Global Citizen
Global Citizen is a New York-based nonprofit anti-poverty organization that mobilizes individual advocates through digital campaigns, annual summits, and high-profile music events featuring celebrity ambassadors to drive policy and funding commitments on education, energy, and global health.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Global Citizen does
Global Citizen is an international anti-poverty advocacy organization founded in 2008 and headquartered in New York, operating as a community-driven movement to end extreme poverty. The organization mobilizes individual citizens through digital campaigns, petitions, and live events; partners with government, multilateral, and corporate leaders to secure policy and funding commitments; and convenes high-profile entertainment spectacles to amplify its message. Its focus areas include education, food security, renewable energy, and global health, with flagship convenings including the annual Global Citizen NOW summit and the Global Citizen Live concert series. Its co-founder Hugh Evans serves as CEO alongside co-founders Simon Moss (Chief Product & Experiences Officer), Ryan Gall, and Michael Sheldrick (Chief Policy, Impact and Government Relations Officer), with Liza Henshaw as President.
Global Citizen's product surface spans a digital advocacy platform and mobile application for taking action and earning rewards, plus a portfolio of branded event programs (Global Citizen NOW summits, Global Citizen Live concerts) and the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund charitable initiative. The underlying technology is described by the organization as not applicable to a proprietary AI/ML stack; the value is generated through brand equity, community mobilization, and access to celebrity talent and broadcast distribution rather than software differentiation. Distribution leverage is exceptional: the FIFA World Cup Final halftime show partnership projects reach of approximately 6 billion viewers, the largest single-event platform the organization has ever curated, supporting the $100 million FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. The first cycle of Education Fund grants attracted 3,500+ applications globally and selected 27 grantees; a second cycle was opened in May 2026 with grants of $50,000-$250,000.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with 51-100 employees, Global Citizen's revenue mechanics rely on individual donations, foundation and corporate grants, and strategic partnerships. Documented institutional contributions include $9 million from MetLife Foundation plus commitments from Bank of America, the European Commission, Gavi, and Sony Music Latin, which matched the first $250,000 raised for the Education Fund. The FIFA arrangement includes a $1-per-ticket contribution flowing into the Education Fund; ticketed Global Citizen Live concerts (via platforms such as eplus and LAWSON TICKET in Japan) form a secondary revenue layer. The organization operates across North America, Oceania, East Asia, and Africa, with an annual impact footprint that includes dozens of policy commitments and billions in pledged development funding.
Global Citizen firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Global Citizen
- Legal name
- Global Citizen
- Website
- https://globalcitizen.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Global Citizen is a New York-based nonprofit anti-poverty organization that mobilizes individual advocates through digital campaigns, annual summits, and high-profile music events featuring celebrity ambassadors to drive policy and funding commitments on education, energy, and global health.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Global Citizen industry classification
Industry- Product category
- International Advocacy and Humanitarian Campaigns
- NAICS
- Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), International Affairs (9721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- International & Local Implementing NGOs (HLAJAKAD)
Keywords
Where Global Citizen is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Global Citizen business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations and Membership: Individual supporters donate to Global Citizen to support the organization's advocacy work, campaigns, and operational costs.
- Foundation and Corporate Grants: Major institutional donors including MetLife Foundation ($9 million) and Bank of America provide grant funding to support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund and operational programs.
- FIFA World Cup Partnership: Partnership with FIFA to produce halftime shows and entertainment events. The FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund aims to raise $100 million with $1 from every tournament ticket donated.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Global Citizen product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Global Citizen is an international advocacy nonprofit that mobilizes individuals through digital campaigns, petitions, and high-profile live events to drive governmental and corporate action against extreme poverty. The organization converts public engagement into measurable policy commitments and funds programmatic initiatives in education and global development. Revenue is generated through charitable donations, institutional grants, corporate sponsorships, and branded merchandise.
Product overview
Global Citizen is an anti-poverty movement and advocacy organization operating a digital platform comprising a mobile app for taking action on global issues, the Global Citizen NOW annual convening summit, the Global Citizen Live music event series, and the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund partnership. The organization mobilizes citizens to take action on issues including education, food security, energy, and global health through campaigns, events, and charitable initiatives.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Global Citizen Education Fund: FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund supporting children's education and football access worldwide with $100 million fundraising goal
- Global Citizen NOW
- Global Citizen Live
Products and services
- Global Citizen Mobile App The Global Citizen mobile app is the primary engagement platform allowing individuals worldwide to take advocacy actions such as signing petitions, contacting leaders, and donating, in exchange for rewards and access to live experiences. It is designed for individual civic-minded supporters and donors.
- Global Citizen NOW Summit Global Citizen NOW is the organization's recurring summit series bringing together world leaders, philanthropists, and advocates to drive policy and funding commitments against extreme poverty. It is targeted at policymakers, donors, and high-profile institutional partners.
- Global Citizen Live Concert Series Global Citizen Live is a global multi-city concert series featuring major musical artists, designed to amplify advocacy campaigns and recruit millions of new supporters to take action on extreme poverty. It is aimed at mass audiences of individual supporters and corporate sponsors.
- FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund The FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund is a programmatic initiative co-led with FIFA that channels resources into expanding access to education for children, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. It targets beneficiaries in education-insecure regions along with institutional and corporate funders.
- Global Citizen Campaigns Platform The Global Citizen Campaigns Platform hosts the organization's online petitions and action campaigns that target governments, multilateral institutions, and corporations to make commitments on extreme poverty. It is designed for individual supporters to apply pressure through coordinated public action.
- Global Citizen Shop The Global Citizen Shop is the organization's online merchandise storefront offering branded apparel and accessories, with proceeds supporting the organization's advocacy programs. It is targeted at existing and prospective individual supporters.
Quantifiable outcome
- 26.8 gigawatts of renewable energy pledged at Global Citizen NOW: Johannesburg, enough to power over 17.5 million homes
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Global Citizen
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Global Citizen technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Global Citizen partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor, flagship and core.
- Western Australian Government / Business Events PerthminorWestern Australian government backed Business Events Perth with $10 million to attract Global Citizen NOW as part of COP31 lead-up events, focusing on energy transition and industrial decarbonisation.
- FIFAflagshipFIFA partnered with Global Citizen to produce the first-ever World Cup final halftime show and establish the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. The partnership aims to raise $100 million for children's education and football access, with $1 from every tournament ticket donated to the fund. Global Citizen curates and produces the entertainment programming.
- Sony Music LatincoreSony Music Latin released Shakira's 'Dai Dai' official World Cup song and pledged to match the first $250,000 raised for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.
- Coldplay (Chris Martin)flagshipColdplay frontman Chris Martin serves as curator for the FIFA World Cup final halftime show, selecting artists and overseeing creative direction for the Super Bowl-style production.
- European CommissionflagshipCo-organized Global Citizen NOW: Johannesburg summit with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, confirming €15.1 billion investment in African renewable energy.
- Private Energy Companies (CrossBoundary Energy, Genesis Energy Group, Pele Energy Group, Sun King)corePrivate sector commitments from energy companies supporting the Scaling Up Renewables in Africa campaign, contributing to 26.8 gigawatts of renewable energy pledges.
- Gavi, the Vaccine AlliancecoreGlobal Citizen supported Gavi's 6.0 replenishment summit in Brussels, which secured over $9 billion in commitments from 55 countries and donors to immunize 500 million children across 57 countries.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Global Citizen competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ONE Campaign: ONE Campaign is the closest direct peer to Global Citizen — an international advocacy and campaigning organization focused on ending extreme poverty, with similar celebrity engagement, policy advocacy, and donor-driven funding model. Both organizations target the same global health and development issues and compete for the same pool of major institutional donors.
- Product (RED): Product (RED) is a direct peer that uses corporate partnerships and consumer product tie-ins to fund global health initiatives (originally the Global Fund). Like Global Citizen, (RED) leverages entertainment and brand partnerships to drive funding for international development causes, particularly HIV/AIDS.
- Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance: Gavi is both a partner and a functional peer — both organizations drive billions in funding commitments for global health (Gavi secured $9B+ with Global Citizen's support). Gavi operates a more institutionalized model of pooled donor funding for immunization, which Global Citizen's education fund partially mirrors.
- charity: water: charity: water is a direct peer in the advocacy-and-fundraising model — using storytelling, digital campaigns, and high-profile supporters to drive individual donations for clean water access. Both organizations are known for innovative digital engagement and premium brand experiences.
- Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria: The Global Fund is a direct peer as a major pooled-funding mechanism for global health that secures multi-billion dollar replenishments from governments and donors. It is structurally similar to what Global Citizen's education fund aspires to be at smaller scale.
Broad incumbents
- UNICEF USA: UNICEF is a broad incumbent in the international children's welfare and global health space. Global Citizen's FIFA Education Fund directly competes with UNICEF for child welfare and education funding, and UNICEF operates at significantly greater scale as a UN agency with established donor relationships.
- United Nations Foundation: The UN Foundation connects corporate, foundation, and individual donors to UN causes. It serves a similar convening function to Global Citizen and operates major campaigns on global health, climate, and development, though with a more institutional/government-adjacent posture.
- Oxfam International: Oxfam is a broad incumbent in the international development and anti-poverty space, with a focus on inequality, food security, and humanitarian response. Oxfam operates field programs globally and competes for similar grant funding and individual donor support as Global Citizen.
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: The Gates Foundation is a broad incumbent and a major funder in the same global health, education, and development spaces. While it operates as a foundation rather than an advocacy organization, it competes with Global Citizen for policy influence and as a partner of choice for governments making large development commitments.
Emerging players
- Comic Relief: Comic Relief is an emerging/regional peer using entertainment-driven campaigns (Red Nose Day) to raise funds for poverty and social justice. It shares Global Citizen's mass-media engagement model but operates primarily in the UK rather than globally.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Global Citizen social profiles
Digital presenceGlobal Citizen financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Global Citizen leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Global Citizen funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Global Citizen M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Global Citizen
What does Global Citizen do?
Global Citizen is an international advocacy nonprofit that mobilizes individuals through digital campaigns, petitions, and high-profile live events to drive governmental and corporate action against extreme poverty. The organization converts public engagement into measurable policy commitments and funds programmatic initiatives in education and global development. Revenue is generated through charitable donations, institutional grants, corporate sponsorships, and branded merchandise.
Is Global Citizen a public or private company?
Global Citizen is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Global Citizen founded?
Global Citizen was founded in 2008. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Global Citizen based?
Global Citizen is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Global Citizen make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations and Membership is the primary driver. The others are foundation and Corporate Grants and FIFA World Cup Partnership.
Who are Global Citizen's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ONE Campaign, Product (RED), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, charity: water and Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Broad incumbents are UNICEF USA, United Nations Foundation, Oxfam International and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Comic Relief is listed as an emerging player.
Does Global Citizen have an API?
No public API is recorded for Global Citizen.
What industry is Global Citizen in?
Global Citizen's product category is International Advocacy and Humanitarian Campaigns. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAJAKAD, International & Local Implementing NGOs. Its NAICS code is 8133 and its SIC code is 8600.