By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 10 Jul: Established in 2020 as part of Airbnb stakeholders’ commitment to share their success, the Airbnb Community Fund intends to distribute $100 million by the end of 2030 to strengthen communities around the world. Celebrating its third year, the Airbnb Community Fund granted $10 million to organisations supporting communities around the world in 2023, including more than 120 nonprofits across 44 countries on six continents.
The Airbnb Organisation has included HESCO from India in its Community Fund grant award this year. This information was shared on the organisation’s website. Airbnb grants help local, regional, and national organisations make a meaningful impact on their communities. These organisations help strengthen the communities that they call home stay.
The Airbnb Community Fund helps institutions that play a significant role in their area to strengthen communities. HESCO has been consistently working for many years to integrate economy and ecology in the Himalayas, linking ecology with travel and tourism for economic benefits.
Airbnb is an online home-stay marketplace that allows people to list and book unique accommodations around the world, promoting local regional language and culture. HESCO is also working on a home-stay scheme in rural areas and promoting regional culture.
Airbnb Hosts have identified organisations that are making a difference in areas important to their communities, including environmental sustainability, economic empowerment, ending abuse and exploitation, mental health, and safe housing. This year’s Community Fund grants support larger national and regional organisations addressing issues identified by the Host Advisory Board and hyperlocal, community-based organisations chosen by local Host Club members.
The 2023 Community Fund recipients include organisations selected by the Airbnb Host Advisory Board, a group of 23 Hosts representing the global Host community. These organisations include Take 3 for the Sea in Australia, Japanese Service Dog Resource Centre in Japan, Wildlife Act in South Africa, Albergo Etico in Italy, Instituto Mandaver in Brazil, Hispanic Wealth Project in the United States, and Georgian Bay Mnidoo Gamii Biosphere in Canada. Grants are also being directed to organisations across the Asia-Pacific region.
Led by volunteer Hosts, Host Clubs are local communities that come together to connect with each other and with Airbnb. From organisations like SF-Marin Food Bank and Good Neighbor Japan to A Rocha Kenya and Fundación Verdaderos Héroes — and from places like Mauritius to Montenegro, Seoul to Slovenia, Bulgaria to Buenos Aires, and HESCO Uttarakhand to Uruguay — Host Club leaders worked with their members to identify, nominate, and vote on organisations having a deep impact in their local communities. Over 50 of the most engaged Host Clubs, representing more than 40 countries, selected nonprofit organizations to receive donations. HESCO has received a community fund of Rs 41 lakhs from Airbnb.
HESCO is currently using this grant to inspire and assist several villages in setting up home-stay schemes. These include villages in the Bisoi Chakrata region, villages in Bhagtola, Kafara and Pandejar Ranikhet, and villages in Sarkhet Maldevta.
