledge.com/rapid-response-fund.

About The Life You Can Save
The Life You Can Save was founded to promote high-impact philanthropy, meaning giving that is research-based and cost-effective. Its mission is to improve the lives of people living in poverty by changing the way people think about and donate to charity. The team at The Life You Can Save does research to develop a list of recommended nonprofits delivering high-impact interventions across all of the dimensions of poverty. The Life You Can Save works to raise awareness of and connect donors with its recommended giving opportunities to increase the impact of giving. Through research and funds, The Life You Can Save offers a simplified donating process for individuals who want to maximize their impact in uplifting people experiencing extreme poverty. Learn more about high-impact philanthropy at thelifeyoucansave.org.

About Founders Pledge
Founders Pledge is a global nonprofit empowering entrepreneurs to do the most good possible with their charitable giving. Since 2015, our growing community has given almost $1.5 billion to charities and has pledged $11 billion more. We provide tailored advice on high-impact charities vetted by our in-house research team, as well as the infrastructure to enable ambitious, international grantmaking through our Donor Advised Funds, coupled with invitations to private events to connect & learn. Our members include fast-growth startups as well as the people behind household brands including Bolt, Unity, Klarna, Wise, Webflow, Twelve and Replicate.  Together, we are funding solutions to the world's biggest challenges, from health & education to climate change, AI safety and existential risk. Learn more about making high-impact giving the norm at founderspledge.com.

About International Rescue Committee
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) runs a highly cost-effective program to combat global childhood malnutrition, which is linked to approximately 45% of deaths among children under five years old. The IRC's community-based approach—known as Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM)—is led by community health workers, who identify malnourished children and provide them with nutrient- and calorie-rich foods, as well as other treatments. The IRC's CMAM programs cost only approximately $130 per child treated, and multiple studies have found recovery rates of 53–82%, making these programs remarkably cost-effective. What sets the IRC apart is their pioneering expertise in malnutrition treatment, commitment to serving high-need areas that other organizations cannot reach due to conflict, and their continuous research to improve protocols. By allowing children to receive treatment while remaining at home with their families, the IRC's approach not only saves lives today but also prevents lasting cognitive and physical impairments, breaking the cycle of poverty and malnutrition for future generations.

About Iodine Global Network
The Iodine Global Network (IGN) tackles one of the world's most preventable causes of cognitive impairment—iodine deficiency. As the authoritative voice for iodine nutrition, IGN advocates for government support of iodization programs, monitors global progress, provides technical guidance, and coordinates between scientific and global health communities—all at the remarkably low cost of just $0.05-$0.10 per person annually. IGN strategically targets the Western Pacific, South-East Asia, and Africa, where nearly two billion people suffer from iodine deficiency. By preventing the devastating mental and physical developmental issues caused by iodine deficiency during pregnancy and childhood, IGN's work not only saves lives but also improves educational outcomes and breaks cycles of poverty in the world's most vulnerable communities—making it an exceptionally cost-effective intervention for donors interested in both health and education.

About Goal 3's IMPALA project
The IMPALA System by GOAL 3 is an innovative solution that empowers healthcare workers in low-resource health settings to monitor and prioritize patient care. Designed for resource-constrained healthcare settings in Africa, this comprehensive system—which includes a patient vital signs monitor, a clinical support application, and a data server—empowers healthcare workers to detect patient deterioration early and intervene when treatments are most effective and affordable. Initial results from a Malawian hospital demonstrated a remarkable 59% reduction in child mortality compared to the previous year. By addressing the critical shortage of appropriate monitoring technology in low-resource settings, GOAL 3 aims to improve access to quality care for 100 million people by empowering 1 million health workers by 2030.

Notes to Editors

1. Jessica La Mesa, Co-CEO of The Life You Can Save, and David Goldberg, Co-Founder and CEO of Founders Pledge, are available for interview.
   
   
2. The Rapid Response Fund was launched on February 17th, 2025.
   
   
3. Founders Pledge have identified a gap of $77M across known high-impact funding opportunities.
   
   
4. As of March 10, the Rapid Response Fund has raised $1,667,386.
   
   
5. Grants made as of March 10 are:

• • $100,000 to the International Rescue Committee to support their acute childhood malnutrition program.
  • $50,000 to the Iodine Global Network to support their most urgent needs in Madagascar in iodine deficiency and associated monitoring activities.
  • $300,000 to Goal 3's IMPALA project to support vital signs monitoring devices for neonatal and pediatric wards in Malawi.

SOURCE The Life You Can Save