Annual Report 2023‑2024

One World, One Childhood

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Global Fund for Children partners with grassroots organizations around the world to help children and young people reach their full potential and advance their rights.

Supporting the dreams and aspirations of children since 1994

Thank you to all our partners and supporters who have stood with us over the last 30 years, helping to build a world where all children are safe, strong, and valued. The work is far from over, but together, we will keep pushing forward in the fight to create a brighter future for children and young people everywhere.

Welcome!

From the Co-CEOs

Hayley Roffey
Co-CEO,
Global Fund for Children

John Hecklinger
Co-CEO,
Global Fund for Children

As we reflect with awe and pride on the last 30 years, we are deeply grateful for the continued support of the partners, donors, and dedicated individuals who make GFC’s work possible. Over the last three decades, we have supported more than 1,300 community-based partners and reached over 11 million children.

Our 30th anniversary was not only a time to celebrate but also an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to building a better future for children by supporting community-based organizations that are tackling critical social justice issues. Against an increasingly challenging global landscape, GFC’s mission to help local leaders shift social norms, policies, and practices that foster lasting change for children and youth takes on even greater importance.

From deepening our partnerships and increasing our funding of youth-led organizations, to advancing participatory grantmaking efforts and integrating external and internal participation in our work, we’ve had a busy and fulfilling year.

In this report, you’ll learn about how we:

Invested in social issues that are increasingly important to young people – youth leadership, climate action, and gender justice. Through the Young Gamechangers Fund, we supported young people across the UK to transform communities into safer and more inclusive places to live. We expanded our youth-led climate justice initiative in Southeast Asia, welcoming ten young leaders from Vietnam. We also launched a new initiative in Yucatán, Mexico, providing funding to ten grassroots organizations advocating for the rights of Indigenous adolescent girls, including the right to education. Across the African continent, we continued to support our partners to help girls overcome educational and social barriers, including gender-based violence and harmful traditional practices.
Learned, influenced, and created impact. Working with a participatory global committee of partners and youth leaders called the Change Champions, we continued our active role in the philanthropic sector, amplifying calls for shifting power to the grassroots and for providing flexible funding. We have evolved GFC’s model to heighten participatory grantmaking, helping communities to drive systemic change and increasingly enabling young people to direct GFC’s funding to where they feel it is most effective.
Embedded participation within GFC and invested in people and capacity. A key development in 2024 was the formalization of our Co-CEO leadership model, which built on years of effective collaboration between the two of us. In taking this step, we drew inspiration from successful co-leadership models among peers, on GFC’s Board, and in GFC’s regional director structures. We see this model as a pathway to cultivating future leaders within GFC and enhancing succession planning. During the fiscal year, we also invested in new systems to strengthen internal capacity and introduced a new and comprehensive diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) strategy and an updated safeguarding policy.

We are proud of how the Funder Safeguarding Collaborative – hosted by GFC – is continuing to grow and promote action that creates safer organizational cultures and funder practices. Over the past year, the collaborative has welcomed 18 new members, expanding to a community of over 90 foundations that are committed to transforming grantmaking for the better.

Looking ahead, we are eager to further deepen our engagement with our partners, understand their evolving needs, and remain a steadfast ally in their work, while navigating the increasingly complex environment for civil society organizations. In the fall of 2025, we will embark on developing the next iteration of our five-year vision, shaped by the insights of our 30-year journey and the successes we have achieved. Central to this process will be leveraging the findings of our landmark Global Impact Study to drive meaningful change within GFC, while sharing the study across the sector. We are also keen to build on the capacity investments made over the past year to boost our effectiveness. We look forward to welcoming new members to our Board of Directors whose fresh perspectives and expertise will guide us in this exciting next chapter.

We are honored to lead GFC and remain steadfast in our commitment to advancing social justice worldwide.

Sincerely,

Hayley Roffey
Co-CEO,
Global Fund for Children

John Hecklinger
Co-CEO,
Global Fund for Children

From the Chairs

Swatee Deepak
Co-Chair,
Global Board of Directors

Greg Wallig
Co-Chair,
Global Board of Directors

Mark Wilson
Chair,
UK Trust Board of Trustees

Milena Rusu
Chair,
Youth Leadership Council

This report highlights a year of progress and impact – made possible through the hard work of GFC’s team, the strength of its partnerships, and the dedication of its supporters. It is a testament to what can be achieved when participation and youth engagement are at the forefront of an organization’s efforts.

With your support, GFC awarded over $11 million in flexible grants to 398 organizations working to improve the lives of children and young people across 43 countries. Emergency assistance to partners continued throughout the year, with 81 organizations receiving vital support to address urgent needs in their communities. Additionally, GFC welcomed 139 new partners in ten countries and continued to expand its initiatives focused on advancing solutions to critical social issues, including education, gender justice, climate resilience, and more.

One of the year’s memorable highlights was the 30th anniversary gala, which brought together an incredible community of partners, donors, and advocates to honor three decades of transformative work. The gala was a resounding success, not just in celebrating GFC’s legacy but also in strengthening our resolve to continue empowering children and young people worldwide through locally led development.

At the heart of GFC’s strength lies its team. The wellbeing of the staff has always been and will continue to be a priority for the Board. Over the past year, we have supported leadership in advancing initiatives that promote a healthy work-life balance, foster professional growth, and nurture a collaborative and inclusive workplace. This includes the transition to a Co-CEO leadership model. We believe this commitment is essential for enabling the team to thrive and for amplifying the impact of GFC’s work around the world.

We are also proud of GFC’s continued investment in its operational capacity, from adopting new technologies and launching a new website to developing comprehensive DEIA and safeguarding strategies. These advancements position GFC to broaden and deepen its impact worldwide, and they reflect an organization that is not just keeping pace with the challenges of the world but actively shaping solutions.

Looking ahead, we are energized by the many new opportunities to engage funders that share our belief in the power of grassroots movements. GFC has established itself as a trusted partner, and the Board prioritizes connecting the organization with supporters who are passionate about creating sustainable, community-driven change.

Finally, we recognize that fulfilling GFC’s mission requires intentional efforts to align our leadership with our values. To that end, we are committed to diversifying the Board to better reflect the communities we serve and to bring a broader range of perspectives and experiences to our work. This is a vital step in ensuring that GFC’s governance mirrors its dedication to equity and inclusion.

We extend our gratitude to all who make GFC’s work possible. Your support fuels GFC’s vision for a world where all children and youth are safe, strong, and valued.

With appreciation,

Swatee Deepak
Co-Chair,
Global Board of Directors

Greg Wallig
Co-Chair,
Global Board of Directors

Mark Wilson
Chair,
UK Trust Board of Trustees

Milena Rusu
Chair,
Youth Leadership Council

Year in Review 2023‑2024

With your support, we provided flexible funding to 398 organizations worldwide, empowering them to create lasting change and drive meaningful impact in their communities.

M+

in grants

599

grants disbursed

countries

398

community-based organizations, including 81 emergency grant recipients

Here is a closer look at our grassroots partners that received both financial support and capacity mobilization assistance from GFC in the past year.

Capacity mobilization

GFC’s capacity mobilization approach holds a deep appreciation for complexity and diversity. We listen to our partners to understand their needs and experiences, then offer tailored and contextualized support to help them optimize their efforts.

of our partners are youth-led

of our partners are women-led

of our partners are led by young women

We are dedicated to advancing gender equity and amplifying youth leadership by supporting organizations led by women and young people, who have traditionally been underrepresented in or excluded from formal leadership positions.

*These numbers do not include GFC’s Phoenix Way partners

first flexible funding

More than half our partners received their first flexible funding from us. For three decades, GFC has championed a trust-based approach to providing partners with funding that has no restrictions, allowing them to allocate resources where they are needed most, foster innovation, and quickly adapt to the challenges affecting children and young people.

*This number does not include GFC’s Phoenix Way and the Young Gamechangers Fund partners

initiatives

Our initiatives span multiple countries and regions, facilitating collective action and peer learning by bringing together community-based organizations tackling similar issues. Last year, we supported 16 initiatives working to advance climate resilience, gender justice, youth leadership, and more.

Net Promoter Score

GFC earned a Net Promoter Score of 84 on a scale from -100 to +100 for the question, “To what extent does GFC do what it says it will do?” This reflects strong agreement among partners that we consistently deliver on our commitments.

*Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a tool that helps us measure how satisfied our community-based partners are in their relationship with GFC. It helps us to understand how we are doing and to identify areas where we can improve our partners’ experience.

139

new partners

We were pleased to welcome 139 new partners based in ten countries across the globe, including Mexico, the UK, and Vietnam.

As we welcome new partners, we are increasingly prioritizing countries where we envision the chance to build longer-term partnerships and to connect new partners with others that we have worked with in the region. The selected countries include both those that are often overlooked in funding flows and those that offer synergies with investments from other sources. A measure of success for GFC is the depth of meaningful relationships with partners over time, and not necessarily reaching greater numbers of partners in more countries.

View all the countries where are partners work on this interactive map on our website.

convenings

131

workshops

We organized 25 gatherings to foster collaboration among partners addressing similar issues or working within the same region, alongside 131 workshops covering topics such as child and youth participation and community-led change. Convenings and workshops provide opportunities for partners to expand their knowledge, exchange insights, and strengthen networks.

These events are part of the holistic, wraparound support that our programs team provides to our partners, along with critical flexible funding. Our partners repeatedly tell us that activities like this are a key part of their journey to becoming even more effective at delivering their mission.

of our partners are doing something differently as a result of GFC’s support

In a survey of our grassroots partners, 83% shared that GFC’s support inspired changes in how they approach their work.

At the start of our collaboration with GFC, our organization was not structured, and we had no real intervention strategy or methodology for working with children. Currently, we have all the documents in place, an intervention strategy is in place, and we have written the child safeguarding policy, which we make clear to each person who wants to work with our children and with us.”

– a GFC partner, explaining what they are doing differently as a result of GFC’s support.

Partner Spotlight

Friends of the Homeless

Meet one of our newest partners, Friends of the Homeless (FoH), a youth-led organization in Khonkaen, Thailand, that is committed to tackling climate change, environmental challenges, and homelessness, with a focus on creativity and inclusivity.

FoH – which is part of GFC’s Spark Fund climate action initiative in Southeast Asia – manages a series of impactful projects, including providing clean water facilities in public spaces, transforming abandoned urban areas into community hubs, and setting up emergency shelters for homeless people. A key achievement for the organization is the local government’s adoption of a flood detection system developed by a 17-year-old, which highlights FoH’s dedication to amplifying youth voices in climate policies.

30 years of GFC and beyond

This past year, we proudly celebrated our milestone 30th anniversary.

Here is a snapshot of our journey, which began in 1990 at a dusty train station in Bhubaneswar, India.

1990

Maya Ajmera encounters a grassroots organization working with children who live, play, and beg on train platforms in India. The group not only provides free education, food, and clothing but also helps the children to develop a sense of self-worth and confidence.

1993

Inspired by this powerful grassroots model, Maya Ajmera founds Global Fund for Children, on the belief that small amounts of money, when given to innovative community-based organizations, can make a lasting impact on the lives of children and youth.

1994

GFC publishes the first of its many books, Children from Australia to Zimbabwe, co-authored by Maya Ajmera.

1997

GFC awards its first grant to Ruchika Social Service Organization – the train platform school in India. The grant was awarded using part of the proceeds from GFC’s first book.

1999

Within two years of awarding its first grant, GFC’s grantmaking budget increases tenfold.

2004

GFC is supporting grassroots organizations in 48 countries and has begun providing capacity-strengthening services to help its partners maximize their potential.

2006

Global Fund for Children UK Trust is established to expand GFC’s work, raise funds, and enhance awareness in the UK and Europe.

2008

GFC reaches the milestone of having disbursed over $10 million in grants. By 2010, GFC has distributed more than $17 million in grants to 401 organizations working in 75 countries worldwide.

2011

The Sustainability Award – inaugurated in 2004 – is renamed the Maya Ajmera Sustainability Award in honor of GFC’s founder.

2019

GFC establishes the Juliette Gimon Courage Award, in memory of former Board Chair Juliette Gimon, to recognize partners that are making a positive impact under very challenging circumstances.

2020

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, GFC significantly scales up its emergency response operations, swiftly distributing emergency grants to partners around the world.

2020

The Robert D. Stillman Dignity Award is inaugurated, honoring former GFC Board Chair Bob Stillman’s commitment to improving the lives of children and youth most in need.

2021

GFC launches the youth-led Spark Fund, its first fund that places key funding decisions in the hands of young people.

2022

In response to Russia’s war on Ukraine, GFC further enhances the speed and capacity of its emergency response operations, distributing urgent funds to community-based organizations in Ukraine and neighboring countries.

2022

GFC launches its first five-year vision, covering 2022 to 2026, in a reinvention of its strategic planning process.

2022

GFC receives a one-time $10 million gift from MacKenzie Scott, recognizing the effectiveness of GFC’s model and the organization’s potential.

2023

GFC escalates its support of and commitment to climate resilience efforts with the launch of its new climate action initiative in Southeast Asia.

2023

GFC begins to award grants directly to young people through the Young Gamechangers Fund.

2024

GFC establishes the Mark McGoldrick Futures Fund in memory of the founding Chair of the UK Trust.

2024

GFC transitions to a Co-CEO leadership model, reflecting a broader change to operating with shared leadership at multiple levels of the organization.

2024

30 years after its inception, GFC has invested more than $79 million in over 1,300 grassroots organizations to empower children and young people in more than 90 countries around the world.

Last year, we celebrated 30 years of GFC with a series of events that included a gala in London, bringing together partners, funders, ambassadors, and other supporters. We take pride in the incredible community-based organizations we have invested in over the last three decades, and in our role as a pioneer of trust-based philanthropy – an approach that many in the sector are now adopting. Throughout this rich history, three core beliefs have shaped GFC’s work:

1. Children have the right to a childhood

The theme of our 30th-year celebration was “One World, One Childhood.” Everything we do at Global Fund for Children – every strategic initiative, every interaction with our partners, and every dollar invested – is driven by the conviction that all children, everywhere, have the fundamental right to a safe, secure childhood. Every child around the world deserves to be free from hunger, free from violence and exploitation, and free to learn, dream, and play to achieve their unlimited potential.

2. Young people are leaders, problem solvers, and investors

Young people are not our future; they are our present. They know the problems they face, and they are harnessing their immense drive, resilience, and capacity to address the complex set of challenges before them. Many young leaders tell us that what they are missing is resources, connections, and the opportunity to influence investments intended for their benefit. In recent years, GFC has become a pioneer in resourcing youth-led organizations and individual young people, and we recognize the importance of our role in catalyzing change for youth leadership. We are increasingly shifting power to young people to direct GFC’s funding based on their lived experience. In the process, we are accompanying an expanding group of young changemakers as they learn, grow, and increase their impact.

3. Flexible Funding is about Justice

GFC funds more than 390 community-led partners in over 40 countries, and that funding is 100% flexible. This trust-based approach means that organizations can pivot, make quick decisions, focus on learning, adapt to emerging challenges, and make the most of sudden breakthroughs. Once seen as radical, this approach is now increasingly recognized as common sense, and we are committed to learning, improving, and sharing our practices to achieve a more just and equitable global philanthropic movement.

Co-Chair of GFC’s 30th anniversary gala

Global Fund for Children’s 30th anniversary gala was their most successful event ever, raising over $2 million for GFC’s work around the world powering the potential of children and young people. I was proud to be a Co-Chair of such a stellar event, but I was even more proud of the incredible stories we told that night – stories from the last 30 years of supporting brave, young leaders making an incredible difference to their communities and the things that matter most to them, like gender justice, climate resilience, and access to education.”

Looking forward: GFC’s next 30 years and beyond

Building on the wins and learnings of the last three decades, we are excited for GFC’s future direction. By fostering partnerships that prioritize local leadership, amplifying youth voices, and embracing innovative solutions, we stand ready to address global challenges with resilience and purpose. Aligned with the guiding stars of our five-year vision for 2022 through 2026, we will enhance opportunities for meaningful participation in social action by:

Creating space for communities to drive systemic change

We remain focused on supporting community-led change. We know that our partners are closest to their communities, which gives them the possibility of unparalleled insight into local strengths and evolving needs and how to navigate complex local systems. At the same time, we acknowledge that partners sometimes respond to funding opportunities that do not emerge from community needs and aspirations. We guide our partners to find new ways to listen to communities, appreciate their strengths, and help their dreams take shape by employing techniques such as the Community Life Competence Process (CLCP) and Support, Appreciate, Listen-Learn, Transfer (SALT). Paired with flexible funding, these approaches help our partners work with community members to understand the root causes of the challenges they face and create solutions that support long-term change.

Before, we would just go to the key leaders in the community whenever we wanted to organize any activities, and we start implementing. But now, with the community-led approach, every member of the community is well informed and involved in the activities.”

– Elizabeth Gbanie, Project Officer, Women Against Violence and Exploitation in Society (WAVES), Sierra Leone

What is CLCP?

The Community Life Competence Process (CLCP) is a participatory learning cycle through which facilitators guide communities to identify their capacities, build visions for change, and develop plans of action. It focuses on fostering collective action and self-reliance through a process of reflection, planning, and continuous learning.

What is SALT?

Support, Appreciate, Listen-Learn, Transfer (SALT) is an approach that facilitators use when they accompany community members using the CLCP learning cycle. SALT and CLCP reinforce each other. SALT facilitators interact with community members through listening to people’s experiences, building mutual trust, and fostering collaboration. They attempt to bring together a broad range of people within a community, including those who are not often asked to share their opinions or experiences.

Centering children and young people as leaders and changemakers

No matter what circumstances they live in, children and young people are full of potential and possibilities. If they have access to the right tools and opportunities, they can drive positive change that we cannot even imagine. Yet systems and circumstances they did not create threaten their chances to survive, dream, and thrive. Far too often, the assumption that young people are less important or less capable than adults means a missed opportunity for their courage and innovative thinking to transform the status quo.

We are determined to change this, together with young people. We will do so by listening to and funding the plans of youth-led organizations dedicated to social justice and human rights. We will continue to vigorously champion participatory grantmaking where young people make funding decisions. We will utilize the strength of our Youth Leadership Council and find more ways for young people to influence our work and decisions.

The world has changed incredibly, so why not change the bureaucratic processes as well? Youth are ready to change the world. They just need support and to be believed in. Flexible funding sees the real impact of the stories and community change and not just the reports or numbers.”

– Kimberly Barrios, Vice President, Red de Jóvenes Artistas por la Justicia Social (Network of Young Artists for Social Justice), Guatemala

Global Board of Directors Member

Maulik Doshi joined Global Fund for Children’s Board in 2023, bringing extensive expertise in finance and philanthropy. He and his wife, Priya, have been staunch supporters of GFC since 2001, believing in GFC’s model of enhancing the voices of grassroots organizations to create lasting impact.

Maulik has actively worked to expand GFC’s network of supporters, hosting fundraising events in 2021 and 2024. He has also introduced GFC to three generations of his family and to his friends, inspiring their meaningful engagement with the organization.

Global Fund for Children is the optimal model for philanthropic impact by maximizing renewable, sustainable impact while minimizing organizational costs and friction. Developing local organizations, creating capacity, and leverage is why GFC succeeds year after year. I have brought my network of friends and family to build their own relationships with GFC, and they agree about its unique position and impact.”

Learning, influencing, and collectively creating change

GFC funds community-based organizations and works closely with them to strengthen their capacity to create change. Our approach shifts power to local actors, helping them pursue their own ideas for change. We learn from and with these partners and the young people they serve, focusing on understanding what is important to them so that we can support them more effectively.

Listening, learning, and growing together

Last year, we carried out a learning review of our Partnership to Educate All Kids (PEAK) initiative, which prioritizes learning through play and is funded by the LEGO Foundation. In the learning review, we listened to partners around the world through an evaluation methodology called outcome harvesting, and we learned that by engaging in the PEAK initiative, our partners catalyzed young people to take more leadership roles in their communities. Parents and community members became more willing to appreciate and support opportunities for playful learning, understanding its important role in children’s social-emotional development and overall education. The findings of the review not only validated the efforts of GFC and our partners but also inspired continued innovation and collaboration.

We launched our new theory of change (TOC). Aligned with our five-year vision, the TOC outlines the social change we seek to achieve with our partners. The collaborative TOC development process, which began in 2022, integrated input from our partners, Youth Leadership Council, staff and Board, Partner Advisory Group, and CEO Circle (leaders of like-minded organizations working toward social change). A key difference from our previous version is that the new TOC does not depict change as a linear process. Instead, it conveys more evenly distributed power and responsibility within GFC’s relationships with partners, and it recognizes children and young people as actors in their own right, with voice and agency.

Echoing our commitment to participation, we commenced work on our Global Impact Study with an experienced research team, consulting with current and alumni partners, staff, donor organizations, Global Ambassadors, Youth Leadership Council members, and more. The study will unpack the medium- to long-term effects of our trust-based model of flexible funding on community-based organizations and will also explore the indirect impact of our funding mechanism on children, young people, and their communities. We look forward to sharing the results of this landmark study with you next year.

Unlocking potential through play: Findings from a learning review of the PEAK initiative

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Influencing the funding ecosystem

Our community-based partners have called upon us to influence the larger funding ecosystem. While grassroots organizations have the best understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities within their communities, they face many obstacles, including limited access to funding or support based on trust. In response, together with the Change Champions – our participatory global committee of partner and youth leaders – we created a new resource called ”Trust in Action: The Bridge Between Grantmakers and the Grassroots” that illuminates the funding struggles of community-based organizations and provides strategies and solutions centered on trust and flexible funding.

Trust in Action: The Bridge Between Grantmakers and the Grassroots

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In the philanthropy sector, flexible funding is still far from the norm. Although some progress has been made to shift power to local leaders and communities, unrestricted funding accounted for only 14% of US foundations’ global grantmaking, according to the Council on Foundations’ 2022 “The State of Global Giving by U.S. Foundations” report. Building on our 30 years of experience with trust-based, flexible funding, GFC joined the #FlexibleFundingWorks campaign to invite funders, international NGOs, and grassroots organizations to explore the power of flexible grants to create enduring community change. The Change Champions amplified this call by launching the “Trust in Action” resource and organizing webinars and local events, with GFC’s support.

GFC continues to spark important conversations about trust-based philanthropy, participatory grantmaking, decolonizing, and child and youth participation. Over the past year, we spoke at 66 events, including the Clinton Global Initiative, Global Philanthropy Forum, Human Rights Funders Network’s Funding Futures Festival, and Elevate Children Funders Group’s annual meeting.

I would like to express my gratitude for the opportunity to participate in this conversation and contribute ideas to strengthen the work of advocating for community-led change. I firmly believe in the power of collaboration and collective action to generate a positive impact on the world, and I am excited to be part of this effort to build a more inclusive and effective financing ecosystem.”

– A Change Champion in an anonymous survey.

Collectively creating change

We believe in the power and agency of communities, particularly children and youth, to take the lead in their own transformative processes. Aligned with our vision, our model has evolved over time to shift power to local communities and actors, helping them pursue their own ideas for change. Success, for us, means that communities are not just participants but active stakeholders in designing, executing, and evaluating the activities that affect them.

Here are some examples of how communities are leading change:

In West Africa, we supported partners to explore and deepen their relationships with community members – not to deliver solutions and services, but to collectively understand and address the root causes of violence against girls and the barriers that prevent them from staying in school. Over time, our partners have seen women and young people taking more leadership roles, and they have witnessed community members mobilizing themselves to take actions such as building schools, stopping harmful traditional practices, and reducing the rate of early marriage.

In this video, one of our community-based partners in Africa explains how community-led change has impacted children’s access to education.

In South Asia, through facilitation and support from the GFC team, many of our partners have been encouraging their communities to identify and harness their own strengths for positive change. Our partners have witnessed increased trust and strengthened relationships with community members. Community members have reported their enhanced capacity to address their own issues through collective efforts and local solutions. They have also noticed initial shifts in challenging social and cultural norms.

Check out this blog about how community-led action has changed the lives of the nomadic Bede community living on boats in Bangladesh.

How community-led change is making a difference in the lives of the Bede community in Bangladesh

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Organizations like GFC … have a role in catalyzing change processes, helping organizations to leverage community assets and build local agency. In many cases, change happens without any external assistance at all. In other cases, modest amounts of funding and capacity support can catalyze change that truly community-led actors pursue on their own terms. In this way, organizations like GFC act as intermediaries not just of funds but of trust, learning, and different notions of what constitutes evidence, scale, replicability, and accountability.”

– John Hecklinger, Co-CEO at Global Fund for Children, attesting to the transformational role of intermediaries in this article.

Our Focus Areas

Last year, we made a strategic shift to expand our thematic focus areas – under which we broadly categorize our work – from four to six. This reflects GFC’s growth and the rising demand from our partners to address an increasingly varied and diverse range of issues affecting children and young people, and the more hostile and volatile external environment that our partners exist in.

Solidarity in Emergencies

Education

Every child around the world deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and dream. Yet children are denied access to education and the chance to reach their potential because of their gender, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status, or due to conflict. In addition, formal education alone often does not meet children’s holistic needs and aspirations. GFC is committed to secure, equal access to high-quality learning experiences for all children, no matter what obstacles stand in their way.

GFC works with community-based partners that recognize and nurture children’s abilities through activities such as sports, alternative education, literacy courses, and developmental therapy.

They also seek to remove practical barriers that hinder access to education, by supporting teaching in native languages, offering after-school tutoring, providing menstrual hygiene products so that girls can stay in school, and more.

A particular focus last year was addressing barriers that have long made it harder or impossible for girls to access education.

Strength of Girls Initiative

In early 2024, GFC launched the U Muuk'il Xch'úupalo'ob/Strength of Girls initiative in Yucatán, Mexico, offering multi-year flexible grants, capacity-strengthening opportunities, and networking spaces to ten diverse community-based organizations that are investing in the holistic development of Mayan girls and young women.

Supported by the Wellspring Philanthropic Fund, the initiative prioritizes intersectionality, feminist advocacy, cultural pertinence, and youth leadership and supports Mayan girls and young women to exercise their voices and rights, especially their right to culturally appropriate education, by overcoming structural, sociocultural, and gender barriers.

Last year, we built strong foundations for the work that will follow, developing relationships based on openness and trust with Yucatecan civil society leaders, regional donors, young feminist activists, and community-based organizations. Aligned with GFC’s approach of shifting power to the grassroots, a partner selection committee consisting of civil society leaders, youth leaders, and activists from Indigenous communities in the region participated directly in collectively choosing the initiative’s partners.

RECARGA

Our RECARGA initiative, which began in 2021 as an exploration of the impacts of COVID-19 on children’s education in Central America, has grown into a dynamic network of grassroots organizations advocating for access to quality, transformative education for all children. The initiative is supported by Tinker Foundation, The Summit Foundation, International Community Foundation, Luis von Ahn Foundation, Focus Central America, Vibrant Village Foundation, and the Ward Foundation.

Through the initiative, GFC is providing flexible funding and development support to 15 community-based organizations in Guatemala and Honduras that are fighting to address common challenges in government-led education. RECARGA initiative partners use creative pedagogies to demonstrate how powerful education can be in changing children’s lives. By the end of 2023, RECARGA partners had successfully reached more than 16,000 children through their interventions.

The partners in the initiative have begun to self-organize their collaborations, learning from each other and speaking up with a stronger collective voice to engage governments. They have strengthened and evolved critical education programming, developed innovative education strategies grounded in cultural relevance, and adopted creative approaches to community-based advocacy and learning, amplifying the voices of children and young people.

RECARGA partners help to build foundational literacy skills and support children and youth who otherwise would not be able to continue their education, including pregnant girls, those with learning difficulties and behavioural issues, and those who have “aged out” of the system. Some partners have been able to expand their programming, from opening audiovisual labs in rural communities to strengthening technological skills for primary and high-school students, to providing educational and transportation scholarships, which enable children to attend school in places where the biggest barrier can be distance.

This initiative has directly contributed to creating a more inspiring and motivating educational environment for our community; likewise, the young people now have the opportunity to study in optimal conditions, which not only impacts their education today but lays the foundation for a more promising future.”

– RECARGA partner

SEED

GFC established the Supporting Early Education and Development (SEED) initiative in Honduras to help improve development and learning outcomes for children aged 8 and under from low-income families. Supported by the Bainum Family Foundation and the Two Lilies Fund, the initiative supports local organizations and groups in strengthening their programs for infants and young children.

Our five community-based organizations in the SEED initiative are focused on using and strengthening best practices in early childhood development, including child-centered approaches, play-based learning, and program designs that integrate health and nutrition.

Learn how CNNEE, one of the SEED initiative partners, works with children who have learning or developmental disabilities through an equine therapy program.

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Gender Justice

Gender justice is critical to allowing every child and young person to grow up free from discrimination and to feel safe, valued, and confident in their potential to thrive.

GFC works with partners to drive gender justice and equity for children and young people, supporting the rights of LGBTQ+ youth and making sure young people can live free from gender-based violence and exploitation.

Healthy Masculinities

A particular focus over the last year has been expanding our healthy masculinities work. In addition to limiting the potential of girls and young women, harmful gender norms prevent boys and young men from fully embracing their strengths and identities. We support initiatives across regions that promote healthy masculinities built on empathy, care, and respect.

Our Healthy Masculinities program is about creating spaces where boys can explore what it means to be a man in today’s world. By challenging harmful stereotypes and celebrating positive role models, we’re not just changing narratives – we’re changing lives.”

– Katherine Gilmour, Regional Co-Director for Europe and Eurasia at GFC

Despite being a vitally important area, work with boys and young men around healthy masculinities is sporadically funded and often misunderstood. Over the past eight years, we have supported organizations in Central America, West Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States that are engaging boys and young men in exploring and promoting healthy masculinities. These local organizations engage boys from diverse backgrounds, challenge negative stereotypes associated with boys and young men, and highlight their positive contributions to society.‍

In the United Kingdom, our Healthy Masculinities program is addressing prevailing gaps by prioritizing trauma-informed approaches to masculinities and funding preventive work tailored to boys and young men, with a new focus on underserved communities. The program also emphasizes uplifting boys’ and young men’s voices and stories, recognizing the positive change they are already creating in their own communities.

In Mexico and central America, through our HEEL initiative, we fund a network of community-based organizations that are supporting sexual and reproductive rights, cultural recovery efforts, and the eradication of gender-based violence and harmful traditional practices among boys and young men. By promoting art, playful methodologies, and storytelling to spark dialogue, our local partners are creating safe spaces to challenge stigmas, harmful attitudes, and laws that undermine gender equality. In 2025, partners in the initiative will launch a handbook to promote healthy masculinities among children and young people through art and play, with a focus on community wellbeing.

Donor Spotlight

People’s Postcode Lottery

Funds raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery and awarded by Postcode Education Trust are supporting Global Fund for Children’s Healthy Masculinities programme in the UK – which brings together a cohort of six community-based organizations across the country that are engaging boys and young men to explore masculinities and create positive social change.

The programme is challenging stereotypes through the resourcing of youth action, supporting partners to amplify the voices of boys and young men, whilst exploring a range of mediums that will underpin a nationwide healthy masculinities movement.”

Educating and Empowering Girls in West Africa

Over the past year, we have restructured our work in West Africa into a regional program that spans Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, increasing cross-border collaboration among our partners and enhancing efforts to drive sustainable, community-led systemic change. Through the Educating and Empowering Girls in West Africa initiative, we remain committed to supporting women- and youth-led organizations, particularly in hard-to-reach and underserved areas, due to their unparalleled ability to effect transformative change within their communities.

We are particularly proud of how this initiative prioritizes adolescent girls, who face the risks of early marriage, being forced to drop out of school, and gender-based violence. Our partners help adolescent girls to build the confidence and skills to speak out against practices that impede their rights and to challenge harmful practices that limit their access to and retention in education, such as child marriage, female genital cutting, and sexual violence in schools.

Building on the success of the inaugural summit in 2022, the second Adolescent Girls Summit was held in March 2024, bringing together 250 adolescent girls and boys, older youth, and other stakeholders to catalyze change. Here, adolescent girls were not merely participants—they played a central role in setting the agenda and driving crucial conversations about their rights, wellbeing, and future opportunities. The summit has empowered these girls to step into leadership roles; become powerful voices in their communities around issues such as education, gender equality, and mental health; and challenge traditional norms by establishing that they are capable agents of change. Through the summit, GFC and our partners are driving a movement that places girls’ voices and leadership at the forefront of development efforts across West Africa.

Our partners in the initiative have also made significant strides in improving their engagement with local communities to nurture supportive environments that foster the wellbeing and empowerment of girls. GFC co-facilitated an advanced seminar on community-led approaches with Tostan, an Africa-based NGO that works directly with local groups through a community-led approach to addressing social issues. The seminar – which explored how to effectively build community dialogue, promote collective action, and sustain long-term behavioral change – has resulted in positive outcomes. Our partners have strengthened their skills in engaging communities to change harmful practices and promote gender equality, and these communities are now taking action to safeguard the health, education, and freedom of girls.

This video was developed by young activists who took part in the 2024 Adolescent Girls Summit, skillfully using their musical talent to advocate for their rights.

At just 16 years old, Joyce Delight Efea Yinbil is a strong advocate for girls' rights. She started her journey with GFC’s community-based partner Community Healthcare Initiative through the She Leads project in Monrovia, Liberia. At 14, Joyce helped plan the first Adolescent Girls Summit, which gave her the confidence to take on leadership roles. Later, she became the first girl to be elected as her school’s president, breaking barriers and inspiring other girls to believe in themselves.

Last year, Joyce and her friend Diggsetta Jallah co-founded It’s Girls Time, an informal association supported by Community Healthcare Initiative. They run biweekly meetings where girls learn about their rights, talk about challenges, and offer support to each other. They also set up girls’ clubs in schools and raise awareness about gender equality. Joyce dreams of studying public health and continuing to make a difference for girls everywhere.

With her determination and vision, Joyce is not just breaking barriers – she is also building a path for other girls to follow and proving that young leaders can create impactful and lasting change.

What I want to achieve is to see a world where girls will have equal rights as boys, and also be included in decision-making,”

– Joyce at the Adolescent Girls Summit

Youth Power

Young people are powerful leaders and changemakers, driving change today and shaping the society of tomorrow.

GFC amplifies youth voices and supports young people to advance their rights by making sure they have the opportunities, skills, and confidence to tackle the issues they care about and that impact them most. By elevating them to lead and inspire, we help them drive social change and build a better future for themselves and their communities.

The Young Gamechangers Fund

The Young Gamechangers Fund – which offers grants to young people aged 10–25 – is a rapidly growing initiative. YGF is funded by the Co-op Foundation, in partnership with Co-op and the #iwill Fund, and is delivered by GFC, Restless Development, and the Co-op Foundation. This one-of-a-kind fund prioritizes young activists and funds individuals, groups, and organizations across the UK that are committed to transforming communities into safer, more sustainable, and more inclusive places to live.

Not only is the fund for young people, but it was also designed by young people. In the summer of 2023, a steering group of people between the ages of 18 and 25 was formed to guide the fund. The steering group has led the design and structure of the grant process, decision-making on grant applications, and the development of the fund’s theory of change. In its first year, the group received 365 applications from innovative organizations and inspiring young changemakers across the UK, emphasizing the passion and readiness of youth to drive change in their communities. GFC is ready and excited to support these young people and their ideas through YGF.

Donor Spotlight

The Co-op Foundation

The Young Gamechangers Fund is a groundbreaking programme that addresses the need for more young people to take a lead on making change happen. As the experts in the field and with a huge amount of experience in making funding decisions together with young people, Global Fund for Children have helped to transform our vision for the YGF into reality. The team at GFC work in a way that embodies the values of the fund – putting young people front and centre and supporting them to make their ideas a reality.”

Climate Resilience

Young people are mobilizing in the fight against climate change – building resilience within their communities, educating those around them, advocating for policy changes, and stewarding the environment.

The impacts of climate change range from extreme weather events that disrupt lives, create instability, and exacerbate existing inequalities to pervasive mental health challenges and feelings of helplessness for the future. GFC invests in initiatives with young leaders and youth-led organizations that are advocating for better policies, creating green spaces, and promoting sustainable economic development.

Spark Fund: Youth-led climate action in Southeast Asia initiative

GFC’s Spark Fund climate action initiative in Southeast Asia – supported by the Avery Dennison Foundation, Lien AID, Porticus, and RS Group – focuses on resourcing youth-led and youth-focused climate justice work across Southeast Asia.

The initiative’s youth panel finalized its grantmaking criteria in late 2023 and officially opened the Southeast Asia Spark Fund to organizations developing climate solutions at a community level. The young leaders identified several key areas of support, including building youth capacity through knowledge and skills training, the importance of community building and community mobilization, and the need to resource the journey to accelerate climate action.

The panel approved and disbursed grants to the first cohort of community-based partner organizations in Thailand and also set up GFC’s first Spark Fund fellowship program, enhancing learning and capacity mobilization opportunities for ten emerging young climate justice leaders from Vietnam. The creation of the fellowship program reflects the Spark Fund’s ability to flex, adapt, and embed youth leadership in design processes.

Read about Huong, one of our inspiring young fellows from Vietnam, and learn more about her journey.

View post

I deeply appreciate the financial support from the Southeast Asia Spark Fund fellowship. For a long time, I have struggled with the fact that to earn an income, I had to work for other communities, leaving me with little time to focus on my own. With the support from this fellowship, I can now reduce the number of external jobs I take and dedicate more time to creating meaningful change within my own community.”

– Spark Fund fellow from Vietnam

Safety and Wellbeing

Every child has the fundamental right to experience wellbeing across all aspects of their lives – physical, emotional, social, educational, cultural, and environmental. This means not just meeting basic needs but ensuring that children can truly thrive through proper healthcare, loving relationships, quality education, cultural connections, and safe environments, free of abuse and exploitation.

GFC focuses on long-term, systemic change that addresses the root causes of exploitation and vulnerabilities at the community level and guides preventive interventions, while also supporting the rescue and recovery of affected children and young people.

The organizations we support prioritize working with children and youth who are outside of mainstream society, including those who have been trafficked, migrants and refugees, child laborers, and survivors of sexual abuse and exploitation. We are also committed to helping our community partners protect their own mental health and wellbeing as they carry out this critical work.

Addressing the Root Causes of Exploitation in South Asia

We launched the Addressing the Root Causes (ARC) of Exploitation in South Asia initiative with a cohort of community-based organizations dedicated to preventing child and youth exploitation. This initiative, which began in Bangladesh in 2023, expanded to India and Nepal in 2024. ARC funders include WE Trust and Oak Foundation.

The majority of the ARC initiative’s partners are women-led and/or youth-led, and they share a commitment to utilizing a community-centered approach to fostering change throughout the region. Between them, they focus on preventing harms such as child labor and commercial sexual exploitation, child trafficking, child marriage, and gender-based violence, as well as supporting children who escape exploitation to rebuild their lives.

ARC shifts power to communities by ensuring that program design, implementation, and learning are participatory, inclusive, context-specific, and owned by youth and community members. We will continue to support our partners with flexible funding, partnership building, and leadership training as we look to expand this work to other countries in the region.

Donor Spotlight

WE Trust

WE Trust is proud to support Global Fund for Children’s work in Bangladesh. Through our partnership with GFC, we are systematically addressing the root causes of child trafficking and exploitation in regions throughout the country, working alongside community-based organisations who are closest to the issues. These organisations are empowering youth and communities to lead local interventions that reduce harm, whilst promoting children’s rights and empowerment.”

The Imperative Spark Fund

In the fall of 2023, together with The Imperative – a fund dedicated to the wealth, health, and connectedness of Black people – GFC launched an initiative that focuses on the mental health and wellbeing of Black boys and young men. An extension of GFC’s Spark Fund, this initiative provides flexible funding to youth-led and youth-centered groups at the forefront of addressing mental health and wellbeing issues impacting Black boys and young men in Atlanta, Georgia, in the US. Supported by the Fund for Southern Communities, the Jesse Parker Williams Foundation, the Texel Foundation, and TOMS, the initiative engages young people through advocacy, education, and community building. In 2024, a panel of local Black youth leaders selected the first five partner organizations under this initiative, with the aim of creating a cohort of organizations building healthier communities and healthier futures for Black youth.

Centering the wellbeing of Black boys and young men is important because general solutions often leave their needs unmet. Partnering with GFC on this important work has the potential to be really transformational.”

– Ade Oguntoye, Co-Founder, The Imperative

Solidarity in Emergencies

During environmental disasters, conflict or unrest, public health crises, or other emergencies, our courageous community-based partners remain committed to helping children and their families. GFC is not a crisis response organization, but when our partners are thrown into an emergency situation, whether long or short, we listen and respond quickly, ensuring they have the resources they need.

Thanks to our established relationships with our partners on the ground, we are able to act swiftly to support these community-based organizations and the children they serve. When crisis strikes, our team contacts our partners and asks a simple question: “How can we help?”

We speed emergency funds to our partners, and we give them the flexibility to use the funds in whatever ways they believe are most impactful. GFC’s emergency response is especially vital in situations that do not get widespread attention or support. We also offer nonfinancial support such as peer networking and funding referrals.

With the continuation of Russia’s war on Ukraine, we extended our emergency support to partners, to help deliver long-term assistance in their communities. Partners prioritized young people whose education has been disrupted and children and youth who have been disproportionately impacted by the war, such as those living with disabilities and LGBTQ+ youth. We provided 36 grants to 24 partners in Ukraine and surrounding countries.

In the spring of 2024, we supported grassroots partners in Kenya that responded urgently to the floods that wreaked havoc in the country, leading to families being displaced, acute food insecurity, and infrastructure damage. We provided two of our partners in Nairobi – Oasis Mathare and Crime Si Poa – with flexible cash to supply children and their families with food, clothing, relocation assistance, and other immediate forms of aid.

Amid the war in Ukraine, grassroots groups are the best placed to address all aspects of access to education and ensure children can continue learning. When supported with flexible funding – funding that isn’t restricted to a particular program, but that instead allows grantees to determine the best use of their resources – grassroots groups can respond quickly to changes in wartime conditions. This includes finding solutions and creating new models to ensure their programs meet the evolving needs of children and youth.”

– Ashani Ratnayake, Communications Officer at GFC, reiterating the importance of providing flexible funding to grassroots groups, in an op-ed published in the Alliance magazine blog

In this video, Oksana Dmytriak, Ukraine Program Specialist at GFC, speaks about her journey back to Kyiv, Ukraine, last year and what life in her country now looks like.

Our Award Winners

GFC’s annual awards recognize some of our highest-achieving partners, spotlighting their innovative approaches and impactful work. These awards not only celebrate our partners’ successes but also support their continued growth and sustainability.

One Sky was born to address the extensive unmet needs of children and their families in Sangkhlaburi. Over the past ten years, we have steadily learned and grown. Now with 18 of us working from two locations, we are poised to take the steps to become a bigger organization capable of making a significant impact for children in Thailand. The timing of winning the Maya Ajmera Sustainability Award is perfect; it will be a huge help at this moment in our journey as we seek to maximize our impact on children’s lives.”

– Wiwat Thanapanya, Co-Founder and Director of One Sky Foundation, a 2024 winner of the Maya Ajmera Sustainability Award

The Read to Learn Foundation’s vision for the next five years revolves around nurturing diverse, literate, and resilient young minds. Through strategic programs and partnerships, the foundation aims to address educational gaps, empower communities, and create sustainable models for literacy development and economic independence. This award will be strategically allocated to strengthen two primary areas that are aimed at enhancing the organization’s sustainability.”

– Hasfa Mago, Founder of Read to Learn Foundation, a 2024 winner of the Maya Ajmera Sustainability Award

We became aware of the violation of human rights and exploitation, as well as the violence faced by migrants. Receiving the Juliette Gimon Courage Award means that CIMICH can continue strengthening its work with migrant children and youth, as well as building new strategies for community participation.”

– Diego López Aguila, General Coordinator of Coalición Indígena de Migrantes de Chiapas (CIMICH), a 2024 winner of the Juliette Gimon Courage Award

This recognition by Global Fund for Children fuels our determination to continue advocating for a more inclusive and equitable society, where every individual, regardless of their circumstances, can lead a life filled with courage and dignity.”

– Mahmuda Begum, Executive Director of Shobujer Ovijan Foundation, a 2024 winner of the Juliette Gimon Courage Award

Mark McGoldrick Futures Fund and Award

The Mark McGoldrick Futures Fund was launched in April 2024 at GFC’s 30th anniversary gala. Established in memory of the late Mark McGoldrick, the founding Chair of the UK Trust, the fund aims to provide catalytic funding to strengthen GFC’s global network of community-based organizations.

Learn more

Mark’s commitment to GFC was inspiring to his family and friends. I am so honored that this fund allows all of us to continue his legacy of commitment to making the world a better place for children.”

– Debbie McGoldrick

The Freedom Story works in rural Thailand to prevent child trafficking by addressing its root causes. The organization provides fully funded scholarships for at-risk children, ensuring they stay in school instead of being forced into labor or exploitation. Through mentorship, rights education, and sustainability programs, The Freedom Story supports young people and their families with the knowledge and resources to build a future free from trafficking.

Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL) was founded in 1995 during the Taliban’s initial rule and helped educate children through a network of underground schools. Since then, AIL has reached nearly 15 million people across the country through its learning centers, medical clinics, and other programs. In recent times, in response to the collapse of the Afghan government and the return of Taliban rule, AIL has strived to continue to offer girls access to education through innovative means, including the Meraj Academy, a televised secondary-school curriculum.

Foundation for Inclusive Community Help (FICH) operates with the vision of a generation of healthy, innovative, productive, and self-reliant youth, women, and families in the community. FICH responds to the needs of girls – including orphans, girls with special needs, and girls living with HIV – through mentorship programs, empowering them to build self-confidence, develop leadership skills, and plan for a future career.

Fundación Niñas de Luz (Funiluz) is dedicated to addressing the challenges that girls aged 5 to 17 face in their social, emotional, and academic development, providing them with tools that strengthen their capabilities and enable them to develop their life skills. Funiluz uses play-based education programs to engage the girls and support their learning and development, encouraging them to become future leaders.

Maya Ajmera Sustainability Award

The Maya Ajmera Sustainability Award – named in honor of GFC’s founder – celebrates the remarkable accomplishments of our partners while investing in their long-term stability. Each year, our programs team determines a pool of nominees, and the winners are then chosen by GFC’s Youth Leadership Council and past awardees, reinforcing our commitment to participatory decision-making and grassroots leadership.

Learn more

Read to Learn Foundation is dedicated to early literacy development through innovative, child-friendly learning spaces in underserved communities. The organization’s community book clinics engage children in reading with the support of young mentors, fostering both literacy and leadership development. Additionally, Read to Learn advances literacy innovation through its Book Drive store, which publishes relatable children’s storybooks, produces educational toys, and integrates an AI-powered multilingual app to support its sustainability efforts.

One Sky Foundation operates along the Thailand-Myanmar border, supporting migrant and Indigenous children at risk of abuse and exploitation due to their socioeconomic and legal status. The organization provides access to education and healthcare, helps families earn reliable incomes, and runs programs specifically designed for girls and women. One Sky also advocates for legislative reforms to reduce the number of children placed in unregulated foster homes and expands family-strengthening activities and foster care placements for disadvantaged and at-risk children.

Juliette Gimon Courage Award

Established to honor the legacy of Juliette Gimon – a former GFC Board Chair – the Courage Award recognizes community-based organizations making a profound impact in the lives of children and young people under particularly challenging circumstances.

Learn more

Coalición Indígena de Migrantes de Chiapas (CIMICH) works to protect the rights of Indigenous children and families in Chiapas, Mexico, who are migrating to the United States. The organization offers advocacy, legal support, and outreach programs, raising awareness about migration issues, promoting human rights, and offering alternatives to migration. Despite threats and challenges, CIMICH continues to support Indigenous migrant communities, defending their rights and promoting equitable participation.

Shobujer Ovijan Foundation (SOF) is a rights-based feminist organization that is committed to protecting women and children affected by migration. The organization supports the rights and wellbeing of young women who migrate to urban areas in Bangladesh for better economic prospects, offering specialized daycare centers, healthcare, livelihood skills training, and leadership development. The organization also addresses issues such as child labor, child marriage, exploitation, and abuse, working courageously to challenge gender norms and advocate for equal opportunities.

Robert D. Stillman Dignity Award

Established in 2020 in honor of former GFC Board Chair Bob Stillman, the Dignity Award celebrates outstanding community-based organizations dedicated to addressing the risks and challenges that impact the wellbeing of children and youth. This award prioritizes GFC partners providing critical services, fostering economic empowerment to break the cycle of poverty, and advancing social inclusion.

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Suchana Uttor Chandipur Community Society ensures that children from marginalized communities in India have access to education. The organization furthers children’s literacy and numeracy through early learning delivered in the native languages of Santali and Kora, with Bengali, English, and other subjects introduced later. Suchana utilizes locally relevant arts and crafts, music, and dance to engage children and young people aged 4 to 25 and also offers remedial classes to students with learning difficulties.

Our Donors

Our work would not be possible without you: global citizens who want to make positive, lasting change in the lives of children and youth. Thank you.

We are immensely grateful for all contributions, large and small. This list includes donors at the $1,000 level and above.

Family Foundations & Funds

Anonymous (3)

Aurora Foundation

Bridgemill Foundation

The Brimstone Fund

Elder Family Partnership Ltd. Foundation

Enkel Foundation

Flora Family Foundation

Girls Rights Project

The Grace Jones Richardson Trust

Harrington Family Foundation

Hawk Rock Foundation

Hutton Family Foundation

John & Julia Hinshaw Charitable Fund

Kenyon Family Foundation Trust

Leslie L. Alexander Foundation

The Manifold Fund

Marc Haas Foundation

Richard Meier Foundation

Sal & Andrea Marino Family Fund

Sanghera Foundation

Strauss Charitable Fund

Third Bridge Group

Trone Family Charitable Fund

Individuals

Anonymous (7)

Maya Ajmera & David H. Hollander Jr.

Nina Alexandersen

Esther & Michel Antakly

Camilio Azzouz

Carolyn & Alex Baring

Gregoire Baudot

Mary M. Bednarek

Flora Birdzell

Bernadette Black

Devon & Peter L. Briger Jr.

Billy Brown

Joshua D. Brown

Woody Bruce

James M. Cain Esq.

Julia & Kevin Callaghan

Liam Carr

Olivia Chowdry

Christ Episcopal Church

Alex Codrington

Blake Cronin

Stephanie & Antoine de Guillenchmidt

Connie & Adrian Dillon

Priya & Maulik Doshi

Jennifer & James Esposito

Lynn Foden

Tracy Fournier

Eleanor H. Gimon

Ian Glasner

Susan Gutchess

Gail Ewing Hall

John Hecklinger

Richard Hecklinger

Holly & John Hemphill

Jane & John Hepburn

Monica Martin Heriz

Laurie & David Hodgson

Florian Hotz

Mohit Joshi

Iris & Donald Kim

Seth Kirkham

Michael Kolotylo

Lia Larson

Joan Lombardi

Teresa Luchsinger

Jeffrey Maged

Susannah & Ben Marsh

Michel Massoud

Xavier Mayer

Debbie McGoldrick

Stacey H. Mitchell

Bobby Molavi

Kiran Moorthy

Paul Morrissey

Alain Nkontchou

Martha Okie & Anthony Fouracre

Peter Oppenheimer

Yera Patel

Margot Perot

Anjali Pichai

Richard Privorotsky

Sonal Priyanka

Darcy Pulitzer

Radovan Radman

James Reynolds

Adam Riches

Derek Robinson

Mary & Timothy Rooney

Anton Rupert

Lila & Andrew Rymer

Atul Saran

Gina Schaefer & Marc Friedman

Kunal Shah

Anne Spar

Brooke & Hap Stein

Kate & John Storey

Harriet & Chris Tuohy

Gabriel Van Wyk

Greg Wallig

Pamela Wasserstein

Sophie Watt

Jim Wetekamp

Caroline & Mark J. Wilson

Christopher Wolz

Diane & David Zezza

Corporations

Akin

Applovin Corporation

Benevity Community Impact Fund

Candex Solutions

Charlesbridge Publishing

Consello LLC

Datasite LLC

Eversheds Sutherland LLP

Genesis Global

Halo Lifestyle LLC

HSBC Bank Plc

Lemongrass Consulting

PayPal Giving Fund

PJT Partners

Squared Ventures

Tea Collection

White & Case

Foundations & Trusts

Anonymous (5)

Able Hospitality

Bainum Family Foundation

Fondation CHANEL

Circle of Service Foundation

Comic Relief USA

Co-Op Foundation

Dorothea Haus Ross Foundation

Focus Central America

GlobalGiving US

God My Silent Partner Foundation

Grapevine Giving Foundation

Issroff Family Foundation

Laudes Foundation

Lien Aid

Lloyds Bank Foundation

Luis von Ahn Foundation

National Lottery Community Fund

New Hampshire Charitable Foundation

Oak Foundation

People's Postcode Lottery

Porticus

RS Foundation

The Schooner Foundation

The Summit Foundation

Swedish Postcode Lottery Foundation

The Tides Foundation

Tinker Foundation

UBS Optimus Foundation

Vibrant Village Foundation

Ward Foundation

WE Trust

Youth Endowment Fund

Matching Gifts, Workplace Giving

Benevity Community Impact Fund

Charities Aid Foundation America

Global Impact

Network for Good

World Bank Community Connections Fund

Pro Bono Partners

Akin

Eversheds Sutherland LLP

Lex Mundi

Legacy Gifts

Maya Ajmera & David H. Hollander Jr.

Antonella Antonini & Alan Stein

Colleen Brinkmann

Warren L. Kessler

Iara Lee

John Presley

Adele Richardson Ray

Donor Spotlight

Nina Alexandersen

As an individual donor, I fully support a trust-based, participatory funding approach. It is the people on the ground with lived experience, who are most impacted, who are best placed to make decisions on spending. It is a great privilege to support GFC’s Spark Fund, involving courageous youth leaders and practitioners across Thailand and Southeast Asia.”

Funder Safeguarding Collaborative

We believe every funder plays a vital role in keeping people and communities safe.

Funder Safeguarding Collaborative is transforming the role of funders in safeguarding by driving action that creates safer organizational cultures and practices.

members as of June 30, 2024

Launched in 2021 with support from GFC, Funder Safeguarding Collaborative (FSC) addresses the urgent need for safeguarding in philanthropy. The collaborative welcomed 18 new members in the past year, bringing its membership to 85 philanthropic organizations that disburse a combined $8 billion annually in grants.

As the only philanthropic-support organization dedicated to safeguarding, FSC offers high-quality, specialized assistance tailored to the unique needs of its members. All income generated through its work is reinvested in the network, helping to transform grantmaking practices for the better.

FSC connects funders to a wealth of knowledge and expertise through webinars, working groups, tailored support, and peer spaces for members. Nearly a quarter of its members have also utilized individualized consulting services to strengthen safeguarding within their organizations.

training sessions across …

organizations

252

delegates engaged in a combined total of …

450

hours of training

500

hours of tailored technical support to FSC members

More than

of members benefited from direct technical support and guidance, in addition to general resources, updates, and information shared with all members

FSC in action

A new four-year strategy

In 2024, FSC launched a four-year strategy to transform how funders approach safeguarding. The strategy focuses on the role of funders in promoting and supporting safe organizational cultures and practices. Key strategic approaches include leveraging the knowledge of funders already making positive changes and guiding others still learning, and helping funders navigate the safeguarding journey, including addressing challenges and implementing solutions.

Face-to-face convenings

FSC peer learning circles offer a space for Safeguarding Leads in member organizations to share learnings and explore the practical challenges of championing keeping people safe. Over the last year, FSC convened nine peer learning circles – including its first in-person event for international members and an inaugural online session for US-based members. Each peer learning circle focused on developments and discussions relevant to participants’ local geographical context.

US landscape analysis

FSC carried out a landscape analysis on the state of safeguarding in the United States in early 2024. The analysis provides an overview of the current legal and regulatory framework, identifies key stakeholders, and explores FSC’s role in supporting and strengthening safeguarding efforts within the philanthropic ecosystem. The findings have informed discussions with US members and guide FSC’s collective efforts to improve safeguarding practices across the sector.

I have really enjoyed the services offered by FSC. As a person who was new to the safeguarding landscape, it was really great to have FSC as a resource and sounding board for us.”

– Marjory Mwangi, Grants & Compliance Manager, Segal Family Foundation

Funder Safeguarding Collaborative Members

Founding members

Comic Relief UK

Global Fund for Children

The National Lottery Community Fund

Oak Foundation

Porticus

Network members

Amplify Change

Association of Charitable Foundations

Battersea Cats & Dogs Home

BBC Children in Need

Big Change

Big Win Philanthropy

Blagrave Trust

British Science Association

Children's Investment Fund Foundation

Choose Love

Comic Relief UK

Comic Relief USA

Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland

Conservation Collective

Corra Foundation

Creative Scotland

Cumbria Community Foundation

Disability Rights Fund

DWF Law Foundation

Education Outcomes Fund

Elevate Children Funders Group

EMpower

End Violence Against Children

Epic Foundation

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

FADICA

Fondation Chanel

Foundation Scotland

Foyle Foundation

Freedom Fund

Fund for Global Human Rights

GHR Foundation

Girls First Fund

Global Dialogue

Global Fund for Children

Global Fund for Women

Gower Street

Guy’s & St Thomas’ Foundation

Halifax Foundation

The Henry Smith Charity

Howden Group

IDP Foundation

Ignite Philanthropy

Impetus

Just Beginnings Collaborative

KPMG Foundation

Laudes Foundation

LGBTI Youth Fund

The Leathersellers’ Foundation

LightEn

Lloyds Bank Foundation

Malala Fund

Masonic Charitable Foundation

Mastercard Foundation

Maudsley Charity

The National Lottery Community Fund

New Venture Fund / Arabella Advisors

Oak Foundation

Old Dart Foundation

Openwork Foundation

Ovo Foundation

Paul Hamlyn Foundation

Pears Foundation

People’s Health Trust

People’s Postcode Lottery

Phillips Foundation

Porticus

Premier League Foundation

Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts

Samworth Foundation

Segal Family Foundation

Sir John Fisher Foundation

Standard Chartered Foundation

Stewardship

Sweaty Betty Foundation

Swiss Philanthropy

Trust for London

Vibrant Village Foundation

Virgin Unite

Wellcome Trust

William Grant Foundation

Youth Futures Foundation

Youth Music

Steering Committee members

Angela Albornoz
Children’s Investment Fund Foundation

Stephen Birtwistle
Laudes Foundation

Emma Wokowu
Safeguarding Resource and Support Hub

Alice Gentile
Oak Foundation

Kathleen Flynn

Coline Rapneu
CHS Alliance

John Hecklinger
Global Fund for Children

Diederik Slot
Porticus

Deogratias Yiga
Impact and Innovations Development Centre

Funding members

Children’s Investment Fund Foundation

Global Fund for Children

Imaginable Futures

Laudes Foundation

Oak Foundation

Porticus

Our Financials

Consolidated Statement of Financial Position

as of June 30, 2024 and June 30, 2023

View Statement

	2024	2023
Assets
Cash	$ 13,272,412	$ 21,874,076
Receivables	$ 15,444,708	$ 13,344,990
Investments	$ 11,004,496	$ 2,403,227
Right-of-Use Asset (Net)	$ 1,086,659	$ 1,293,199
Other Assets	$ 1,034,179	$ 467,266
Total Assets	$ 41,842,454	$ 39,382,758
Liabilities and Net Assets
Liabilities
Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses	$ 461,195	$ 440,229
Notes Payable	$ 480,718	$ 493,676
Grants Payable	$ 249,497	$ 602,328
Other Liabilities	$ 1,516,443	$ 1,578,806
Total Liabilities	$ 2,707,853	$ 3,115,039
Net Assets
Net Assets without Donor Restrictions	$ 10,405,185	$ 12,274,580
Net Assets with Donor Restrictions	$ 28,729,416	$ 23,993,139
Total Net Assets	$ 39,134,601	$ 36,267,719
Total Liabilities and Net Assets	$ 41,842,454	$ 39,382,758

Assets

Receivables (36.9%)

Cash (31.7%)

Investments (26.3%)

Right-of-Use Asset (Net) (2.6%)

Other Assets (2.5%)

Liabilities

Other Liabilities (56.0%)

Notes Payable (17.8%)

Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses (17.0%)

Grants Payable (9.2%)

Net Assets

Net Assets with Donor Restrictions (73.4%)

Net Assets without Donor Restrictions (26.6%)

Statement of Activities

for the Year Ended June 30, 2024 and June 30, 2023

View Statement

	2024	2023
Revenue
Individuals and Family Foundations	$ 2,199,506	$ 1,871,342
Individuals and Family Foundations - Special Gift	-	$ 10,000,000
Corporations and Institutional Foundations	$ 17,824,599	$ 23,246,792
Investment Earnings	$ 978,444	$ 398,707
Foreign Exchange Gain (Loss)	$ 35,111	$ 762,742
Royalties and Other	$ 300,817	$ 95,851
Total Revenue	$ 21,338,477	$ 36,375,434
Expenses
Program Expenses
Grants	$ 8,850,332	$ 7,498,864
Capacity Building	$ 6,230,596	$ 4,441,929
Communications	$ 660,310	$ 560,353
Total Program Expenses	$ 15,741,238	$ 12,501,146
Management and General	$ 1,360,872	$ 883,531
Development	$ 1,369,485	$ 813,797
Total Expenses	$ 18,471,595	$ 14,198,474
Increase in Net Assets	$ 2,866,882	$ 22,176,960

Revenue

Corporations and Institutional Foundations (83.5%)

Individuals and Family Foundations (10.3%)

Investment Earnings (4.6%)

Royalties and Other (1.4%)

Foreign Exchange Gain (Loss) (0.2%)

Program Expenses

Grants (56.2%)

Capacity Building (39.6%)

Communications (4.2%)

Total Expenses

Program Expenses (85.2%)

Management and General (7.4%)

Development (7.4%)

Funder Safeguarding Collaborative Statement of Activities

For the Year Ended June 30, 2024 and June 30, 2023

View Statement

	2024	2023
Revenue
Institutions and Corporations	$ 175,824	$ 600,703
Membership	$ 69,259	$ 39,967
Consulting	$ 41,737	$ 42,701
In-Kind Gifts	-	4,219
Other Income	$ 6,522	-
Total Revenue	$ 293,343	$ 687,590
Expenses
Program Expenses
Capacity Building	$ 626,635	$ 402,627
Communications	$ 6,642	857
Total Program Expenses	$ 633,277	$ 403,484
Management and General (IDC Plus Exchange Rate Loss or Gain)	$ 68,007	$ 41,781
Development/Fundraising	$ 26,066	$ 14,179
Total Expenses	$ 727,350	$ 459,444
Change in Net Assets	($ 434,008)	228,146
Opening Balance in Net Assets	$ 839,012	$ 610,865
Closing Balance in Net Assets	$ 405,004	$ 839,012

Revenue

Institutional and Corporations (59.9%)

Membership (23.6%)

Consulting (14.2%)

Other Income (2.2%)

Program Expenses

Capacity Building (99.0%)

Communications (1.0%)

Total Expenses

Program Expenses (87.1%)

Management and General (9.3%)

Development/Fundraising (3.6%)

Our Leadership

Global Board of Directors

Swatee Deepak – Co-Chair
London, United Kingdom

Greg Wallig – Co-Chair
THEIA Analytics Group, Inc., Agentic Advisors, Safeguarding the Future
Washington, DC

Lila Rymer – Treasurer
Beazley
New York, NY

Chris Wolz* – Secretary
Forum One
Washington, DC

James M. Cain
Eversheds Sutherland
Washington, DC

Mete Coban, MBE*
My Life My Say
London, United Kingdom

Antoine de Guillenchmidt
Rothschild & Co
London, United Kingdom

Maulik Doshi
Steward Redqueen
Washington, DC

‍Jaclyn Foroughi*
Brazen Impact, LLC
Stanford Graduate School of Business
Palo Alto, CA

‍Ian Glasner
HSBC
London, United Kingdom

John Hecklinger
Global Fund for Children
Washington, DC

Nicole Kamaleson
Global Social Impact
St Thomas, US Virgin Islands

Joan Lombardi
Early Opportunities LLC
Washington, DC

Stacey H. Mitchell
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Washington, DC

Hayley Roffey
Global Fund for Children
London, United Kingdom

Milena Rusu
Feminismd
Global Fund for Children's Youth Leadership Council
Chisinau, Moldova

Marijana Savic
NGO Atina
Belgrade, Serbia

Mark Wilson
Goldman Sachs & Company
London, United Kingdom

* Term ended in May 2024

UK Trust Board of Trustees

Mark Wilson – Chair
Goldman Sachs & Company

Antoine de Guillenchmidt – Treasurer
Rothschild & Co

Marine Abiad
Goldman Sachs & Company

Michel Antakly
PJT Partners

Mandy DeFilippo*
Morgan Stanley

‍John Hecklinger
Global Fund for Children

Kiran Moorthy
Consello Group

Sonal Sachdev Patel
GMSP Foundation

Hayley Roffey
Global Fund for Children

Muna Wehbe
Strategic Advisor

* Term ended in March 2024

Partner Advisory Group

Hira Naz Awan
Program Director
Chanan Development Association
Pakistan

Bishnu Hari Bhatta
Director
Partnership for Sustainable Development
Nepal

Manish Chowdhury
Senior Programme Officer
Prayasam
India

Tatiana Costev-Cosuleanu
Executive Director
Institute for Rural Initiatives
Moldova

Irma González
Executive Director
Center for Integrated Care for Women
Mexico

Amanda Hall
Development & Partnerships Coordinator
Organization for Youth Empowerment
Honduras

Mustapha Keita
Program Manager
CASE SALONE
Sierra Leone

Sara Kekuš
Program Director
Center for Peace Studies
Croatia

Dheeraj Lepcha
Project Coordinator
Rural Aid
India

‍Aisha Memom
Founder
Baithak
Pakistan

Kolawole Olatosimi
National Coordinator & Senior Program Officer
Child & Youth Protection Foundation
Nigeria

Camelia Proca
Founder & Director
Asociația pentru Libertate și Egalitate de Gen
Romania

Vanessa Siliezar
Founder & Director
Unidad de Desarrollo Integral de la Mujer y la Familia
Honduras

Jesús Villalobos
General Director
Utopia
Mexico

Emmy Zoomlamai Okello
Founder & Executive Director
Foundation for Inclusive Community Help
Uganda

Conor Forker and Alisha Pomells are GFC Program Officers leading the Young Gamechangers Fund (YGF). Conor founded a youth club at the age of 21 and is currently developing policy recommendations for rural youth work, and Alisha has worked on two other youth-led funds and is passionate about youth empowerment and youth-led decision-making. With years of collective experience working with young people, they guide YGF’s Youth Steering Group, playing a key role in supporting the group’s members and fostering their leadership.

Although it is not always easy, they facilitate open and honest conversations with the group about balancing responsibility to YGF’s mission with personal commitments, offering support for learning and problem-solving, and creating a safe, encouraging space for growth. They also nurture leadership among the young members by encouraging participation in speaking engagements and stakeholder events. Additionally, Conor and Alisha share their expertise with grassroots partners through in-person visits, highlighting funding opportunities and organizing training on topics such as grantmaking, financial literacy, and safeguarding to help partners strengthen their skills and carry out their work effectively.

Youth Leadership Council

GFC’s Youth Leadership Council (YLC) – composed of young leaders from around the world who shape and inform GFC’s work – has continued to demonstrate the power of young voices through collective action.

The eight members of the YLC, who all joined in early 2023, spent the summer of 2023 delving more deeply into GFC’s work and developing their strategy. With this strong start, YLC members went on to make a real impact both globally and in their own communities.

Last year, members of the YLC:

joined the #ShiftThePower Summit in Bogotá, Colombia
helped design a plan to support LGBTQI+ youth in the Americas
contributed to the West Africa Adolescent Girls Summit, advocating for adolescent girls in the region
represented the YLC at GFC’s 30th anniversary gala, emphasizing the importance of investing in youth leadership
influenced and helped implement key GFC projects such as the Instagram Live series “Oni On-Air,” spotlighting important themes and topics in the sector to new audiences of young activists and influencers

In fiscal year 2024, GFC disbursed 15 professional development grants and ten wellbeing awards to YLC members to support their growth as leaders and sustain their mental health and resilience.

Members

Milena Rusu
Chair — Moldova

Nojus Saad
Vice Chair — Iraq

Adibeli Chidinma
Nigeria

Ayuba Huudu
Ghana

Stephani Paliza
Peru

Maria Veronica O. Papa
Phillipines

Paloma J. Paul
Chile

Rostyslav Semka
Ukraine

Global Ambassador Programme

GFC’s Global Ambassador program, launched in 2022, has continued to grow, with two new individuals joining in the spring of 2024.

The Global Ambassadors – people of influence from different parts of the world – are committed to amplifying GFC’s work globally and in their individual communities, connecting GFC and GFC partners to new audiences and helping GFC drive lasting change for children and young people.

GFC Global Ambassadors

Susan Chardy

Zuri Hall

Boris Kodjoe

Nataly Michel

Global Ambassador

In March 2024, Zambian-English model, actor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Susan Chardy joined GFC as a Global Ambassador to amplify GFC’s work in supporting local communities and helping them grow. Susan, who has worked with global brands such as Cosmopolitan, Rimmel London, Yves Rocher, L’Oréal, Pantene, and Bentley, served as an ambassador for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund for 16 years and is passionate about giving back. In 2008, Susan founded an events agency, and through her role as a creative events curator, she established “Wimby Wednesday,” an annual pre-Wimbledon fundraiser that introduces different causes to guests, which she leveraged to support GFC during our 30th anniversary gala.

Growing up in Zambia, I saw the importance of a community taking care of its own. Global Fund for Children powers its partners to take the lead in the work they do – these community leaders know their people, their needs, and their limitations better than anyone. I have seen firsthand the transformative value local communities can bring when equipped with the skills and tools needed to improve lives.”

Global Ambassador

Nataly Michel, an elite fencing champion who represented Mexico at the 2016 Olympic Games, joined GFC as a Global Ambassador in March 2024, with the aim of using her athletic background to encourage gender justice and youth power in the Americas. Considered one of the most important fencers in Mexican history, Nataly has been smashing gender stereotypes in the world of sports since she was a child. She hopes to use her story as a source of inspiration for grassroots partners and the children and young people they serve.

I would love to share my story; I was successful many times, but I also failed many times. I went through moments, good and bad, that helped me grow, and I understand that resilience, discipline, and self-love help you move forward – even when you have ‘failed.’ I look forward to working with children and young people to help influence the future of Mexico and the world.”

Our team and new developments

At GFC, our greatest asset is our people. Over the past year, we made concentrated investments in our staff, building a workforce of expertly skilled people, strategically situated and with the right tools to do their work. Simultaneously, we took action to ensure that our people feel valued and supported in GFC’s global work environment.

We cemented our commitment to a co-leadership structure. We carried forward this model – already implemented with our Board and with Co-Directors for each region – to the CEO level. The co-leadership model benefits GFC and our staff by boosting capacity to explore new projects and innovate, mitigating risks through shared decision-making, increasing opportunities for personal growth and development, creating more space for staff to step into leadership, and enhancing wellbeing through a shared load.

We conducted our first global team engagement survey in the first half of 2024. The areas that emerged as most important to GFC staff were efforts to promote work-life balance and wellbeing and to foster a more inclusive and equitable culture.

In response to staff feedback, we set up new forums focused on wellbeing and culture and on internal communications. We launched an anti-racism training initiative, increased top-level communications from the Co-CEOs, and introduced a periodic “ask us anything” meeting between the Co-CEOs and staff to encourage direct engagement and transparent feedback.

We audited all organizational policies and procedures, overhauling them to ensure alignment with best practices. These included safeguarding, anti-discrimination, health and safety, anti-corruption, data protection, and whistleblower policies. We also added a new SafeCall hotline service to provide a more robust anonymous incident reporting mechanism as part of our heightened investment in and focus on safeguarding.

We intentionally invest in our global, diverse, and talented team, which fosters our continuous learning culture – we believe that this approach serves our partners and ultimately drives enhanced results and maximises meaningful impact.”

– Jo Griffin, Human Resources Consultant at GFC

Our Global Reach

Explore the map and view our team’s global reach.

Between 2023 and 2024, the GFC team grew by 7%, reflecting an overall strategic rise in headcount and global footprint in response to the increasingly diverse needs of our current and future partners around the world. We are focused on creating more opportunities for globally situated candidates, with the majority of new employees hired outside the US and UK. We are committed to the vision that our people increasingly reflect and represent the regions and communities we serve around the world.

Contact Us

www.globalfundforchildren.org

Global Fund for Children

Washington, DC, United States

+1 202.331.9003

info@globalfundforchildren.org

Global Fund for Children UK Trust

London, United Kingdom

+44 2081 642428

uktrust@globalfundforchildren.org

www.globalfundforchildren.org

Funder Safeguarding Collaborative

London, United Kingdom

info@fundersafeguardingcollaborative.org

Welcome!

From the Co-CEOs

From the Chairs

Year in Review 2023‑2024

Here is a closer look at our grassroots partners that received both financial support and capacity mobilization assistance from GFC in the past year.

Capacity mobilization

Partner Spotlight

Friends of the Homeless

30 years of GFC and beyond

1990

1993

1994

1997

1999

2004

2006

2008

2011

2019

2020

2020

2021

2022

2022

2022

2023

2023

2024

2024

2024

1. Children have the right to a childhood

2. Young people are leaders, problem solvers, and investors

3. Flexible Funding is about Justice

Leadership Spotlight

Caroline Wilson

Looking forward: GFC’s next 30 years and beyond

Creating space for communities to drive systemic change

What is CLCP?

What is SALT?

Centering children and young people as leaders and changemakers

Leadership Spotlight

Maulik Doshi

Learning, influencing, and collectively creating change

Listening, learning, and growing together

Influencing the funding ecosystem

Collectively creating change

Our Focus Areas

Education

Strength of Girls Initiative

RECARGA

SEED

Gender Justice

Healthy Masculinities

Donor Spotlight

People’s Postcode Lottery

Educating and Empowering Girls in West Africa

Leadership Spotlight

Joyce Delight Efea Yinbil

Youth Power

The Young Gamechangers Fund

Donor Spotlight

The Co-op Foundation

Climate Resilience

Spark Fund: Youth-led climate action in Southeast Asia initiative

Safety and Wellbeing

Addressing the Root Causes of Exploitation in South Asia

Donor Spotlight

WE Trust

The Imperative Spark Fund

Solidarity in Emergencies

Our Award Winners

Mark McGoldrick Futures Fund and Award

The Freedom Story

Afghan Institute of Learning

Foundation for Inclusive Community Help

Fundación Niñas de Luz

Maya Ajmera Sustainability Award

Read to Learn Foundation

One Sky Foundation

Juliette Gimon Courage Award