Global Fund for Children

What Global Fund for Children does

Global Fund for Children (GFC) gives grants to small, community-based organizations that work with children and young people facing adversity around the world. Founder Maya Ajmera was inspired by a local group in Bhubaneswar, India, that taught children living on train platforms. She started GFC in 1993, believing that small amounts of money given to creative grassroots groups could make a lasting difference. That train-platform school became GFC's first partner in 1997.

GFC looks for young organizations that bigger funders often haven't reached yet. In fiscal 2022–23 it granted more than $7.4 million to 293 partners in 40 countries. That year, 79% of its new partners had annual budgets under $50,000, and for 83% of all partners GFC was their first flexible funding. Many partners are led by young people (39%) or women (51%). Besides grants, GFC runs workshops and brings partners together to share what works; it held 131 workshops that year. Since its founding it reports investing more than $63 million in over 1,000 grassroots organizations, and its partners have spanned more than 90 countries.

GFC is based in Washington, DC, with a UK trust for British donors. It holds a Four-Star rating from Charity Navigator.

Key facts

• Granted $7.4M+ to 293 grassroots organizations in 40 countries in FY2022–23 (Annual Report 2022–23)
• For 83% of partners, GFC was their first flexible funding (Annual Report 2022–23)
• 79% of new partners in 2022–23 had annual budgets under $50,000 (Annual Report 2022–23)
• Over $63M invested in more than 1,000 grassroots organizations since its founding (Annual Report 2022–23)

Before you give

• Accepts monthly gifts, checks, wire transfers, stock and cryptocurrency (through The Giving Block), donor-advised fund grants and bequests (donate page).
• UK donors can give through GFC UK Trust (charity no. 1119544). Donors elsewhere in Europe can use Transnational Giving Europe through Fondation de France (donate page).