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Community development NGOs and foundations: a curated guide

A curated guide to 81 development NGOs and 101 foundations and funders, with a focus on organisations whose core approach is community development.

Community development here means working primarily with and through communities: building local institutions, savings groups, community health workers or community-led planning, so that people drive their own development. Each profile summarises the organisation’s main focus in one or two sentences, based on its own public information.

This is a selection, not a ranking or an endorsement. Disclosure: I currently work with The Hunger Project. Last reviewed: October 2026. Missing an organisation that belongs here? Let me know.

Showing 81 of 81 organisations

NGOs

Implementing organisations. Marked Community development (40) when their core approach is working with and through communities.

  • Action Against Hunger

    France, global

    Focuses on preventing and treating malnutrition, together with water, sanitation, food security and health.

  • ActionAid

    South Africa, globalCommunity development

    Federation using a human-rights-based approach, working with communities and local organisations on women’s rights, climate justice and public services.

  • Aga Khan Foundation

    Switzerland, globalCommunity development

    Part of the Aga Khan Development Network; invests in rural development, early childhood development, education, health and civil society, building on its rural support programme model.

  • Amref Health Africa

    Kenya, AfricaCommunity development

    African-led health organisation that strengthens health systems and trains health workers, with a strong focus on community health.

  • Ashoka

    United States, global

    Global network that identifies and supports leading social entrepreneurs and promotes changemaking.

  • Barefoot College

    India, globalCommunity development

    Trains rural women, many without formal education, as solar engineers and community leaders, combining technical skills with social enterprise.

  • Both ENDS

    Netherlands, global

    Supports environmental and civil society organisations in the Global South working on land, water and climate justice.

  • BRAC

    Bangladesh, globalCommunity development

    One of the world’s largest development organisations, known for its ultra-poor graduation approach and programmes in microfinance, education, health and livelihoods.

  • Bread for the World

    Germany, global

    Development agency of the Protestant churches in Germany, supporting partner organisations on food security, health, education and human rights.

  • Camfed

    United Kingdom, AfricaCommunity development

    Supports girls’ education in rural sub-Saharan Africa, with an alumnae network of young women who give back as leaders and mentors in their communities.

  • CARE International

    Switzerland, globalCommunity development

    Focuses on women and girls in poverty and crisis; pioneered Village Savings and Loan Associations as a community-based savings model.

  • Caritas Australia

    Australia, globalCommunity development

    Catholic agency for international aid and development, working with local partners on community-led development, disaster response and advocacy.

  • Catholic Relief Services

    United States, globalCommunity development

    Humanitarian and development agency of the US Catholic community, working with local partners on agriculture, health, savings groups and emergency response.

  • CBM

    Germany, globalCommunity development

    Christian organisation working on disability-inclusive development, eye and ear health, and community-based inclusive development with persons with disabilities.

  • Christian Aid

    United Kingdom, global

    Works with local partners on poverty, inequality, climate justice and humanitarian response.

  • Coady Institute

    Canada, globalCommunity development

    Part of St. Francis Xavier University; known for asset-based and citizen-led community development, offering education and leadership programmes for community development practitioners worldwide.

  • Concern Worldwide

    Ireland, globalCommunity development

    Works with people in extreme poverty in fragile contexts on livelihoods, nutrition, health and education, including graduation programmes and emergency response.

  • Cordaid

    Netherlands, global

    Works in fragile and conflict-affected settings on health care, humanitarian assistance, food systems, justice and peace, and education, increasingly through local partners; includes the former ICCO since 2021.

  • Cuso International

    Canada, global

    Works on economic empowerment and gender equality, partly through skilled volunteers and local partners.

  • DanChurchAid

    Denmark, global

    Danish faith-based organisation working on humanitarian response, mine action, food security and active citizenship.

  • Educate!

    Uganda, East Africa

    Works with governments and schools in East Africa to equip young people with skills for employment and entrepreneurship.

  • Farm Africa

    United Kingdom, East AfricaCommunity development

    Works with farmers, pastoralists and communities in eastern Africa on sustainable agriculture, natural resource management and access to markets.

  • The Fred Hollows Foundation

    Australia, global

    Works to end avoidable blindness by training eye health workers, delivering surgery and strengthening eye health systems.

  • Fundación Paraguaya

    Paraguay, globalCommunity development

    Developed the Poverty Stoplight, a self-assessment tool that helps families define and tackle their own dimensions of poverty, alongside microfinance and self-sufficient schools.

  • GiveDirectly

    United States, global

    Delivers unconditional cash transfers directly to people living in poverty, mostly via mobile money.

  • Good Neighbors International

    South Korea, globalCommunity development

    Korean humanitarian and development organisation working through child-focused, community-based programmes in education, health and income generation.

  • Gram Vikas

    IndiaCommunity development

    Works with rural and tribal communities in Odisha and Jharkhand on water, sanitation, livelihoods and village self-governance.

  • Grameen Foundation

    United States, global

    Combines financial inclusion, digital tools and agriculture support to help women in poverty build resilient livelihoods.

  • Habitat for Humanity

    United States, global

    Works on decent, affordable housing through construction, home repair, housing finance and advocacy.

  • Heifer International

    United States, globalCommunity development

    Supports smallholder farmers and their communities through livestock, agriculture and market linkages, with the aim of reaching a sustainable living income.

  • Helvetas

    Switzerland, global

    Works on water and climate, food systems, skills and jobs, and governance in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe.

  • Hivos

    Netherlands, global

    Works with civil society on civic space, gender equality and climate justice.

  • Humanity & Inclusion

    France, global

    Works with persons with disabilities and vulnerable populations in situations of poverty, conflict and disaster, including rehabilitation and inclusion.

  • The Hunger Project

    United States, globalCommunity development

    Works to end hunger through community-led, women-centred development, mobilising villages in Africa, South Asia and Latin America to drive their own progress, including through its epicentre strategy in Africa.

  • International Rescue Committee

    United States, global

    Humanitarian organisation supporting people affected by conflict and disaster with health, safety, education and economic recovery.

  • JOICFP

    Japan, globalCommunity development

    Japanese NGO working on sexual and reproductive health and rights, often through community health volunteers and local partners.

  • Landesa

    United States, global

    Works to secure land rights for rural people, especially women, through law, policy and practice.

  • Last Mile Health

    Liberia, AfricaCommunity development

    Partners with governments to build national community health worker programmes that bring care to remote communities.

  • Living Goods

    Kenya and UgandaCommunity development

    Supports digitally enabled community health workers who deliver care for mothers and children at the doorstep.

  • Lwala Community Alliance

    KenyaCommunity development

    Community-led health organisation in western Kenya that supports community health workers and local health systems to improve maternal and child health.

  • Mama Cash

    Netherlands, global

    International women’s fund that resources feminist, women’s, girls’ and trans movements.

  • MEDA

    Canada, global

    Mennonite Economic Development Associates; works on inclusive market development, helping women, youth and small businesses grow sustainable livelihoods.

  • Mercy Corps

    United States, global

    Works in fragile settings on resilience, market systems, food security and peacebuilding.

  • Misereor

    Germany, global

    Catholic development agency supporting partner organisations in Africa, Asia and Latin America on poverty, justice and ecology.

  • MYRADA

    IndiaCommunity development

    Pioneer of the self-help group movement in India, supporting rural communities in building institutions for credit, natural resource management and local governance.

  • One Acre Fund

    Kenya, AfricaCommunity development

    Provides smallholder farmers with financing, quality farm inputs and training, delivered close to home, to increase harvests and incomes.

  • Opportunity International

    United States, global

    Provides financial services and training to people living in poverty, including microfinance for women, farmers and low-cost schools.

  • Oxfam

    Kenya, global

    Confederation working on inequality, humanitarian response, climate justice and women’s rights through programmes, campaigning and research; includes Oxfam Novib in the Netherlands.

  • Oxfam Canada

    Canada, global

    Canadian affiliate of the Oxfam confederation, with a strong focus on women’s rights and feminist development.

  • Partners In Health

    United States, global

    Provides high-quality health care in poor communities and strengthens public health systems, working closely with community health workers.

  • Peace Winds Japan

    Japan, global

    Humanitarian and development organisation providing emergency relief and recovery support in disaster and conflict settings.

  • Plan International

    United Kingdom, global

    Child rights organisation with a focus on equality for girls, working on education, protection, health and economic empowerment.

  • Practical Action

    United Kingdom, global

    Uses technology and knowledge to help communities improve agriculture, access clean energy, manage waste and reduce disaster risk.

  • PRADAN

    IndiaCommunity development

    Works with women’s self-help groups in poor rural areas of central and eastern India on livelihoods, agriculture and collective action.

  • Pratham

    IndiaCommunity development

    Education organisation known for Teaching at the Right Level and the ASER learning assessments, mobilising communities and volunteers to improve basic learning.

  • Ripple Effect

    United Kingdom, AfricaCommunity development

    Formerly Send a Cow; trains smallholder farming families and groups in sustainable agriculture, enterprise and gender equality.

  • Room to Read

    United States, global

    Focuses on children’s literacy and girls’ education in Asia and Africa.

  • Root Capital

    United States, global

    Provides loans and financial training to agricultural businesses that connect smallholder farmers to markets.

  • Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN)

    PakistanCommunity development

    Network of rural support programmes that organise rural households into community institutions for livelihoods, services and local development.

  • Save the Children

    United Kingdom, global

    Works on children’s health, education and protection, in development and humanitarian settings.

  • Self Help Africa

    Ireland and UK, AfricaCommunity development

    Supports rural communities with agriculture, nutrition and enterprise development, as well as water and sanitation; merged with United Purpose in 2021.

  • SEWA

    IndiaCommunity development

    Trade union and movement of women in the informal economy, organising for full employment, social security and self-reliance.

  • Shapla Neer

    Japan, South AsiaCommunity development

    Japanese NGO working with rural communities and children in Bangladesh and Nepal, with a long history of community-based development.

  • Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO)

    KenyaCommunity development

    Grassroots movement in Nairobi’s urban informal settlements, combining services in health, water, education and girls’ empowerment with community advocacy.

  • Simavi

    Netherlands, Africa and Asia

    Works on women’s and girls’ health and rights, including sexual and reproductive health and water and sanitation.

  • Slum Dwellers International (SDI)

    South Africa, globalCommunity development

    Network of community-based organisations of the urban poor that use savings groups, settlement profiling and partnerships with governments to upgrade informal settlements.

  • SNV

    Netherlands, global

    Development organisation working on agri-food, energy and water systems, with a strong presence in Africa and Asia.

  • Solidaridad

    Netherlands, global

    Works with farmers, workers and companies on sustainable and fair supply chains in sectors such as cocoa, coffee, cotton and palm oil.

  • Tearfund

    United Kingdom, globalCommunity development

    Christian organisation working through local churches, known for its Church and Community Transformation approach that mobilises communities to lead their own development.

  • TECHO

    Latin AmericaCommunity development

    Youth-led organisation working with communities in informal settlements across Latin America on housing, community organising and access to rights.

  • Tostan

    Senegal, West AfricaCommunity development

    Runs a human-rights-based Community Empowerment Program of non-formal education that helps communities lead change in health, governance and social norms, including the abandonment of female genital cutting.

  • Trickle Up

    United States, IndiaCommunity development

    Uses a graduation approach to help women and families in extreme poverty build livelihoods, savings and confidence.

  • Village Enterprise

    East AfricaCommunity development

    Helps people in extreme poverty in rural East Africa start small businesses and savings groups through a time-bound graduation programme.

  • VSO

    United Kingdom, global

    Works through volunteers, including national and community volunteers, on health, education and livelihoods.

  • Water.org

    United States, global

    Expands access to safe water and sanitation through small, affordable loans delivered via local financial institutions.

  • WaterAid

    United Kingdom, global

    Works to make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone, through service delivery, system strengthening and advocacy.

  • Welthungerhilfe

    Germany, global

    Works on food and nutrition security, sustainable agriculture, water and sanitation, and humanitarian assistance.

  • Wilde Ganzen

    Netherlands, globalCommunity development

    Supports small-scale community initiatives worldwide through matched fundraising and its Change the Game Academy, which strengthens local fundraising and advocacy.

  • Woord en Daad

    Netherlands, global

    Christian organisation working on education, vocational training and employment for young people in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

  • World Vision

    United Kingdom, globalCommunity development

    Child-focused Christian organisation working through long-term, community-based programmes in health, education, livelihoods and child protection, alongside humanitarian response.

  • ZOA

    Netherlands, global

    Christian relief and recovery organisation supporting people affected by conflict and disaster to rebuild their lives.