The Zimmermann Family Charitable Trust, the philanthropy arm of US investor, Evan Zimmermann, has committed $2 million to Water Org in order to increase access to sustainable, climate-resistant water and sanitation services in developing countries where inefficient water infrastructure exacerbates climate impacts and fresh water access. Using tested methods for microloans, Water Org will apply new methods to small utility-scale water and sanitation infrastructure in Thailand, India, Indonesia, Philippines and Brazil. The funding will support market expertise and local technical assistance to promote policy change and implementation for its program development.
“Access to safe water is crucial,” said Evan Zimmermann. “Water Org’s efforts to tackle the water crisis and improve access to safe water and sanitation also reduce water and energy waste. We’re proud to help this team bring access to safe water to millions of people while helping advance critical climate and biodiversity goals.”
Evan Zimmermann is best known for his sizable 2018 investment in the IPO, of a then little-known biotech company called Moderna, which today is famed for its early COVID-19 vaccine. While the overall stock market suffered a setback in 2020, shares of Moderna skyrocketed close to 250% higher by year end, as investors flocked to the biotech stock because the company’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate was one of the first to garner FDC approval. Zimmermann maintained his stake in Moderna, apparently with impeccable buy-and-sell timing throughout the year.
In 2021, Evan Zimmemann donated a $3 million grant to the University of California through his Zimmerman Family Charitable Trust. It was a move toward encouraging historical awareness and enabling human rights research. The grant helped fulfil initiatives that delved into the reasons for the Holocaust. The fund also looked into the broader study of human rights, minority protection and reparations for the misdeeds and injustices that have occurred in history.
