Update on Humanity United’s Organizational Strategy

Humanity United was founded on the belief that when humanity is united, we can act together as a powerful force for human dignity. That belief informs how we show up in the world and continues to guide everything we support, from the rights of migrant workers to expanding racial justice and promoting peacebuilding efforts.  

Today, that belief feels as urgent as ever. Rising authoritarianism, protracted conflict, and increasingly powerful narratives of fear and division are reshaping the world. This has had a disproportionate impact on the communities with whom we work as well as profound consequences for the individuals, movements, and civil society organizations we support. As the forces that seek to divide us grow stronger and the norms that shape how people, institutions, and states treat one another come under strain, the need for collective action rooted in human dignity has only grown. 

Within this context, Humanity United is embarking on a process to refine our organizational strategy, which will guide our work over the next five years. Last year, our staff and Board re-committed to a vision of a world where people and the planet flourish together. To fulfill that vision, we have clarified that our purpose is to transform harmful systems into pathways for peace, freedom, and justice. With this as our foundation, our next organizational strategy will define what aspects of our work need to evolve to meet this moment and where HU can make the most meaningful contribution.  

Over the coming months, we will engage with communities, partners, and peers across our work to understand what they are seeing, what they believe this moment demands, and how HU can best contribute to our shared goals. These perspectives and experiences will help shape the choices we make about our work in the years ahead.   

As we’ve previously shared, we will soon welcome a new CEO who will guide this strategy to completion in partnership with HU’s current leadership, Board, and staff from across the organization. We enter this process with deep humility, respect for our existing work, and a sense of possibility — and we remain committed to collaboration, curiosity, transparency, and learning along the way.  

Even amid global disruption, communities are organizing and advocating for shared values, often under increasingly challenging circumstances. Civil society organizations and community leaders are adapting, building new forms of collaboration, and finding ways to engage in advocacy, advance justice, and seek accountability. Their work reminds us that even amid emerging challenges, new visions and possibilities for meaningful change can emerge.  

Throughout this process, our work—and our grantmaking—will continue. We will show up alongside our partners, and what we learn together will help inform where we go next. We commit to communicating transparently and proactively along the way. 

We look forward to sharing what we learn throughout this process and to shaping the next chapter of Humanity United together.