As a science-based philanthropy, The Rockefeller Foundation has focused, throughout our history, on being data-driven in catalyzing big bets in public health through innovation, capital and partnerships.
In 2021, The Rockefeller Foundation launched the Pandemic Prevention Initiative (PPI), a USD $150 million investment that works with partners around the world to prevent the spread of infectious diseases through strengthened global pathogen surveillance and response to secure a pandemic-free future for humanity.
The Pandemic Prevention Initiative has formed a network of over 40 partner organizations that bridge sectors and geographies to strengthen partnerships and enable an early warning system. Through grants to several network partners, we support local institutions and health systems, as well as regional and global organizations to elevate national expertise and leadership around the world. This work has been focused in three priority areas: technology and innovation, capacity building, and global policy.
Focus Areas
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Technology and Innovation
PPI supports the development of software and digital tools for epidemiological surveillance, including the identification of new Covid-19 variants and the emergence of outbreaks globally. -
Capacity Building
PPI supports leading scientific and public health institutions across Asia, Africa, and Latin America to advance and scale locally relevant innovations in pathogen surveillance. -
Global Policy
PPI works in partnership with large multilateral and non-profit organizations, as well as other philanthropic foundations, to advocate for sustainable pandemic prevention and response initiatives at the regional and global level.
Wastewater Surveillance: Vital for an Outbreak Early Warning System
Wastewater surveillance has emerged as a valuable epidemiological tool to detect outbreaks before they spread. It can detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants in a community and monitor trends over time. Because wastewater monitoring does not rely on access to individual diagnostics, it can provide insights that are essential for controlling the current Covid-19 pandemic and preventing future pandemics.
