Funding our work: institutional donors

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 more than 200 organisations at local, national and global levels.

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, 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 sustain progress against their international development commitments.

In 2022/23, Tearfund spent £90 million on charitable activities, of which £25.8 million was funded by institutional donors.

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. Some 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.

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 fitted remote sensors to solar-powered water pumps in South Sudan. This meant that the pumps can be monitored remotely. The sensors provide early warnings of pump problems, allowing for timely repairs. They also improve 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 serve their communities in the long term.

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.

Where we work

Tearfund works in more than 50 countries. Our institutional partners have funded work across the globe, including in:

Bangladesh, Burundi, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Iraq, Lebanon, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda and South Sudan.

Thank you

Our institutional donors make a huge difference to the lives of people living in poverty around the world. We want to thank them.