Canva co-founders Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht have pledged $150 million to fund unconditional cash transfers for families in Malawi. This donation, facilitated through the Canva Foundation, is the largest in the history of the nonprofit GiveDirectly and aims to lift thousands out of extreme poverty.
Detailed Coverage
Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht, the billionaire founders of the design software company Canva, have significantly increased their philanthropic commitment to Malawi. Through the Canva Foundation, the couple is injecting $150 million into an unconditional cash transfer program in partnership with the nonprofit organization GiveDirectly. This program delivers funds directly to the mobile phones of recipients without placing any restrictions on how the money is spent.
Scaling from Pilot to Global Initiative
This large-scale humanitarian effort originated from a smaller $10 million pilot project launched in 2021. The initial experiment sought to measure whether direct financial support could effectively break the cycle of extreme poverty. Following successful outcomes, the founders committed a cumulative $50 million to the region by October 2025. The latest contribution of $100 million brings the total commitment to $150 million, marking the largest single donation ever received by GiveDirectly.
Reported Impact on Poverty Levels
Data collected by the organization highlights the speed at which these transfers can improve household finances. In the Khongoni sub-district of Malawi, where all adult residents received payments, officials reported that 90% of recipients moved above the international extreme poverty line within three months. To date, the program has reached more than 139,000 individuals, providing immediate relief that recipients often use for basic necessities, home improvements, and local business investment.
Philanthropic Philosophy and Wealth Distribution
The initiative is part of a broader pledge made by Perkins and Obrecht in 2021 to donate more than 80% of their personal wealth to charitable causes. The couple, whose combined net worth is estimated at approximately $15 billion, views their business success as the engine for their philanthropic work. Their stated corporate strategy involves building Canva into one of the world's most valuable companies, which then provides the resources necessary to fund large-scale humanitarian programs. Co-founder Cameron Adams has also joined this effort by pledging to donate the majority of his own wealth. Beyond cash transfers, Canva has provided approximately $2.5 billion worth of its design tools to educational institutions and nonprofits around the world. Investors typically view these philanthropic commitments as part of the company's long-term social governance strategy, though the foundation’s activities remain independent of the company's daily operations and financial results.