Mars Impact Fund awards more than $13 million in grants for communities, science education and animal health
Mars Inc. announced Tuesday more than $13 million in new grants through the Mars Impact Fund, supporting programs aimed at strengthening farming communities, developing future scientists and improving companion animal health around the world.
The multi-year grants announced Sept. 1 will support six partnerships with Elucid, Tanager, Pratham Education Foundation, People’s Action for National Integration, National 4-H Council and Worldwide Veterinary Service. The programs span Côte d’Ivoire, India, the United States and Thailand.
“The Mars Impact Fund aims to develop long-term partnerships that deliver sustained impact over time,” said Michelle Grogg, Executive Director of the Mars Impact Fund. “We are confident that these multi-year investments in Elucid, WVS, National 4-H, Tanager, Pratham Education Foundation and PANI will improve farmer livelihoods, increase opportunities for youth and improve the health of people and pets in our communities.”
In Côte d’Ivoire, a $2.07 million grant over three years to Elucid, along with approximately $2 million in matching funds from Gavi, will help as many as 12,750 cocoa-farming households gain access to affordable health care.
The program will combine enrollment in the country’s national health insurance program with additional coverage for services and costs not fully covered by the public system. It will also invest in rural health care, including clinic quality, mobile clinics and maternal and child health services.
Gavi’s matching funding is expected to expand vaccination and disease prevention programs to at least 200,000 community members.
In India, the fund is providing $5.6 million to support healthier and more resilient mint-farming communities. A partnership with Tanager will work with 20,000 mint-farming families to increase farm income through crops beyond mint, including potatoes, mustard and rice.
Mars also plans partnerships with Pratham Education Foundation to strengthen early childhood development and school readiness for 3,000 children in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, and with People’s Action for National Integration to address child undernutrition and establish sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure in rural schools.
In the United States, the Mars Impact Fund committed $3 million to the National 4-H Council to introduce as many as 200,000 young people to careers in food, agriculture and veterinary sciences.
The funding will support hands-on learning, leadership development, career exploration tools and innovation grants for 4-H programs in selected communities. Sixty teenagers will also receive full scholarships to attend Ignite by 4-H, a youth leadership event focused on building skills and connections for future careers.
The fund is also investing $3 million in Worldwide Veterinary Service to support efforts to eliminate rabies in Thailand. The organization will work alongside government-led programs to reach free-roaming and difficult-to-reach dog populations, strengthen rabies surveillance and train veterinary and public health teams.
The latest grants follow several other Mars Impact Fund investments announced in 2026, including funding for disaster relief, early-career researchers, cocoa-growing communities and expanded veterinary care in India and Mexico.
