Our 28 year history of innovation, and the depth and breadth of our Fellowship and programs, give Ashoka a unique and powerful ability to identify and respond to the critical social issues of our time. Ashoka has identified eight global issues that, with investment in entrepreneurial innovation, can unlock significant momentum to exponentially increase positive social change.

To further innovation and accelerate positive social change in these global issue areas, Ashoka created eight Global Funds for Social Change. These Change Funds source, incubate, and propel transformative social solutions arising from Ashoka Fellows, Ashoka programs, and facilitated collaborations with business and citizen sector leaders from around the world.

Read more below about the global challenges for which Ashoka is currently sourcing and supporting leading social entrepreneurs, facilitating collaboration, and disseminating best practices.  

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Climate Change, Energy, and the Environment

Last year alone, 13 million hectares of forest vanished, we consumed 85 million barrels of oil per day, and pollution and environmental degradation wreaked havoc on millions of lives. Fixing the environment isn’t just about our future; it’s about quality of life right now for millions of people around the world. INVEST

Transforming Modern Governance

Corruption, lack of accountability, and limited public access to information plague too many nations, holding back economic development, disrupting lives, and resulting in human rights abuses. Business, government, and citizens alike need viable alternatives to “business as usual.” Social entrepreneurs have the answers. INVEST

Cultural and Religious Tolerance

Even as news of suicide bombings, sectarian violence, and culture clashes fill the headlines of our newspapers, millions of ordinary citizens practice peace and tolerance every day. New social innovations are needed to grow these practices and to plant the seeds of peace in ethnic and religious conflict-prone areas. INVEST

Empowering Youth to be Changemakers

Mastering teamwork, leadership and empathy is a necessity today for the leaders of tomorrow.  For our children, learning these skills will be critical to build and inspire a generation of youth with the skills and passion to change the course of history. INVEST

Innovative Social Financial Solutions

From funding higher education to sustainably insuring the poor, to finding early-stage capital for new social innovations—now is the time to rebuild the system to support social progress and begin finding innovative social financial solutions. INVEST

Women’s Livelihood Development

A nation’s GDP rises, birth-rates decrease, and per capita incomes go up when a great percentage of its women go to work. Investing in women’s livelihood development is not simply about women’s empowerment; it’s a cutting-edge investment in poverty alleviation and economic development for the future. INVEST

Bringing Disability into the Mainstream

Though nearly 10% of the world’s population, 610 million people, is disabled in some way, disabled individuals around the world have the ability and the potential to be full productive members of society. What the world needs now is the will and the innovations in care, inclusion, and employment to make this possible. INVEST

Innovations in News and Knowledge

As traditional media organizations face wrenching change, a host of emerging models from around the world that thrive on connection and community now promise previously unimagined opportunities to inform and engage people as active, change-making citizens. INVEST