ShelterBox

What ShelterBox does

ShelterBox is a privately held international humanitarian nonprofit founded in 2000 in Cornwall, UK as a Rotary Club millennium project, with US operations headquartered as ShelterBox USA, Inc. (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit incorporated in Florida) and a regional entity, ShelterBox Operations Philippines, established in 2017. The organization provides emergency shelter and essential supplies to families displaced by natural disasters, conflicts, and humanitarian crises, operating across 17+ countries including in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Its core products are physical aid packages: the ShelterBox (tents, tarpaulins, ropes, nails, and household essentials averaging $800 USD per unit) and Shelter Kits (tools and materials for home repair), supplemented by solar lights, mosquito nets, blankets, and kitchen sets. The organization has supported over 3 million people since founding, including 270,000 in 2024 and 231,000+ in 2025, with operations in places such as Gaza, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Cameroon, Mozambique, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Venezuela. ShelterBox is funded entirely by public donations — individual giving (including the monthly ShelterBox Builder program), Rotary club partnerships through the tiered HERO program, corporate partnerships, real estate industry partnerships (Give a Home), and fundraising events such as ShelterBox Adventurers. Its go-to-market is community-led, relying on a global network of supporters, volunteer Response Teams, and operational partners including Rotary International (its exclusive Project Partner since 2012), IFRC, Habitat for Humanity, IOM, CARE, and country-specific implementation NGOs. With 11-50 professional staff augmented by hundreds of volunteers, ShelterBox directs an average of 85% of every donation to direct shelter provision.

Name

ShelterBox

Legal name

ShelterBox USA, Inc.

Website

https://shelterboxusa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ShelterBox is an international nonprofit providing emergency shelter and essential supplies to families displaced by disasters and conflicts across 17+ countries. Funded entirely by public donations, it has supported over 3 million people since 2000 through shelter packages, kits, and household items.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Aid Services

NAICS

Temporary Shelters (624221), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Emergency Shelter, NFIs & Winterization for Displaced Populations (BPADAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC), Emergency Shelter, Camp Coordination & Camp Management (CCCM) (BPADADAB)

Keywords

• Emergency shelter relief
• Disaster humanitarian aid
• Humanitarian relief services
• Emergency response supplies
• Disaster recovery support

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Barbara

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Donations: ShelterBox is funded entirely by public donations. Individual donors contribute through online donations, monthly giving programs (ShelterBox Builder), major gifts, legacy giving, corporate partnerships, and fundraising events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ShelterBox provides emergency shelter and essential household supplies to families displaced by natural disasters and conflicts worldwide. The core product is the ShelterBox - a package containing family-sized tents, heavy-duty tarpaulins, ropes, nails, and household essentials designed to provide immediate emergency shelter. Shelter Kits supply tools and materials for families to repair and rebuild damaged homes. Aid is delivered directly to families in disaster zones through Response Teams and a network of operational partners.

Product overview

ShelterBox is a humanitarian charity that provides emergency shelter and essential aid to families affected by disasters and conflicts worldwide. The organization's core offering is the ShelterBox - a package containing tents, shelter kits, tarpaulins, tools, and household essentials. Supporting programs include volunteer initiatives like the Ambassador Program and Adventurers, training programs (S.A.F.E.), and various giving options including monthly giving (ShelterBox Builder), legacy giving, and the HERO Rotary Club partnership program. The Give a Home program engages real estate professionals in fundraising efforts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 270,000 people supported with emergency shelter in 2024 alone
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rotary InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2012ShelterBox began in 2000 as a Rotary Club's millennium project in Cornwall, UK. Since 2012, ShelterBox has been Rotary International's only Project Partner in disaster relief. Rotary provides logistical support including acting as consignees, translators, local knowledge, and transport assistance. Rotary clubs help reach families who might otherwise go without aid.
• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShelterBox is one of the few organisations to have a global cooperation agreement with IFRC. This partnership enables close collaboration on humanitarian coordination, shelter innovation, and emergency shelter delivery to vulnerable people after disaster.
• Habitat for Humanity InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfter many years of successful collaboration, ShelterBox has a formalized relationship with Habitat for Humanity. ShelterBox focuses on initial emergency needs while Habitat for Humanity looks to longer-term support for families and communities.
• Airbnb (Open Homes Program)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerShelterBox partnered with Airbnb through their Open Homes program to provide accommodation for Response Team Volunteers while responding to disasters. The Open Homes community has helped house over 30,000 people in need.
• Public Concern (Cameroon)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerShelterBox's operational partner in Cameroon, a national NGO working in the far north of the country. First project helped over 63,000-86,000 people displaced by conflict with emergency tents and shelter kits.
• HELP - Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe (Burkina Faso)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGerman NGO implementing partner in Burkina Faso, supporting thousands of displaced people with shelter and household items like pans, water filters, and solar lights.
• INTERSOS (Chad)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInternational humanitarian organization with projects across Africa, Asia and South America. Partner for ShelterBox projects in Chad responding to Sudan conflict refugees.
• IOM - UN Migration Agency (Ethiopia)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerUN migration agency is the leading shelter actor in Ethiopia with nationwide presence and access to vulnerable communities. ShelterBox works with IOM to support people displaced by conflict and drought.
• Juba Foundation (Somalia)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSomali NGO experienced with supplying shelter in areas impacted by severe drought and flash flooding. Provided durable mud-brick homes and emergency shelter to displaced families.
• Islamic Relief PakistancoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner for response to severe monsoon flooding in Pakistan. More recent work focused on creating more durable shelters.
• BCHR - Benevolence Coalition for Humanitarian Relief (Yemen)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBCHR has been working in Yemen since 2015. Together with ShelterBox they provide shelter and essential household items for internally displaced people.
• Bahar (Syria)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSyrian partner organization working with ShelterBox to support families affected by the ongoing civil war. Provides tents and winter supplies.
• Relief Aid (Syria)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSyria partner providing shelter and essential household items for families affected by civil war. Winters in Syria are harsh with temperatures below freezing.
• Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner working with ShelterBox to import vital aid for displaced families in Gaza.
• Egyptian Red CrescentcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner in Gaza response providing vital humanitarian aid for displaced families.
• PARC (Palestine)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner in Gaza importing vital aid for displaced families including tents and essential supplies.
• CARE MozambiquecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerShelterBox works closely with CARE Mozambique to supply emergency shelter and non-food aid in ECHO EU-funded consortium project in northern Mozambique.
• ShelterBox CanadacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerShelterBox Canada affiliate coordinating relief supplies for Venezuela earthquake response alongside Canadian community groups.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC): The IFRC is the world's largest humanitarian network, providing emergency shelter, disaster response, and relief supplies globally. ShelterBox holds a global cooperation agreement with the IFRC, making it a direct operational and strategic peer in emergency shelter delivery.
• American Red Cross: A major US-based humanitarian organization providing emergency shelter, supplies, and disaster relief domestically and internationally. Overlaps with ShelterBox USA's domestic response work and donor fundraising base.
• Oxfam America: Global confederation focused on poverty, humanitarian response, and disaster recovery including emergency shelter delivery. Operates in overlapping disaster and conflict zones with similar donor and beneficiary dynamics.
• UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR): The UN agency mandated to lead and coordinate international action for refugees. Operates in virtually all of ShelterBox's conflict-response geographies and is the dominant institutional player in the displacement sector.

Direct peers

• Direct Relief: A humanitarian aid organization focused on delivering medical supplies and emergency relief to disaster-affected communities worldwide. Shares ShelterBox's model of pre-positioned supplies, last-mile delivery, and partnerships with local responders.
• Habitat for Humanity International: Global nonprofit providing shelter and housing solutions. ShelterBox has a formalized partnership with Habitat, where ShelterBox handles emergency shelter and Habitat covers longer-term recovery — making them direct, complementary peers.
• Mercy Corps: A global humanitarian organization that responds to disasters and conflicts with emergency relief, including shelter, supplies, and recovery support. Operates in many of the same geographies as ShelterBox and serves similar displaced populations.
• International Rescue Committee (IRC): A major humanitarian organization responding to the world's worst crises with emergency aid, shelter, and recovery programs. Operates in overlapping conflict and disaster zones (Syria, Yemen, Somalia) with similar beneficiary populations.
• Catholic Relief Services (CRS): US-based international humanitarian agency delivering emergency relief, shelter, and recovery assistance in over 100 countries. Comparable in mission, beneficiary base, and donor-driven funding model.

Emerging players

• Team Rubicon: A veteran-led disaster response nonprofit providing emergency relief and recovery support. Operates in overlapping US domestic disaster response territory and shares ShelterBox USA's volunteer-driven delivery model for emergency shelter and supplies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/shelterboxus
• Facebookfacebook.com/shelterboxusa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shelterbox-usa
• Instagraminstagram.com/shelterboxusa
• Xx.com/shelterboxus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 ShelterBox