Colorado-based philanthropist Marcel Arsenault has announced a fifteen-year, $200 million commitment through his foundation PAX sapiens in support of pandemic prevention.

In announcing the commitment during the Biden administration's Global COVID-19 Summit, Arsenault called on other donors to join in the critical effort to prevent future pandemics, arguing that philanthropy, more than any other sector of society, has the ability to do so. According to Arsenault, the strategy for disbursing the funds will be developed through global convenings that will bring together experts and new donors in the field.

"We hope to use this funding in partnership with other donors and global institutions to build a better global system," said Arsenault. "We will explore creative financing mechanisms outside of traditional state-based development assistance, even though development assistance will be critical."

The commitment represents a longstanding concern of Arsenault's, who regrets not taking action to prevent pandemics when he first became interested in such issues a decade ago.

"Today's existing global systems have let us down. Existing systems were underfunded, ad hoc and uncoordinated," said Arsenault, who is also the founder of One Earth Future Foundation. "Over the next year, PAX sapiens will be hosting a series of convenings encouraging coordination of global donors, in partnership with global experts at all levels. We will try to find points of agreement around funding and strategy for questions like what new institutions are needed, which should be modified, and especially how we can create sustainable funding." 

(Photo credit: PAX sapiens/One Earth Future Foundation)