The Evidence

The Evidence Base

Research supporting direct, flexible funding to community health workers.

$3–$10

ROI per dollar invested

WHO, 2019

1B+

People who could benefit from CHW scale-up

Lancet Commission, 2018

45%

Reduction in child mortality with trained CHWs

UNICEF

<5%

of global health funding directly reaches local actors

OECD DAC, 2022

$3.3B/yr

Estimated cost to fully support CHW workforce

One Million CHW Campaign

70%

of health outcomes shaped by social determinants

WHO CSDH

Why Direct Funding Matters

The global flow of philanthropic and health funding is not reaching the local caregivers who are best positioned to deliver care, sustain communities, and drive lasting change. Addressing this imbalance requires shifting resources away from intermediary-heavy models toward direct, trust-based investment in organized caregiver networks.

Cash transfer research consistently shows that direct, flexible funding with minimal restrictions leads to better outcomes, greater dignity, and longer-lasting impact than in-kind or restricted grants.