Finn Church Aid

What Finn Church Aid does

Finn Church Aid (legal name Kirkon Ulkomaanapu sr) is a Finnish nonprofit foundation founded in 1947, headquartered in Helsinki, and operating as Finland's largest development cooperation organization. It delivers humanitarian assistance, development cooperation, and advocacy in 12 countries across East Africa, the Middle East, Central Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, anchored on three programmatic themes: the right to quality education, the right to peace, and the right to livelihood. Its largest current programs include the Multi-Year Resilience Programme (MYRP) in Ukraine, a regional Syria/Jordan operation, and long-standing country offices in South Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, Uganda, Jordan, Nepal, Myanmar, the Central African Republic, and the West Bank/Jerusalem.

The organization employs 3,000+ staff globally, of which 95% are locally hired experts in the countries of operation, with a small headquarters function in Helsinki managing fundraising, advocacy, and program oversight. Core delivery is built around school rehabilitation, bomb-shelter and civil-defense-shelter retrofitting, digital learning center construction, psychosocial support training for teachers, vocational training, and livelihood support. FCA does not sell technology products; its technical footprint consists of program delivery infrastructure (64 digital learning centers, 19,000+ devices distributed in Ukraine) and digital fundraising platforms (online donations, MobilePay, SMS giving, the Toisenlainen Lahja intangible gift product, and the Tekoja donor magazine).

FCA's revenue model is a hybrid of three streams: institutional grants from the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, EU Humanitarian Aid (ECHO), and other government donors; private donations from individual Finns (monthly, one-time, corporate, testamentary, stock gifts); and the annual Yhteisvastuukeräys church-based Joint Responsibility Collection, of which 60% is allocated to FCA's international programs. Total expenditure in 2022 was €67.9M, with 91.5% directed to aid work. The organization holds the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) certification (the first Finnish NGO to do so) and operates within the ACT Alliance ecumenical network.

Name

Finn Church Aid

Legal name

Kirkon Ulkomaanapu sr

Website

https://kirkonulkomaanapu.fi

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Finn Church Aid is Finland's largest development cooperation nonprofit, founded in 1947, operating humanitarian and development programs across 12 countries focused on education, peace, and livelihood for vulnerable populations in fragile states, funded by institutional grants and Finnish donors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Humanitarian Aid and Development Cooperation

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Educational Support Services (611710), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

NGO/Nonprofit Education Programs & Service Delivery (EDADALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refugee, Crisis & Humanitarian Education Partnerships (EiE) (EDADALAG), Refugee, Migration & Displacement Support (BPAGABAH), K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB), Education Systems & Skills Technical Assistance (BPADAEAI)

Keywords

• Humanitarian assistance
• Development cooperation
• Education in emergencies
• Livelihood support
• Peacebuilding programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Helsinki

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Institutional Funding: Majority of funding comes from institutional donors including Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, EU Humanitarian Aid (ECHO), and other government development cooperation budgets. EU Humanitarian Aid funded a 14 million euro education project with FCA's share at 5.6 million euros.
2. Private Donations: Individual donations from monthly donors, one-time donors, major donors, and testamentary gifts. Also corporate partnerships and emergency fundraising campaigns. In 2022, total expenditure was 67.9 million euros.
3. Church-based Fundraising: Yhteisvastuukeräys (Joint Responsibility Collection) - an annual church-based fundraising campaign in Finland. KUA receives a portion of the collection revenues (60% goes to the world's poorest).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Finn Church Aid is a Finnish non-profit foundation delivering humanitarian aid, development cooperation, and advocacy in 12 fragile states. Its core programming covers three themes: the right to quality education (school rehabilitation, digital learning centers, teacher training), the right to peace (psychosocial support, conflict-sensitivity work), and the right to livelihood (vocational training, food security, women's economic empowerment). Programs are implemented directly through country offices and a network of local partners, with significant focus on conflict-affected populations in Ukraine, South Sudan, Syria, and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Product overview

Finn Church Aid (Kirkon Ulkomaanapu) is Finland's largest development cooperation organization. It is a humanitarian aid organization focused on three core themes: the right to quality education, the right to peace, and the right to livelihood. The organization does not offer a technology product but operates various charitable programs including the Multi-Year Resilience Programme (MYRP) for Ukraine's education recovery, Naisten Pankki (Women's Bank) for women's empowerment, Toisenlainen Lahja (Another Kind of Gift) for alternative donations, and the Tekoja magazine publication.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Multi-Year Resilience Programme (MYRP) A consortium-led education recovery program in Ukraine that delivers school construction, digital learning centers, computer/device distribution, and teacher support to conflict-affected regions. Provided education recovery to nearly 61,000 students and 32,000 teachers, built 26 modern shelters, opened 64 digital learning centers, and distributed over 19,000 computers and devices.
• Naisten Pankki (Women's Bank) A program that supports women's education, livelihood, and entrepreneurship in developing countries. Projects are implemented by Kirkon Ulkomaanapu to advance gender equality and women's economic empowerment.
• Toisenlainen Lahja (Another Kind of Gift) An alternative-giving donation product that allows donors to help children and families in the poorest countries while giving a digital or paper card to a designated recipient, combining a charitable donation with a tangible gift.
• Tekoja Magazine Finn Church Aid's own magazine published three times a year, available free of charge in digital or paper format, featuring stories from the field and impact reporting for supporters.
• School Rehabilitation and Bomb-Shelter Equipping Program (Ukraine) Physical infrastructure program that rehabilitates war-damaged schools and equips bomb/civil defense shelters in schools and daycare centres in Ukraine to enable face-to-face teaching. Approximately 45 schools repaired and 150 bomb shelters equipped; 132 civil defense shelters repaired and renovated.
• Psychosocial Support Program Psychosocial support services for conflict-affected children, youth, and educators, including training for teachers and school psychologists. In Ukraine, 71 teachers and school psychologists were trained in 2022; 83% of parents reported improved social skills in children receiving the support and nearly 3/4 reported decreased stress and anxiety.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reached 896,000 vulnerable people in 2025
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Education Cannot Wait FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises. Led the Multi-Year Resilience Programme (MYRP) consortium in Ukraine alongside Ukraine's Ministry of Education and Science and NGOs, providing education recovery to 61,000 students and 32,000 teachers.
• DOCCUcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUkrainian partner organization working in the international consortium led by Finn Church Aid for education recovery in Ukraine.
• GoGlobalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUkrainian partner organization in the international consortium for education programs in Ukraine.
• Save the Children InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of a consortium with FCA and People in Need for EU ECHO-funded education project worth 14 million euros. Save the Children's share is 4.2 million euros.
• People in NeedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of EU ECHO-funded education consortium with FCA and Save the Children.
• War Child HollandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the EU ECHO education project with 50,000 euros contribution.
• Hungarian Interchurch Aid (HIA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACT Alliance partner that distributed emergency assistance (food, water, shelter) to refugees and displaced people at Ukraine-Hungary border and in western Ukraine during the initial war months.
• SavED Charitable FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUkrainian local partner for school damage assessment and work with local authorities.
• Kyiv School of EconomicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeads local consortium in MYRP including SavED, Osvitoria, Teach for Ukraine, Projector Foundation, and EdCamp Ukraine.
• Palestinian Counseling Center (PCC)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImplements FCA's after-school activities and mentorship program for vulnerable children in East Jerusalem, providing psychosocial support and positive role models.
• UNICEFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with UNICEF in Uganda to support children with disabilities and their families, providing healthcare and rehabilitation services.
• World Council of Churches - EAPPIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) sends volunteer observers to monitor human rights and report violations.
• ACT AlliancecoreOthersInternational network of churches and humanitarian organizations. KUA channels aid through this network.
• Lutheran World FederationminorOthersInternational ecumenical organization; KUA is a member and collaborates on humanitarian efforts.
• Churches' World CouncilminorOthersGlobal Christian ecumenical fellowship; KUA participates in joint advocacy and humanitarian programs.
• Teachers Without BordersminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVolunteers from the network train teachers in Palestinian areas in collaboration with educational authorities.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CARE International: Major INGO delivering humanitarian and development programming with strong education and women's livelihood focus; comparable global footprint, institutional donor mix, and programmatic themes.
• Plan International: Child-focused INGO with significant EiE and child-protection programming; directly comparable thematic focus on education and child rights in fragile contexts.
• War Child: Dutch-headquartered INGO specializing in education and psychosocial support for children affected by conflict; minor partner in FCA's EU ECHO Ukraine project and close thematic match.
• People in Need: Czech-based INGO delivering humanitarian relief and development cooperation with similar European NGO profile; consortium partner with FCA on EU ECHO-funded Ukraine education programming.
• International Rescue Committee: Humanitarian INGO delivering emergency response, education, and livelihoods in fragile states; closely matched on operating contexts, donor base, and EiE portfolio.
• Norwegian Refugee Council: Nordic INGO delivering education, shelter, and livelihood assistance in conflict and displacement settings; closest direct peer in thematic focus and operational scale.
• Save the Children International: Global INGO focused on children's rights and education in emergencies; FCA's direct consortium partner on the €14M EU ECHO Ukraine education project, with overlapping donor base and program model.

Regional players

• Diakonia: Swedish faith-based development NGO focused on human rights, humanitarian assistance, and education in fragile states; comparable Nordic organizational base and thematic overlap, primarily operating outside Finland.
• Fida International: Finnish Christian development NGO with overlapping church-affiliated structure and similar international development cooperation portfolio in developing countries; closest domestic peer in Finland.

Broad incumbents

• Lutheran World Federation: Global ecumenical organization of Lutheran churches running humanitarian operations; FCA is a member and partner on humanitarian programming — broader mandate but overlapping church-based delivery model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Ulkomaanapu
• Facebookfacebook.com/finnchurchaid
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/finn-church-aid
• Instagraminstagram.com/kirkonulkomaanapu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Finn Church Aid