FHI 360 has pledged to spend US$3 million per year through 2021 on investments in innovation in three areas: digital solutions for development, research and science, and impact investing in social enterprises. Patrick Fine, Chief Executive Officer of FHI 360, recently announced this commitment as part of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Global Innovation Week.

Through its pledge, FHI 360 made specific promises to:

• Expand the use of digital storytelling and data analytics to foster more effective communication of impact, improve data accuracy and integrate data-driven approaches — beginning with its current health programs supporting the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)
• Scale its innovations in information management in low-resource settings using mobile and open platforms, as well as unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)/drone technology, to enhance development interventions and build evidence
• Advance innovation by establishing FHI Ventures, a social enterprise facilitator, that will help social entrepreneurs build both their business bottom line and social impact across the health, education and economic development sectors

“FHI 360 is committed to bringing new ways of seeing development challenges so we can fashion more effective solutions,” said Patrick Fine. “We believe that we live in a time when new ideas, technologies and products are critical to carrying forward our mission of improving lives in lasting ways and that innovation is the pathway to making our organization more impactful.”

Learn 15 ways that FHI 360 is innovating. Read Breakthrough, our 2016 annual report.

Listen to Patrick Fine discuss innovation with former Google engineer Ann Mei Chang and CEO of Conservation X Labs Alex Dehgan in the Deeper Look podcast.