Starlight Foundation Receives Airbnb Community Fund Grant

Airbnb has just announced the latest recipients of its Airbnb Community Fund grants, which this year include more than 160 organizations making a difference across 30+ countries on six continents. In 2025, the Starlight Foundation is one of just 16 organizations selected for this honor.

Launched in 2020, the Airbnb Community Fund is a $100 million initiative designed to support local communities and the people who live in them. Each year, Airbnb donates to organizations that uplift and empower communities around the globe, often working in collaboration with local hosts to nominate impactful nonprofits.

2025 Airbnb Community Fund Grantees

This year’s grants were awarded to organizations focused on three key themes identified by Airbnb’s Host Advisory Board as top priorities for the global hosting community:

Economic empowerment

Environmental sustainability

Ending abuse and exploitation

Highlights from this year’s grantees include: Europe & the UK

Starlight Foundation (Spain) – for its work in protecting dark skies, promoting astronomy as cultural heritage, and encouraging local sustainable economic development through astrotourism.

Fondation du Patrimoine (France) – to preserve endangered historic homes and buildings while creating economic opportunities for rural communities.

Safe Ireland – to support survivors of domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence.

Women’s Aid (UK) – for its work to end domestic abuse against women and children.

Asia-Pacific

Community Chest (South Korea) – promoting global citizenship by supporting Korean youth to volunteer abroad.

Flourish Australia – to expand its Women and Children’s Program for mothers facing homelessness.

RCF (Japan) – for cultural preservation efforts in Noto Peninsula, affected by recent earthquakes.

Africa

Afrilabs – supporting over 500 innovation hubs and thousands of entrepreneurs in 50+ African countries.

Digify Africa (South Africa) – bridging the digital divide and empowering young people with tech skills.

Global Give Back Circle (Kenya) – to develop economic and life skills for over 300 young women.

Latin America

Consejo Coordinador de Mujeres Empresarias (Mexico) – offering training for women entrepreneurs in Jalisco to promote leadership and formalization.

Fundación Renacer (Colombia) – supporting anti-human trafficking and exploitation efforts.

Instituto Alok (Brazil) – contributing to reforestation of an area the size of 200 football fields in Pará and restoring 70,000 m² in Acre.

United States & Canada

The Chicago Community Trust – addressing the wealth gap through housing stability and financial security programs.

SIRCH Community Services (Ontario, Canada) – providing hands-on training and support for individuals and families in need.

Unbound Now (Texas) – offering support to survivors and communities fighting human trafficking across Texas.

Nominated by Local Host Clubs

Local Airbnb Host Clubs—led by volunteer hosts—nominated nonprofit organizations making a difference in their communities. Members of 85 Host Clubs (nearly twice as many as last year), representing over 30 countries, helped select grantees. Some of the nominated organizations include:

Save Jeju Sea (South Korea)

La Grande Casa (Italy)

Yachana Foundation (Ecuador)

Paso del Norte Center of Hope (Texas, USA)

How the Starlight Foundation Will Use the Airbnb Community Fund

The grant awarded to the Starlight Foundation will play a crucial role in advancing its mission to protect the night sky, raise awareness about astronomy, and promote sustainable development through star tourism.

In addition to reinforcing the foundation’s international leadership in astrotourism, the funds will be used to launch a new Starlight Certification and implement training programs for hosts and rural accommodation managers—especially in areas of Spain that will be directly affected by the upcoming solar eclipses, starting with the annular eclipse of 2026.

The Starlight Foundation deeply thanks Airbnb for its trust and commitment to initiatives that support a more conscious, sustainable, and respectful model of tourism. This collaboration is not only a recognition of the foundation’s work in defending the right to starlight, but also a boost to its mission of creating local economic opportunities inspired by the cosmos.

Complete article in Spanish: Airbnb apoya a Starlight para impulsar el crecimiento sostenible de las zonas rurales a través del astroturismo