GEM Launches New Public Sponsorship Scheme to Strengthen Public Engagement

By:

Apr 5, 2025

Mar 12, 2025

In December 2024, the GEM Governing Board approved a new public sponsorship scheme aimed at increasing public sector involvement in the foundation’s governance. This refreshed approach broadens the range of public institutions that can join GEM’s Governing Board as Public Governors, reflecting GEM's commitment to balanced public and private representation within its Board.

"The new scheme is a significant step forward in our ongoing efforts to strengthen collaboration with public institutions globally," said Helen Crowley, GEM Secretary General. "We want to encourage more public sector partners to join us in advancing earthquake risk reduction efforts worldwide."

To support this goal, the new scheme is structured to accommodate different levels of involvement through three sponsorship tiers, all of which provide full involvement in strategic initiatives and project support, but are designed to suit different levels of engagement and resources. Two of these tiers involve financial contributions, while the third offers a pathway through the new Partnership Opportunity Application.

Open to all public institutions, this tier follows a competitive selection process based on the merits of the institution's strategic alignment with GEM’s mission and contributions to earthquake risk reduction efforts, with the objective of engaging with more countries, especially those in the Global South.

To ensure that public institutions are well-informed about the new scheme and the application process, GEM launched a campaign to reach a broader audience. GEM’s Get Involved page was updated to outline the scheme and explain how public institutions can apply for the Public Governor role under the new pathway. Following this, GEM scheduled a webinar on April 10th, 2025 to further discuss these changes and officially launch the call for applications to the merit-based tier.

Through this initiative, GEM aims to enhance its outreach to public sector partners while reinforcing its commitment to balanced governance. Public institutions interested in applying are encouraged to visit GEM’s Get Involved page and participate in the upcoming webinar for further guidance.

To gain a deeper understanding of the initiative and its potential impact, Helen shares the vision behind the new sponsorship scheme, its financial sustainability, and the benefits for public institutions looking to get involved in this Q&A.