Google announced the awards for 2013 and beyond are for a series of projects from innovative organisations using technology to tackle global humanitarian challenges.

Organisations benefiting from the first rounds of awards include charity: water and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)...

Water monitoring technologies using real-time data is the project being funded by the search giant Google for charity: water...

The water aid non-profit is benefiting from a $5 million award to pilot the installation of real-time water monitoring technologies by 2015, at 4,000 water points across Africa...

WWF’s innovation project involves developing new systems to tackle wildlife trafficking for endangered species like tigers, elephants and rhinos and also benefits from a 5 million USD windfall...

WWF says it will adapt and implement the use of integrated sensors to tag animals and use remote systems to assist wildlife patrols in their protection of the animals...

“With this grant we can create an umbrella of technology to protect wildlife from global crime syndicates...” explained Carter Roberts, WWF CEO.

The development could be a vital resource to assist overstretched conservationists as they face a resurgence in wildlife crime, especially for rhino and elephant ivory trafficking that is soaring...

WWF says with the assistance of Google it is testing its technologies across Africa and Asia...

“Poaching of wildlife is a global problem that requires innovative technology and scalable solutions...” adds Director of Giving at Google, Jacquelline Fuller...

Google’s awards share $23 million with seven organisations that have a potential to achieve a huge impact in their chosen areas...

The awards can be seen as part of an emerging industry of investments from pioneering business leaders that are interested in promoting sizeable long-term social impact returns via social organisations, through innovation and capacity building...

A European venture philanthropy industry report last year from the European Venture Philanthropy Association (EVPA) revealed venture philanthropy investments from their members had already generated over Euro 1 billion across Europe alone...with the global market in venture philanthropy, according to JP Morgan, expected to reach up to the one trillion USD mark in the next decade...