Annual Report
The social justice movement that mobilized during the COVID-19 pandemic made it clear that structural inequity worldwide must end. World Connect has long backed the transformational ideas and energy of grassroots leaders of the Global South. Our worldwide trust network sources talented social entrepreneurs and our tools enable quick and direct delivery of vital resources that bring sustained health, education, and economic impact. The time has come to lean into local expertise for development progress. World Connect’s success year after year, and especially in 2020, demonstrates the power of locally-led development.
“World Connect is a catalytic social investor that truly shifts power, placing proximate leaders in the driver’s seat of conceptualizing and launching their own initiatives on their own terms.”
- Ndidi Nwuneli, Founder, LEAP Africa
letter From Leadership
World Connect Executive Director Pamela Nathenson, Kallpa Warmi Founder Marisol Peñaloza, and World Connect Board Chairman George Biddle in Sayausí, Ecuador. Marisol launched an indigenous women's cooperative that has increased income for its members and launched Marisol's political career.
Dear Friend of World Connect,
In 2020, the world experienced a double crisis – the global pandemic of COVID-19 and the commensurate economic fallout, which slowed progress in reducing extreme poverty in the Global South. Despite the many challenges that World Connect also faced because of the pandemic, our work did not stop or slow. At the onset of COVID-19, we reached out to our partners across the globe who were in the midst of implementing projects, inviting them to pivot their funding to COVID response and relief efforts. We also invited partners to design rapid community preparedness efforts, which we then funded quickly. Within three months, World Connect catalyzed 31 locally-led efforts across 11 countries aimed at providing COVID-19 education, personal protective equipment, and urgent food relief. Our partners built 320 hand-washing stations, made 9,379 masks, distributed 2,280 bottles of hand sanitizer and 3,012 food relief packages, and disseminated accurate COVID health information to 123,161 people.
In addition to funding 31 COVID-19 projects, we launched our usual slate of locally-led development projects. World Connect mobilizes funding and a supportive network for those working at the grassroots to make life in their communities better in the ways they wish. Of the 142 total projects funded in 2020, 64% were led by first time grantees and early indicators are showing high rates of success, consistent with our past global trends. And while the world stood still during the first lockdown, our team in Malawi was able to support the first external evaluation of our work. We amassed more evidence that our approach to finding, funding and supporting grassroots leaders to successfully create change in their communities on their terms, brings communities together, deepens agency and accountability, and builds confidence in leadership. World Connect projects are proving grounds for the local capacity we know exists.
World Connect is grateful to our generous donor community who supported us through the turbulence of 2020. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Board Chairman
Executive Director
Board of Directors: George Biddle, Chairman, James Hunt, Treasurer, Stephanie Cabot, Secretary, John Adams, Christoph Becker, Clara Bingham, Courtenay Cabot Venton, Tamala Chirwa, John Coumantaros, Glen Davis, Bill Haney, Chairman Emeritus, Julia Haney, Robert Hecht, Rehmah Kasule, Avinash Kaza, Diane Lifton, Carolyn Makinson, Morag Neill-Johnson, JJ Ramberg, Sean Reilly, Jack Sullivan, Ayanna Wayner
By The Numbers
142 projects Funded With $534,280 across 20 countries
145,835 people impacted
63% of projects funded in 2020 were led by women.
50% of projects funded in 2020 were led by youth.
64% of project leaders received grant funding for the first time ever.
Global Results
Better pre- and postnatal and delivery equipment and services for 247,512 women and babies.
69,604 people with new jobs, seed capital, and business training
40,005 young people with new classrooms, libraries, computers, and trained teachers
285,876 people with improved water and toilet infrastructure
34,075 people with more livestock, improved agriculture tools, and farming training
187,935 women and girls impacted
14,928 people saw new trees planted, clean energy transitions, solar installation, waste management improvements, and hydroelectric power creation
Scroll to learn about a few 2019 projects...
Project Highlights
Indigenous Culture
Trash to Fashion
Fish Farm
Women-led Bakery
Helping Mums
Fighting HIV on the Playground
Our Investors
Financials
2020FinancialStatements(as of Dec. 31)
- Program Services
- Fundraising
- Management and General
Assets
| Cash | $586,665 |
| Contributions Receivable | $252,358 |
| Government Grant Receivable | $0 |
| Prepaid Expenses | $82,955 |
| Other Assets: Website and Logo | $165,519 |
| Total Assets | $1,087,497 |
Liabilities
| Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses | $82,058 |
| Loans Payable | $108,205 |
| Total Liabilities | $190,263 |
Net Assets
| Without Donor Restrictions | $789,219 |
| With Donor Restrictions | $108,015 |
| Total Net Assets | $897,234 |
| Total Liabilities and Net Assets | $1,087,497 |
Support and Revenue
| Contributions and Grants | $1,340,697 |
| Government Grants | $489,961 |
| Special Event Revenues | $454,947 |
| Donated/In Kind Services | $202,500 |
| Other Revenue | $16,366 |
| Total Support and Revenue | $2,049,524 |
Expenses
| Program Expenses | $1,575,995 |
| Supporting Expenses | |
| Management and General | $175,521 |
| Fundraising and Development | $167,764 |
| Total Expenses | $1,919,280 |
| Change in Net Assets | $130,244 |