Introduction

When a child is born with a heart defect in Kharkiv, their survival depends on a single piece of equipment: the region’s only catheterization laboratory (Cathlab). Located at the Zaytsev Institute, this lab runs day and night. Doctors and nurses work in shifts around the clock to diagnose and treat children who would otherwise have no chance.

But the Cathlab is more than ten years old. It carries the weight of an entire region—about three million people in Kharkiv Oblast before Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. If the system fails, there is no alternative. Overnight, pediatric cardiac care for a population the size of a small country would disappear. Securing a single Cathlab in Kharkiv is not only about saving children; it is stabilizing a whole region – and as we argue in Healthcare is Security, hospitals are Europes shield.

This is not just a medical issue; instead, it is a question of systemic resilience. In times of war and crisis, foundations are not only donors—they are catalysts. Moreover, they have the unique ability to transform fragile systems into resilient ones.
A foundations role is not limited to saving lives today; rather, it is about creating the structures that will protect societies tomorrow. Therefore, understanding this catalytic role is essential before exploring why foundations matter on a global scale.

Why Foundations Matter

Globally, foundations contribute over $1.5 trillion annually to development, health, and education (OECD, 2023). Unlike individual donations, which are often reactive and emotional, or corporate contributions, which may be driven by short-term visibility, foundations are designed for long-term impact.

Foundations operate with strategies that extend across decades. In practise, this means conducting rigorous due diligence. Rather than reacting only in emergencies, they invest in institution. And because they are independent of electoral cycles, they can think beyond politics and beyond quarterly reports.

For example, consider the Rockefeller Foundation: in the early 20th century, its investments in public health laboratories helped eradicate hookworm in the American South. Likewise, the Wellcome Trust continues to fund medical research that forms the backbone of global health systems. Moreover, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has changed the trajectory of diseases like polio and malaria by financing vaccine research and distribution at scale.

What these examples show is that foundations do more than fund projects. They shape systems. They are trusted precisely because they combine resources with vision and are patient enough to see long-term results.

At the same time, governments and humanitarian organizations often face limitations. Emergency aid is reactive. Political cycles are short. Foundations fill the gap by being steady, independent partners. They provide not only capital but also credibility. Their involvement signals to other actors—corporates, high-net-worth individuals, even governments—that a project is worth supporting.

Foundations as System Catalysts

So what does it mean, in practice, to act as a catalyst? In other words, how can a foundation move beyond funding projects to actually shaping systems?

It means, first of all, creating multiplier effects. In fact, a foundation’s investment often unlocks additional streams of funding. A single €500,000 investment in medical infrastructure can attract millions more from corporations and wealthy individuals. One euro becomes five. In some cases, it becomes ten.

The logic is simple: foundations validate. They set standards for transparency and governance. They apply rigorous due diligence that reassures others. And they have the patience to invest in capacity rather than quick wins.

This catalytic role is particularly urgent in Ukraine today. The country’s healthcare system is under sustained assault. According to the World Health Organization, more than 1,940 hospitals and clinics have been damaged or destroyed since February 2022.
Thousands of medical staff have fled, and supply chains are under constant strain. Without systemic support, the healthcare infrastructure risks collapse. Emergency relief cannot solve this. What is needed is investment in systems that last—machines, facilities, training, and partnerships. And foundations are uniquely placed to make this possible.

Case: The Only Cathlab in Kharkiv Oblast

Kharkiv Oblast is home to more than two million people. Yet the entire region depends on a single Cathlab, located at the Zaytsev Institute. To put this into perspective: Kharkiv Oblast has roughly the same population size as Stockholm County in Sweden—around 2.5 million people.

Imagine if the entire Stockholm region, with its dozens of hospitals, had to rely on a single outdated machine for all pediatric cardiac care. That is the reality in Kharkiv today. This unit runs 24/7, diagnosing and treating children born with congenital heart defects.

The current system is more than a decade old. It is outdated, overused, and at risk of failure. Should the machine stop working, pediatric cardiology in the region would collapse.

The medical team has requested a replacement: a Philips Azurion 3 F15, one of the most advanced angiography systems available. The cost is approximately €530,000—including installation, physician training, and warranty. Delivery can be completed within 90 days.

This is not an abstract need. It is a concrete investment with a measurable outcome: securing pediatric cardiac care for an entire region for the next decade.

For a foundation, this is a perfect example of catalytic impact. By funding one Cathlab, it not only saves thousands of children but also stabilizes an entire regional health system. It prevents collapse. It provides hope. And it sets a standard that attracts further investment from governments and private donors.

One machine. One investment. One region secured.

Beyond Machines: How Foundations Multiply Impact

The Cathlab is just one example. Across Ukraine, similar needs exist:

– Surgical units like the BOWA Lotus 4, each capable of performing more than 14,000 operations over its lifespan. A single unit costs about €28,000 and saves lives at an average cost of less than €2 each.

– Ventilators and anesthesia systems that keep intensive care units functional under bombardment. These machines do not just save patients—they keep entire wards open.

– Hospital elevators—often overlooked, but without them, emergency wards cannot move patients between intensive care and surgery.

– Diagnostic equipment such as CT and MRI scanners, which are scarce in eastern Ukraine, but essential for trauma care.

These are not one-off donations. They are system multipliers. Each piece of equipment secures the functionality of an entire department or hospital.

When foundations step in to finance such investments, the effect goes far beyond a single machine. They strengthen the backbone of Ukraine’s healthcare system. And in doing so, they inspire others to follow.

From Kharkiv to Europe: Health as Stability

The connection between healthcare and security is often overlooked. But in Ukraine, it is impossible to ignore.

When hospitals function, societies endure. Families remain in their homes. Communities hold together. Children continue their education. Doctors stay instead of fleeing abroad. Stability grows from the ground up.

When hospitals collapse, the opposite happens. Families flee. Communities dissolve. Refugee flows destabilize neighboring countries. A broken healthcare system in Ukraine is not only a humanitarian disaster—it is a European security risk.

This is why the role of foundations is so vital. Their investments in healthcare are not just acts of compassion. They are strategic interventions that protect Europe’s stability. Every Cathlab, every ventilator, every hospital rebuilt is a barrier against chaos spreading across borders.

A child’s heart treated in Kharkiv is more than a medical success. It is a symbol of resilience. It is one family that stays. One community that survives. And one step toward a Europe that remains secure.

Historical Perspective: Foundations and Security

History provides powerful lessons about the role of foundations in stabilizing societies. During World War II, philanthropic institutions in the US and UK supported hospitals, universities, and refugee programs. In the aftermath, foundations played a crucial role in rebuilding Europe, complementing the Marshall Plan with targeted investments in education and healthcare.

The Rockefeller Foundation, for instance, helped build schools of public health across the world, shaping generations of doctors. The Ford Foundation supported democratic institutions during the Cold War, reinforcing civil society in fragile states. These examples remind us that foundations are not bystanders in history—they are actors who can bend the arc toward stability.

From the Marshall Plan to Today: How 1 for Ukraine Can Become a Building Block

After World War II, Europe was devastated. Cities were reduced to rubble, industries destroyed, and millions displaced. In 1948, the United States launched the Marshall Plan, providing more than $13 billion—over $160 billion in today’s terms—to rebuild Europe.
However, the true power of the Marshall Plan was not only in the money. It was in its systemic vision: investing in infrastructure, trade, and institutions that could sustain growth and stability for decades.

Ukraine now stands at a similar crossroads. With more than 1,200 hospitals damaged or destroyed and millions displaced, the task is not only to respond to emergencies but to rebuild systems that can endure. This is where foundations play a decisive role—and where 1 for Ukraine’s model offers a blueprint.

The 1 for Ukraine approach is not charity. It is modular, transparent, and scalable. Each machine, each hospital, each regional partnership is a building block in a larger architecture of resilience. With blockchain-based transparency, the Swedish 90-account framework, and direct agreements with academic and regional authorities, the model is designed for trust and for scale.

Just as the Marshall Plan combined financial resources with systemic thinking, foundations today can use the 1 for Ukraine model as a delivery mechanism within a modern Marshall Plan for Ukraine. By doing so, they not only save lives but also create the conditions for stability across Europe.

Parallels with the Marshall Plan

1. Scale and structure
The Marshall Plan invested $13 billion—around 3% of the U.S. GDP at the time—over just four years. But its genius lay in prioritization: energy grids, industry, and transport networks were rebuilt together, not in isolation. Ukraine’s recovery requires a similar systemic approach.
The 1 for Ukraine model mirrors this logic on a modular scale: every Cathlab, every surgical unit, every hospital elevator is not an isolated gift but a building block of a nationwide healthcare architecture.

2. Catalytic effect
The Marshall Plan was catalytic. U.S. investment triggered additional flows of private capital and national resources. Foundations today can play the same role. When a foundation funds a Cathlab in Kharkiv, it signals trust. Corporates, wealthy individuals, and even governments are far more likely to join once a credible, long-term actor has committed. The multiplier effect that defined the Marshall Plan can now be replicated in Ukraine through foundations.

3. Stability as strategy
The Marshall Plan was never just charity—it was security policy. Its goal was to prevent chaos, poverty, and extremism from destabilizing post-war Europe. In the same way, investing in Ukraine’s healthcare today is not only about compassion. It is about shielding Europe from destabilization. A functioning hospital in Kharkiv is a defense mechanism for Berlin, Warsaw, and Stockholm.

The parallels are unmistakable. Just as the Marshall Plan rebuilt Europe for the 20th century, foundations have the chance to rebuild Ukraine for the 21st. And 1 for Ukraine offers the modular, transparent, and scalable model to make this possible.

What It Takes to Unlock Foundation Power

For foundations to act as true catalysts, three conditions must align:

1. Transparency
Donors must know where their money goes. Therefore, in Ukraine, tools like the Swedish 90-account system, combined with blockchain-based donation tracking, ensure full accountability. In fact, every euro becomes visible—from the moment it is donated to the moment equipment is installed in a hospital.

2. Systems, not fragments
However, funding must build capacity, not just plug gaps. A machine is not only a machine—it is the functionality of a department.Moreover, a hospital is not just walls—it is the shield of a city. Investments should be systemic, scalable, and designed for long-term resilience.

3. Partnerships
Foundations work best when they collaborate with credible institutions. In Ukraine, this means agreements with academia (such as NAMSU), regional authorities (like the Kharkiv Regional Office), and NGOs with proven delivery capacity. Partnerships ensure that investments are not isolated but part of a broader architecture.

When these three conditions are met, foundations move from being funders to catalysts. They do not merely support existing systems—they transform them.

Conclusion & Call to Action

Foundations have always been engines of systemic change. From eradicating diseases to building universities, they have shaped societies in ways governments alone could not.

Today, in Ukraine, their catalytic power is needed more than ever. The war has revealed both the fragility and the resilience of healthcare systems. And it has shown that small interventions—a surgical unit, a ventilator, a Cathlab—can have enormous systemic effects.

The choice is clear. A single investment can secure healthcare for an entire region. A single Cathlab can save thousands of children and stabilize millions of lives. And every foundation that steps in sends a signal to the world: Ukraine’s healthcare will not fall.

This is not only about saving lives. It is about safeguarding Europe’s future.

We now invite foundations to take this catalytic role. To fund the machines, the hospitals, and the systems that will carry Ukraine—and Europe—through crisis into resilience.