Mars Impact Fund Commits US$13m Toward Healthcare Programmes

Mars, Incorporated has announced more than US$13m in new grants through its Mars Impact Fund, with a significant proportion of the latest investment focused on healthcare, disease prevention and community wellbeing.

The funding spans Côte d’Ivoire, India, the US and Thailand, supporting programmes ranging from healthcare access for cocoa-farming communities and child nutrition to veterinary services and rabies prevention.

Six strategic partnerships will support initiatives covering healthcare access, maternal and child health, public health, education, veterinary medicine and scientific careers.

The latest funding forms part of a wider portfolio of Mars Impact Fund partnerships launched during 2026, highlighting the company’s growing focus on programmes that address health and wellbeing at a community level.

Expanding healthcare access in Côte d’Ivoire

In Côte d’Ivoire, Mars is providing community health programme operator Elucid with a US$2.07m grant over three years to improve healthcare access for up to 12,750 cocoa-farming households. 

The programme is supported by around US$2m in matching funding from Gavi, a global health partnership focused on expanding access to immunisation.

The initiative will help families enrol in the country’s national health insurance scheme, while providing additional support for healthcare services and costs not currently covered by the public system.

Funding will also strengthen rural healthcare provision, including improvements to clinic quality, mobile healthcare services and maternal and child health.

Gavi’s contribution is expected to extend vaccination and disease prevention initiatives to at least 200,000 people across local communities.

For rural families, the programme is intended to address barriers to accessing healthcare while strengthening the infrastructure and preventative services available within local communities.

Michelle Grogg, Executive Director of the Mars Impact Fund, says: "Access to healthcare and disease prevention are fundamental to the strength and resilience of local communities.

“Health challenges facing people and animals require strong local systems to succeed, which is why we support partners whose work builds on existing national infrastructure, helping proven approaches reach more communities and deliver lasting impact."

Supporting health and livelihoods in India

In India, Mars is investing US$5.6m through a new partnership with Tanager, with plans to support 20,000 mint-farming families in increasing farm income through crops including potato, mustard and rice.

The investment builds on the Mars Shubh Mint programme, which has reached more than 24,000 farmers.

To date, the programme has helped more than double mint incomes while reducing production costs by around 20%.

The wider India investment also includes planned partnerships with Pratham Education Foundation and People’s Action for National Integration (PANI).

Pratham’s programme will focus on early childhood development and school readiness for 3,000 children in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, while PANI will address child undernutrition and establish water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure across rural schools.

The programmes bring several areas of community health together, from childhood development and nutrition to the availability of safe water and sanitation.

The next generation of health and science professionals

The Mars Impact Fund is also directing US$3m to the National 4-H Council in the US to help support up to 200,000 young people exploring careers in food, agriculture and veterinary sciences.

The initiative plans to combine hands-on learning, leadership development and career-connected experiences to introduce young people to opportunities across these sectors.

Funding will support innovation grants for 4-H programmes in selected communities, alongside leadership events and digital tools for career exploration.

The programme is also set to include full scholarships for 60 teenagers to attend Ignite by 4-H, where they will develop skills and connections linked to future careers.

While the programme has a broad scientific focus, veterinary medicine represents a key link between the Mars Impact Fund’s investment in education and its wider work in animal and public health.

Tackling rabies in Thailand

A further US$3m investment is due to support Worldwide Veterinary Service in efforts to advance rabies elimination in Thailand.

The programme aims to work alongside government-led initiatives, providing specialist veterinary expertise and field support for free-roaming and hard-to-reach dog populations.

It also plans to strengthen rabies surveillance to help identify outbreaks earlier and build capacity among veterinary and public health teams.

Training will form part of the work through the WVS International Training Centre in Chiang Mai, supporting longer-term capabilities within Thailand’s One Health systems.

"Through the Mars Impact Fund, we are investing in organisations tackling critical health challenges in practical, scalable ways, from helping cocoa-growing families in Côte d’Ivoire access essential healthcare services to supporting efforts to eliminate rabies in vulnerable communities in Thailand," Michelle explains.

"By backing locally-led initiatives that improve health outcomes and strengthen community capacity, we're helping create the conditions for thriving communities, more resilient livelihoods and sustainable supply chains for the future."

Mars Impact Fund's wider investment

The latest grants build on other Mars Impact Fund commitments in 2026, including funding for World Central Kitchen, Save the Children and Humane World for Animals.

Across its wider portfolio, Mars has committed funding to programmes spanning communities, education, livelihoods and animal welfare.

The latest investments place particular emphasis on the connections between these areas and health – from improving access to primary and preventative care to addressing childhood nutrition and strengthening veterinary and public health capacity.

Mars Impact Fund - key partners

Save the Children

CEO: Inger Ashing | HQ: London, UK

Mars awarded Save the Children a US$3m Impact Fund grant to strengthen resilience among cocoa-growing communities in Indonesia. The partnership supports community-led initiatives addressing food access, safe water, education and household resilience. With Save the Children operating across more than 100 countries, the collaboration brings together Mars’ community investment with the organisation’s experience supporting children and families.

Humane World for Animals

CEO: Kitty Block | HQ: Washington, DC

Mars has worked with Humane World for Animals for several years, including through a US$726,000 Impact Fund grant to expand access to veterinary care in India and Mexico. The partnership supports preventive care, veterinary capacity, training and outreach, with the wider aim of improving companion animal wellbeing and reducing pet homelessness in underserved communities.

World Central Kitchen

CEO: Javier Garcia | HQ: Washington, DC

Mars has partnered with World Central Kitchen since 2022, supporting its response to humanitarian and natural disasters. In July 2026, the Mars Impact Fund committed US$1m to help WCK provide more than 200,000 fresh meals to communities affected by earthquakes in Venezuela. The partnership focuses on rapid food relief and supporting communities during crises.