A woman smiling at the camera with people in the background

Funding our work: institutional donors

Our institutional partners play a vital role in empowering communities to lift themselves out of poverty for good.

Working together to end extreme poverty

At Tearfund, we are passionate about empowering as many people as possible to lift themselves out of poverty.

We welcome the opportunity to work with NGOs, government partners, trusts, foundations, multilateral organisations, universities and think tanks – these partnerships help us to learn from others and do more, better.

Tearfund works in more than 50 countries around the world. To date, we have partnered with over 200 organisations at local, national and global levels.

Our impact in 2021/22

Slide 1 of 3: 1.6 million people were assisted through our disaster response programmes

Slide 2 of 3: 1.3 million people were supported through community development activities

Slide 3 of 3: 268 new peacebuilding champions were trained in 5 conflict-affected countries

1.6 million people were assisted through our disaster response programmes
1.3 million people were supported through community development activities
268 new peacebuilding champions were trained in 5 conflict-affected countries

The difference institutional donors make

Our institutional donors are truly our partners and play a vital part in Tearfund’s work around the world. They enable us to reach more people, they encourage us to innovate, connect us with other organisations, and allow us to provide both short and long-term support to vulnerable communities. In return, we support our institutional partners to make progress with their strategic aims and targets.

In 2021/22, Tearfund spent £76.9 million on charitable activities. £23.9 million of this was funded by institutional donors.

A woman is stood smiling and talking to a small group of girls

A Tearfund staff member talks with teenage girls who participated in Tearfund's community-based well-being groups in Iraq. In 2019-2020, with funding from the US Government, Tearfund provided group psychosocial support services to more than 1,000 people affected by conflict and trauma. Credit: Ruth Towell/Tearfund

A participant in a business skills training programme in Rwanda, funded by the Scottish Government, shared her experience with us:

‘My perspective towards life has totally changed. In the past I would wake up wondering whether I will get work for a daily wage for my family to survive on. Today, I plan how I will make more money from what I sell or what else can I add that is required on the market to increase my income. Thank you all for your support that has given my life a purpose for a better tomorrow. You have put a smile on my face.’

Help transform more lives

Thanks to a $10 million USAID grant, 540,000 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo were trained in hygiene best practice, 405,000 people gained access to clean drinking water, and 425,000 people benefited from improved sanitation facilities. 10,000 households were supported with seeds and agricultural tools which provided food for 76,000 people. Improving the water and sanitation provision for communities, and improving access to food improves health and reduces mortality, especially among children.

Make money raised from our supporters go further

Match funding doubles the money raised by our supporters. In the Central African Republic, a UK Aid Match grant of £5 million helped 10,000 women learn to read and write and to receive training and support to set up their own businesses.

A woman stood in front of a class of students sat at desks

Women learn to read, write and sew in a programme run by Tearfund’s local partner in the Central African Republic. The project is partly funded by UK Aid Match Funding. Credit: Hazel Thompson/Tearfund

Encourage innovation

Grants often fund the development and implementation of new areas of work. Innovative ideas ensure that we continue to serve people in the best ways possible – making use of new technologies and approaches.

For example, we have recently fitted remote sensors to solar-powered water pumps in South Sudan. This has enabled the pumps to be monitored remotely and the sensors provide early warnings of pump problems, allowing for timely repairs and improving the reliability of water supply for the communities.

Build the capacity of our local partners

Implementing institutionally-funded projects provides our local partners with experience in managing a wide range of funding. This helps local organisations and churches to serve their communities in the long-term.

A boy washing his hands at a water tank, turns and smiles at the camera

A boy washes his hands in a camp for displaced people in Ituri, Democratic Republic of Congo. Credit: Arlette Bashizi/Tearfund

Why our donors trust us

Tearfund is accredited against the Core Humanitarian Standard and we strive to deliver the very best programmes and services.

We are a member of the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI), which seeks to improve aid effectiveness and efficiency. We are also members of the Disaster Emergencies Committee, the START network and the BOND network. We work with the Charter for Change and the Joint Learning Initiative.