Airbnb to Support Sabah Nonprofit for Marine Conservation Efforts 

Airbnb is proud to announce the latest recipients of the Airbnb Community Fund, including Marine Research Foundation (MRF), a Sabah-based non-profit research foundation dedicated to the conservation of marine turtles and their habitats in Malaysia. The donation will support MRF’s ongoing conservation initiatives, strengthening efforts to protect critically endangered marine wildlife. 

Launched in 2020, the Airbnb Community Fund is a US$100 million initiative which aims to directly support local communities worldwide. In 2025, the Airbnb Community Fund donated nearly US$10 million to nonprofits globally, supporting organizations working to strengthen communities around the world. 

“Airbnb believes in the power of community to drive meaningful impact for both people and the planet. Through the Airbnb Community Fund, we’re proud to support organisations like Marine Research Foundation, whose work helps protect Sabah’s marine ecosystem while creating lasting value for local communities,” said Amanpreet Bajaj, Country Head, Airbnb Southeast Asia and India. “As Malaysia advances its focus on sustainable and community-led tourism under Visit Malaysia 2026, such conservation efforts are important to ensure that tourism growth also protects  the natural assets that travellers and local communities rely on.” 

Dr Nicolas Pilcher, Executive Director of MRF, shared, “The timely support from the Airbnb Community Fund will be instrumental as we expand our conservation efforts. Every turtle excluder device we deploy helps save sea turtles, with impact that extends year after year. Each set of camera data we analyse brings us closer to designing fisheries management approaches that protect endangered sharks and rays. Airbnb is making a tangible difference, and we are proud to be among the organisations helping to deliver that impact.”

Airbnb Community Fund recipients 

Airbnb hosts are deeply connected to their communities, and each year we proudly partner with the host community to identify important issues and many of the nonprofit organizations that will receive donations. Host Advisory Board members helped select economic empowerment, sustainable and rural tourism, environmental sustainability, and ending abuse and exploitation as focus areas for this year’s donations. They also reviewed nominations in their regions, bringing host perspective to every decision. This year, the Airbnb host community in Malaysia helped to identify and nominate MRF for the Community Fund donation.

The Airbnb Community Fund in action

To date, more than 640 organizations in nearly 70 countries have benefited from the Airbnb Community Fund, with hosts providing input each year. To learn more about the Airbnb Community Fund, please visit the Airbnb Community Fund website.

The 2025-2026 Airbnb Community Fund donations will be distributed from November 2025 through March 2026. Airbnb works with grantmaking partners including Goodstack to support due diligence and facilitate payment to many non-profit recipients.