Kofi Annan Foundation

What Kofi Annan Foundation does

The Kofi Annan Foundation is a Geneva-based non-profit foundation established in 2007 (per firmographics) by Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, operating independently under Swiss law to advance peace, democracy, youth leadership, and inclusive multilateralism. Its work is organized into three programmatic pillars: Youth + Peace (including Kofi Annan Changemakers, Champions for Peace, Peace Beyond Borders, The Sawa Project, Environment of Peace, Extremely Together, and Rooting for the Future), Elections + Democracy (Leadership Excellence in Politics, WYDE Accountability Hubs, Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Prize, Digitalise Youth, Electoral Integrity Initiative, and the Electoral Vulnerability Index), and Multilateralism (multilateralism roundtables and the Kofi Annan Commission on Food Security). The foundation does not develop technology products; its outputs are training, mentorship, seed grants (€1,000-5,000), policy research, publications (158+), the Kofi Time podcast, and flagship convening events such as the Geneva Peace Address and the Athens Democracy Forum.

The foundation is funded exclusively through philanthropic donations and grants, with no fee-for-service revenue model; it holds public utility foundation status in Switzerland providing tax benefits to donors. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. Key institutional funders include the European Union (primary funder of WYDE), the Republic and Canton of Geneva, the Global Challenges Foundation, and Democracy & Culture Foundation, alongside public donations through the Youth Impact Fund (2025 target: CHF 130,000). Programs are delivered through a mix of direct implementation and a network of core implementing partners including Westminster Foundation for Democracy, The Oslo Center, European Partnership for Democracy, SIPRI, and One Young World. The foundation operates across 40+ countries spanning Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, and Europe, with a staff of 11-50 based primarily in Geneva. Leadership transitioned in June 2026 when Katie Sams succeeded Corinne Momal-Vanian as Executive Director.

Name

Kofi Annan Foundation

Legal name

Kofi Annan Foundation

Website

https://kofiannanfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Kofi Annan Foundation is a Geneva-based non-profit foundation that advances peace, democracy, and youth leadership across 40+ countries through training programmes, seed grants, policy research, and convening events. It is funded by philanthropic donations and institutional grants, with the European Union as a primary funder.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Peacebuilding and Democratic Governance

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN), Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

Keywords

• Youth leadership programs
• Peacebuilding initiatives
• Democracy support
• Electoral integrity
• Multilateralism advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Donations and Grants: The foundation is funded through charitable gifts, grants from foundations, and individual donations. The foundation has a public utility foundation status in Switzerland providing tax benefits for donors. Funding supports youth programs, democracy initiatives, and multilateralism work.
2. Youth Impact Fund: The Kofi Annan Youth Impact Fund collects contributions to support young changemakers through seed grants (€1,000-5,000), youth program strengthening, and targeted support for exceptional young leaders. The 2025 target is CHF 130,000.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Kofi Annan Foundation is a non-profit foundation that designs and delivers programs for youth empowerment, democratic governance, and multilateral cooperation. It provides young leaders with seed grants (€1,000–€5,000), mentorship, training, and platforms to engage in peacebuilding and policy; supports governments and civil society on electoral integrity and democratic accountability; and convenes high-level dialogues on multilateralism, food security, and climate–conflict issues.

Product overview

The Kofi Annan Foundation is a non-profit organization that operates as a portfolio of interconnected programmes rather than a unified tech product. Its core offerings span three main areas: Youth + Peace (including Kofi Annan Changemakers, Champions for Peace, Peace Beyond Borders, The Sawa Project, Environment of Peace, Extremely Together, and Rooting for the Future), Elections + Democracy (including Leadership Excellence in Politics, WYDE Accountability Hubs, Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Prize, Digitalise Youth, Electoral Integrity Initiative, and Electoral Vulnerability Index), and Multilateralism (including the Kofi Annan Commission on Food Security). Additional offerings include Kofi Time podcast and the WYDE Accountability Hubs microsite. These programmes provide training, seed grants, mentorship, research publications, awards, and digital platforms to advance peace, democracy, and international cooperation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kofi Annan Changemakers An intergenerational dialogue programme that empowers young leaders through training, mentorship, and seed grants to implement innovative solutions for peace and democracy.
• Champions for Peace Programme empowering young people in Southeast Asia to become peacebuilders and prevent violent extremism.
• Peace Beyond Borders Initiative preventing and countering violent extremism and terrorism in the DRC and Uganda, transforming communities from targets of violence into agents of sustainable peace.
• The Sawa Project Project strengthening community-led efforts to improve mental health awareness, services, and policies in Kenya and Malawi.
• Environment of Peace Youth-led research initiative on climate, environment, and peace, exploring the intersection of climate change and conflict.
• Extremely Together A global youth-led initiative that aims to empower young people to prevent violent extremism through training and peer networks.
• Rooting for the Future Programme empowering Lebanese youth through cultural heritage restoration to foster social cohesion and employability.
• Leadership Excellence in Politics (LEiP) Initiative rebuilding trust in political leadership through training and development programmes.
• Women and Youth in Democracy (WYDE) – Accountability Hubs Programme supporting young leaders strengthening accountability and democratic governance in Sub-Saharan Africa through training, seed funding, and mentorship.
• Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Prize Prize recognizing exceptional young leaders aged 18-35 who demonstrate leadership in defending, renewing, and promoting democracy, offering USD 10,000, mentorship, and speaking opportunities.
• Digitalise Youth Initiative enhancing digital skills, promoting civic tech solutions, and raising awareness about online political engagement.
• Electoral Integrity Initiative Programme addressing electoral challenges and supporting free, fair, and transparent elections worldwide.
• Electoral Vulnerability Index Predictive tool identifying election-related violence risks and electoral vulnerabilities across countries.
• Kofi Annan Commission on Food Security Multi-stakeholder commission reviewing challenges to global food security architecture and developing policy recommendations for transforming food governance.
• Kofi Time: The Podcast Podcast series exploring multilateralism, democracy, peace, and human rights through conversations with global leaders.
• WYDE Accountability Hubs Microsite Online platform documenting stories of impact from young leaders across Sub-Saharan Africa working on accountability, civic participation, and democratic engagement.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40 young leaders from 23 countries implemented accountability and democratic engagement initiatives through WYDE Accountability Hubs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• InterpeaceflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 March 2026The Kofi Annan Foundation and Interpeace deepened their strategic cooperation in March 2026 by signing an MoU. The partnership focuses on working differently for peace, combining双方的 expertise in peacebuilding and youth empowerment.
• Westminster Foundation for DemocracycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImplementing partner for the WYDE (Women and Youth in Democracy) Accountability Hubs programme. The partnership supports young leaders in Sub-Saharan Africa to strengthen accountability, civic participation, and democratic engagement through training, seed funding, and collaboration.
• The Oslo CentercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImplementing partner for the WYDE Accountability Hubs programme, working with the Kofi Annan Foundation and Westminster Foundation for Democracy to empower young leaders in democracy and accountability.
• European Partnership for DemocracycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe European Partnership for Democracy powers the WYDE Accountability Hubs initiative and leads the broader 'Women and Youth in Democracy' project funded by the European Union.
• Alianza para la PazcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner in the 'Voices of Reconciliation and Equality' project in Colombia (2022-2023) and the subsequent 'Acordes por la Paz' music education guide for peacebuilding and gender equality.
• Fundación Nacional BatutacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner in Colombia's music education project for peacebuilding and gender equality. Batuta music centers in Puerto Asís, Putumayo, and Saravena, Arauca implemented the Acordes por la Paz methodology.
• Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for the Resilience Rising report on youth, climate, and conflict. SIPRI provided expertise and partnership for research conducted in Burkina Faso, Niger, Pakistan, Philippines, Somalia, and Uganda.
• Fight for HumanitycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner in the 'Rooting for the Future' initiative in Lebanon, focused on heritage conservation, youth empowerment, and social cohesion in Tripoli.
• Permanent Peace MovementcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner in the 'Rooting for the Future' initiative in Lebanon, working on youth empowerment and social cohesion through cultural heritage.
• IECD - Semeurs d'AvenircoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner in the 'Rooting for the Future' initiative in Lebanon, contributing to youth empowerment and heritage conservation efforts.
• Directorate General of Antiquities (Lebanon)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGovernment partner in the 'Rooting for the Future' initiative, providing expertise on heritage conservation and restoration in Tripoli, Lebanon.
• Democracy & Culture FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of the Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Prize, which recognizes exceptional young leaders advancing democracy. The prize includes USD 10,000, mentorship, and speaking opportunities at the Athens Democracy Forum.
• One Young WorldflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Prize. The winner and nine finalists receive scholarships to attend the One Young World Summit 2026 in Cape Town. Applications are submitted through the One Young World platform.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mo Ibrahim Foundation: Founder-led African philanthropy focused on governance, leadership, and democratic accountability — closely aligned with the Kofi Annan Foundation's democracy and youth-leadership work in Sub-Saharan Africa, including the parallel legacy-founder model (Mo Ibrahim Prize).
• Nelson Mandela Foundation: Legacy foundation of another Nobel Peace Prize laureate (Nelson Mandela) advancing dialogue, social justice, and democratic values — directly comparable post-founder operating model to the Kofi Annan Foundation.
• International IDEA: Inter-governmental organization supporting democratic institutions and electoral integrity worldwide — overlaps directly with the Kofi Annan Foundation's Elections + Democracy pillar, including the Electoral Vulnerability Index and Electoral Integrity Initiative.
• Westminster Foundation for Democracy: UK-funded democracy-support organization working on political party development, parliamentary strengthening, and inclusive political participation — a current implementing partner of WYDE Accountability Hubs but also a peer competing for similar democracy-programming grants.
• Club of Madrid: Membership organization of former heads of state and government advancing democratic leadership and inclusive policy — comparable to the Kofi Annan Foundation's high-level convening role around democracy and multilateralism.
• Carter Center: Legacy foundation of former US President Jimmy Carter focused on peace, democracy, elections, and disease eradication — the most operationally similar legacy-foundry peer, with comparable election-monitoring and democracy programmes globally.
• United States Institute of Peace: US-funded institution working on conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and stabilization — directly comparable to the Kofi Annan Foundation's Youth + Peace pillar and Extremely Together/Peace Beyond Borders programmes.

Broad incumbents

• International Crisis Group: Larger, established think tank producing field-based analysis and policy advice on conflict-affected states — overlaps with the Kofi Annan Foundation's conflict-and-climate research (Resilience Rising) and convening role on global peace issues.
• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Major global-affairs think tank producing policy research on democracy, multilateralism, and international order — adjacent to the Kofi Annan Foundation's Multilateralism pillar and food-security commission work, with broader scope and resources.
• Stanley Foundation: Private foundation advancing multilateral approaches to peace and security through policy analysis and convenings — comparable in mission (peace, multilateralism, democratic governance) and in operating model of convening plus research publication.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KofiAnnanFdn
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/kofiannanfoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/kofiannanfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kofi-annan-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/kofiannanfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Kofi Annan Foundation