Helping Foster Families, Injured Cats: 6 Non-Profits Selected For Dh7.6 Million Fund

Six non-profit organisations in the UAE have been selected for about Dh7.6 million in support, with projects ranging from school inclusion and foster-family services to animal welfare and early cancer detection.

The recipients were announced at on Thursday, November 12, marking the first funding cycle of the Ministry of Community Empowerment's Dh100 million NPO Empowerment Fund.

More than 135 applications were received, Mohammed Mubarak Al Mazrouei, the ministry's assistant undersecretary for the non-profit organisations sector, said during the announcement.

Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.

The six selected organisations are the Foster Families Society, Safety and Emergency Security Association, Tathafur for Humanitarian Healthcare, Animal Welfare Abu Dhabi, Special Olympics UAE and Emirates Diving Association.

Their initiatives span support for foster families, emergency-response readiness among volunteers, early cancer detection, participation by students of determination, animal care and protection of coastal and marine resources.

“What we celebrate today is the first step in the journey of the NPO Empowerment Fund,” Al Mazrouei said.

Inclusion programmes targeting 350 schools

For Special Olympics UAE, the funding will help expand an existing school inclusion project, with a target of reaching 350 inclusive schools.

Talal Al Hashmi the National Director of Special Olympics UAE said sports were among the main ways the programme supports the participation and inclusion of students of determination.

“The project is already running. The support will help it continue on a larger scale and develop further,” he said.“The goal is to reach 350 inclusive schools.”

He added that the work with the ministry was guided by a clear implementation plan and performance indicators, allowing the organisation to track the programme's impact.

Majed Alqasimi, Vice Chairman of the board for Animal Welfare Abu Dhabi (AWAD), said the grant would help expand animal-welfare work on the ground, including feeding and watering stations, veterinary services, treatment for injured cats and neutering programmes.

He said feeding stations had already been deployed in some Abu Dhabi communities. The next step is to reach more communities and scale up the services.

“It's really important that we've been able to get this grant, because it'll allow us to scale all of the implementation on the ground,” he said.

While animal welfare work continues throughout the year, he said access to food and water becomes particularly critical during the summer, when extreme weather makes it harder for animals to meet those needs.

The funding would also help expand access to skilled veterinary care, rather than simply increase the size of the team, he added.

Alqasimi urged organisations seeking funding to explain the difference their projects would make to the community.“Just asking for the money to do something is not enough,” he said.

For the Foster Families Society, the grant will help build the operational and digital infrastructure needed to deliver its initiatives.

Huda Al Meshjari, vice-chair of the society's board, said financial capacity had been a major challenge for the newly established organisation.

The support will cover operational needs, equipment, data systems and information technology infrastructure, helping the society put its programmes on a stronger footing.

“We provide psychological and legal support to foster families,” she said, adding that the initiatives were intended to make a difference in the lives of those families and the wider community.

The fund offers two funding tracks. Newly established non-profits can receive up to Dh500,000 to build their capacity, while established organisations can access up to Dh5 million to expand programmes and increase their impact.

Applications are assessed on organisational capacity, potential impact and financial feasibility, according to the ministry.

Registration for the second funding cycle is expected to open in early 2027, Al Mazrouei said, inviting more organisations to benefit from the opportunities offered by the fund.

Sheikh Mohammed invites 'role models' for Dh1 million 'Hope Makers' award How UAE is helping people of determination grow from rehabilitation to jobs UAE families to compete for Dh90,000 in Saeed Lootah Award for raising children

MENAFN12112026000049011007ID1111954764