United for Global Mental Health

What United for Global Mental Health does

United for Global Mental Health (UnitedGMH) is a UK-registered charity (No. 1180516) and company limited by guarantee (No. 11139817), founded in 2017 by Elisha London, Sarah Kline, and Zander Woollcombe, and headquartered in London. It also operates a US 501(c)(3) entity, American Friends of United for Global Mental Health, to broaden its funding base. The organization campaigns for better mental health policies and increased financing at the global level, targeting governments, civil society, people with lived experience, youth, and climate- and maternal-health-affected populations. Its core operational platform is the Global Mental Health Action Network (GMHAN), a coalition of 5,251+ members across 169 countries that UnitedGMH operates as secretariat, with no proprietary technology beyond a digital advocacy platform and network infrastructure for coalition-building and campaign coordination. Its programming is delivered through advocacy campaigns (notably 'Care Not Custody' targeting deinstitutionalization and 'Move for Mental Health' with lululemon), annual Global Mental Health Summits, World Mental Health Day mobilization, and a publication library including impact reports, financing roadmaps, and The Global Advocate blog with 185+ articles.

UnitedGMH's business model is purely philanthropic: it has no commercial product or pricing model. Revenue is sourced from charitable trusts and foundations (Wellcome Trust, Fondation Botnar, Grand Challenges Canada), corporate partnerships (lululemon, A&O Shearman with a USD 1M 2025-2027 commitment, Pinterest), individual philanthropists (Bukhman Philanthropies with GBP 500K over three years for maternal mental health), bilateral government funding, and public donations processed via Stripe and PayPal. The organization partners with the WHO, World Bank, The Global Fund, Born This Way Foundation, and UN agencies to secure commitments (including a G20 mental health financing pledge and integration of mental health into WHO World Health Assembly and Global Plan on Biodiversity and Health outputs). A lean team of roughly 20 named staff plus consultants and advisors runs specialized verticals in rights, health systems, climate, maternal, and youth mental health, with board oversight including former Gates Foundation and Hewlett Foundation directors.

Name

United for Global Mental Health

Legal name

United for Global Mental Health

Website

https://unitedgmh.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

United for Global Mental Health is a London-based international charity that campaigns for better mental health policies and increased financing globally, operating the Global Mental Health Action Network of 5,251+ members across 169 countries and partnering with WHO, governments, foundations, and corporations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Advocacy

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Global Health Advocacy, Policy & Rights Organizations (HLAJAKAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Maternal, Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health (MNCAH) NGOs (HLAJAKAG), Multilateral Global Health Partnerships (UN/WHO-led Initiatives) (HLAJAOAA), Health Systems Strengthening & Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Partnerships (HLAJAOAL)

Keywords

• Global mental health advocacy
• Mental health policy advocacy
• Nonprofit coalition building
• Mental health financing advocacy
• Deinstitutionalisation campaign

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Trusts and Foundations: Funding from charitable foundations including Wellcome Trust, Fondation Botnar, Grand Challenges Canada, and others supporting specific advocacy programs.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Partnerships with corporations including lululemon, A&O Shearman (USD 1 million commitment 2025-2027), and Pinterest providing funding and in-kind support.
3. Philanthropic Donations: Support from individual philanthropists and family philanthropies including Bukhman Philanthropies (£500,000 over three years for maternal mental health).
4. Bilateral Government Funding: Funding from government donors supporting global mental health advocacy and programming.
5. Public Donations: One-off and recurring donations from individual supporters via website using Stripe and PayPal payment processors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

United for Global Mental Health is a global advocacy organization that campaigns for better mental health policies and increased financing through coalition building, network coordination, and policy influence. It operates the Global Mental Health Action Network (GMHAN), uniting 5,251+ advocates across 169 countries, runs advocacy campaigns such as Care Not Custody and Move for Mental Health, hosts Global Mental Health Summits, and publishes impact reports, data resources, and policy toolkits to drive systemic change in mental health worldwide.

Product overview

United for Global Mental Health is an advocacy organization—not a traditional product company. Its 'offerings' consist of programs, campaigns, and platforms: the Global Mental Health Action Network (GMHAN), which is its flagship network platform uniting advocates across 169 countries; advocacy campaigns including 'Care Not Custody' (deinstitutionalisation) and 'Move for Mental Health'; annual Impact Reports documenting progress; Global Mental Health Summits as event convenings; and a Mental Health Data portal. These programs work together to advance the organization's mission of building a world where everyone has access to mental health support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Care Not Custody: Global movement campaign calling on governments to move away from harmful institutionalisation and invest in community-centred mental health care
• Global Mental Health Action Network (GMHAN)
• Increase, Invest, Integrate
• Out of Sight, Out of Mind

Products and services

• Global Mental Health Action Network (GMHAN) The world's largest platform for mental health advocacy, operating as a network with over 5,251 members across 169 countries, providing inclusive, multilingual spaces for advocates, policymakers, researchers, and people with lived experience to shape global mental health priorities.
• Care Not Custody Campaign A global movement campaign calling on governments to move away from harmful institutionalisation and invest in rights-based, community-centred mental health care, with the goal of making it the theme for World Mental Health Day 2027.
• Move for Mental Health Campaign A campaign launched during World Mental Health Day 2025 focused on physical and collective movement as tools for mental wellbeing, partnered with lululemon.
• Global Mental Health Summits

Quantifiable outcome

• Supported Caribbean Regional Coalition for Decriminalisation of Suicide, building on successful law changes in Pakistan, Ghana, Guyana, and Malaysia
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• A&O ShearmancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025A&O Shearman partnership for 2025-2027 focuses on children and young people having someone to turn to for mental health support. A&O Shearman aims to raise at least USD 1 million, deliver significant pro bono and professional support, and provide in-kind assistance. Partnership includes supporting four national partners: InIm Institute (Romania), #MentalHealthPH (Philippines), SameSame (South Africa, Zimbabwe, Nigeria), and Vertentes Ecossistema de Saúde Mental (Brazil).
• PinterestcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Pinterest partners with UnitedGMH to amplify mental health commitment to user well-being. Partnership powers the Global Mental Health Action Network (GMHAN), the world's largest platform for mental health advocacy. Pinterest's support enables diverse, fairly compensated leadership, inclusive multilingual spaces, membership growth into China, Australia, and Latin America, and youth advocate empowerment.
• Being (Fondation Botnar)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Being Initiative funded by Fondation Botnar works to improve and transform youth mental health ecosystem in LMICs. UnitedGMH provides technical support for national and global advocacy to youth mental health organizations, connecting local solutions to global platforms and elevating voices of young people with lived experience.
• lululemoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021lululemon's partnership with UnitedGMH focuses on movement and holistic wellbeing to transform global mental health advocacy. lululemon's CEO is a member of the lululemon-led Mental Wellbeing Global Advisory Board. Partnership drives growth within GMHAN, expanding reach across key regions and integrating focus on movement and community engagement. Since 2021, lululemon has reached over 10 million people through its Centre for Social Impact with a $100 million USD commitment to advance mental health and wellbeing.
• Grand Challenges CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership on the Being Initiative to improve and transform youth mental health ecosystem in low- and middle-income countries. UnitedGMH plays vital advocacy role providing technical support for national and global advocacy, ensuring youth mental health is a global and national priority, mobilizing political will, influencing funding decisions, and supporting system-level change.
• World Health Organization (WHO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with WHO on global mental health advocacy. Co-organize events including UN side events, support WHO initiatives, participate in World Health Assembly advocacy, and integrate mental health into global health frameworks including universal health coverage.
• The Global FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to integrate mental health into HIV and TB services and Global Fund programming. UnitedGMH engaged 1,300+ attendees at AIDS 2024 with Elton John AIDS Foundation and The Global Fund, advocating for mental health integration and funding.
• Born This Way FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Lady Gaga's foundation for mental health advocacy. Co-organized UN side events and collaborate on youth mental health initiatives and advocacy campaigns.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sangath: India-based organization conducting research and implementation on mental health, including adolescent and maternal mental health in LMICs. Comparable LMIC focus, mental health research-to-policy translation, and youth/maternal portfolio overlap with UnitedGMH.
• Mental Health Foundation (UK): UK charity focused on prevention, research, and public mental health. Comparable in policy advocacy, public-facing communications, and grant-funded model, though more domestically oriented than UnitedGMH.
• Mind (UK): UK's leading mental health charity providing advice, advocacy, and campaigning. Comparable in mental health advocacy and corporate partnership model (Megan Earl, now UnitedGMH's Global Corporate Partnerships Manager, previously led strategic brand partnerships at Mind).
• StrongMinds: US-founded NGO treating depression among women and adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. Comparable LMIC focus and donor-funded nonprofit model, but with a direct-service (therapy) delivery model rather than UnitedGMH's advocacy focus.
• CBM Global Disability Inclusion: International development organization focused on disability inclusion, including psychosocial disabilities and mental health. Comparable as a large INGO working at the intersection of rights, health systems, and LMIC advocacy.
• BasicNeeds: Organization working on mental health and epilepsy in low- and middle-income countries through community-based programs and advocacy. Comparable LMIC mental health advocacy orientation and lived-experience focus; BasicNeeds-Ghana's Executive Director sits on UnitedGMH's board.
• Movement for Global Mental Health: Academic- and civil-society-led global movement advocating for mental health to be a global development priority. Closely comparable to UnitedGMH in mission, constituency (policymakers, researchers, lived-experience advocates), and global policy advocacy focus.
• Friendship Bench: Zimbabwe-originated community mental health intervention now operating globally, combining lay-counselor delivery with policy advocacy. Comparable LMIC-driven approach and growing institutional advocacy footprint, though anchored by a specific intervention rather than coalition-building.
• Mental Health Innovation Network: Global network sharing innovative mental health programs, research, and policy resources. Comparable in network-as-platform model and convening of LMIC mental health stakeholders, though more research-curatorial in orientation.
• Mental Health America: US-based community-based nonprofit addressing mental health needs through advocacy, education, and research. Comparable in advocacy-to-policy pipeline and donor-supported nonprofit structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@UnitedforGlobalMentalHealth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unitedgmh
• Pinterestpinterest.co.uk/UnitedGMH
• Xx.com/unitedgmh
• Facebookfacebook.com/unitedgmh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about United for Global Mental Health