RefugePoint
RefugePoint is a nonprofit humanitarian organization founded in 2005 that expands access to lasting solutions for vulnerable refugees through resettlement, family reunification, labor mobility, and self-reliance programs across 89 countries, delivered via UNHCR partnership and donor funding.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersCambridge, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What RefugePoint does
RefugePoint is a nonprofit humanitarian organization founded in 2005 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with operational offices in Nairobi, Kenya and Geneva, Switzerland. It focuses exclusively on expanding access to lasting solutions for the world's most vulnerable refugees, distinguishing itself from short-term emergency aid providers by emphasizing resettlement, complementary pathways (family reunification and labor mobility), and self-reliance programming. Its core service portfolio is organized around two programmatic pillars: Self-Reliance (anchored by the Urban Refugee Protection Program in Nairobi and the global Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative, a network of 600+ organizations) and Resettlement & Other Pathways to Safety (resettlement referrals, family reunification navigation, and labor mobility through the Economic Mobility Pathways Project). Cross-cutting capabilities include child protection, mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), and refugee-led organization support. Since 2005, RefugePoint has helped 188,757 refugees access resettlement and other pathways to safety and has worked in 89 countries, largely through a formal global partnership with UNHCR formalized in 2008.
RefugePoint's business model is donation-funded rather than revenue-generating; services are provided free of charge to refugees, and the organization does not monetize any program outputs. Funding sources include individual donations, the Karibu Circle monthly giving program, foundation grants, and institutional funders. The organization operates a Deployment Program that places staff into UNHCR and partner-led operations worldwide (37 countries by end of 2022), enabling field building as a core lever alongside direct services and systems-change advocacy. It has also developed the Self-Reliance Index (SRI), a measurement tool adopted by 85 agencies in 40 countries, which functions as a sector standard rather than a commercial product. Geographic footprint spans Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and since 2024, Latin America.
The organization is founder-led, with Sasha Chanoff serving as Founder & CEO since inception. Leadership includes a Chief Operating Officer, Chief Administrative Officer/Country Director (Kenya), Chief of Policy and Practice (Geneva-based), Chief Program Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Development Officer, indicating a mature CXO structure appropriate for a 101-250-employee organization. There are no disclosed subsidiaries, no parent organization, and no private equity or venture capital ownership; governance is through an independent board typical of a 501(c)(3). No proprietary software products, mobile applications, or API platforms are operated by the organization.
RefugePoint firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- RefugePoint
- Legal name
- RefugePoint
- Website
- https://refugepoint.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- RefugePoint is a nonprofit humanitarian organization founded in 2005 that expands access to lasting solutions for vulnerable refugees through resettlement, family reunification, labor mobility, and self-reliance programs across 89 countries, delivered via UNHCR partnership and donor funding.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
RefugePoint industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Humanitarian Refugee Services
- NAICS
- Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Individual and Family Services (6241)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Refugee Reception & Registration (BPADAHAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI), Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services (BPADAHAE), Refugee, Crisis & Humanitarian Education Partnerships (EiE) (EDADALAG)
Keywords
Where RefugePoint is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cambridge
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
RefugePoint business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Philanthropic Donations: RefugePoint generates revenue primarily through charitable donations from individuals, foundations, and institutional funders. They accept one-time donations, recurring donations through their Karibu Circle monthly giving program, and other forms of charitable contributions.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
RefugePoint product offering
Product offeringCore offering
RefugePoint is a humanitarian nonprofit that delivers direct refugee services and field-building programs across two pillars: Self-Reliance (Urban Refugee Protection Program in Nairobi, the global Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative) and Resettlement & Other Pathways to Safety (resettlement referrals, family reunification navigation, labor mobility / Economic Mobility Pathways Project). All services are provided free of charge to refugees and funded through charitable donations and institutional grants.
Product overview
RefugePoint is a humanitarian organization that offers a portfolio of service programs organized around two main programmatic pillars: Self-Reliance and Resettlement & Other Pathways to Safety. The Self-Reliance pillar includes the Urban Refugee Protection Program (URPP) in Nairobi, Kenya and the Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative (RSRI), a global network. The Resettlement & Other Pathways pillar includes direct resettlement services, the NGO Referrals Program, Family Reunification services, and Labor Mobility programs. Cross-cutting programs include Child Protection, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), and Promoting Refugee-Led Efforts. The organization also operates a Deployment Program for field building and has developed the Self-Reliance Index (SRI) tool. These programs work together through a three-pronged approach of direct services, field building, and systems change to help refugees access lasting solutions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative (RSRI): A strategic initiative co-founded with the Women's Refugee Commission that aims to advance self-reliance opportunities for refugees through a global network of organizations.
- Economic Mobility Pathways Project
- Family Reunification Initiative
Products and services
- Urban Refugee Protection Program (URPP) A holistic program in Nairobi, Kenya assisting refugees experiencing extreme vulnerabilities with stabilization services (food, rent, medical care, education, counseling) and livelihood support including business training, grants, and micro-business development to help clients achieve self-reliance.
- Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative (RSRI) A strategic initiative co-founded with the Women's Refugee Commission that advances self-reliance opportunities for refugees through a global network of more than 600 organizations, foundations, governments, and other partners, transforming how the world responds to forcibly displaced populations.
- Self-Reliance Index (SRI) The first-ever global tool for measuring refugee household progress toward self-reliance, developed in collaboration with 25+ partner NGOs and adopted by 85 agencies in 40 countries.
- Resettlement Services Helps refugees who cannot return home or safely remain in their host country to permanently resettle to third countries, focusing on those with particular vulnerabilities or facing life-threatening situations and promoting equitable access to resettlement globally.
- Family Reunification Services Helps separated refugees reunite with family members in third countries through legal immigration pathways, including the Family Reunification Navigation Assistance Program in Kenya, and includes the broader Family Reunification Initiative aiming to reunite 1 million separated refugees over five years.
- Economic Mobility Pathways Project (EMPP) / Labor Mobility Program An immigration pathway through which refugees use their skills and experience to obtain jobs that allow them to relocate to third countries, providing a path to permanent residency and lasting solutions to displacement.
- NGO Referrals Program Enables RefugePoint to make resettlement referrals directly to governments through partnerships in Kenya and globally, expanding equitable access to resettlement for refugees.
- Deployment Program Deploys RefugePoint staff across the globe to build systems and solutions for NGO resettlement referrals, best-interest procedures for children, and family reunification, working in partnership with UNHCR.
- Child Protection Services A commitment to protecting children underpins all RefugePoint's work, with Child Protection Experts deployed throughout Africa to conduct assessments for unaccompanied children and support families through food, rent, and medical assistance.
- Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)
Quantifiable outcome
- 188,757 refugees helped access resettlement and pathways to safety since 2005
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use RefugePoint
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles3 records
RefugePoint technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
RefugePoint partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered secondary and core.
- Sponsor Circle Program for AfghanssecondaryRefugePoint was among the founding partners for the Sponsor Circle Program for Afghans, which allowed communities in the U.S. to welcome displaced Afghans by pairing refugee families with groups of Americans who committed to receiving and training them.
- Self-Reliance Index Partner NGOs (25+ organizations)coreLaunched the Self-Reliance Index (SRI) in collaboration with 25+ partnering NGOs as the first-ever global tool to measure the progress of refugee households on their path to self-reliance.
- International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP)secondaryCollaborated with IRAP to launch the Family Reunification Pilot Project to help reunite unaccompanied and separated children with their family members in safe third countries.
- Women's Refugee CommissioncoreRefugePoint co-founded the Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative (RSRI) with the Women's Refugee Commission to expand self-reliance opportunities for refugees and build a global network of organizations, foundations, governments, and other partners focused on refugee self-reliance.
- Talent Beyond BoundariescorePartnership to expand access to labor mobility as a new pathway to safety for refugees. RefugePoint partnered with Talent Beyond Boundaries and the Canadian government to enable qualified refugees to access immigration to Canada through work-based visas.
- Canadian GovernmentcoreLaunched the Economic Mobility Pathways Project (EMPP) together with Canadian partners, enabling skilled refugees in Kenya and the Middle East to access immigration to Canada through work-based visas.
- UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees)coreRefugePoint partners with UNHCR through a global partnership to identify vulnerable refugees who need relocation. Their team works in dozens of countries globally through this partnership. RefugePoint also makes resettlement referrals directly to governments through their NGO Referrals Program.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
RefugePoint competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency): The UN agency mandated with refugee protection; RefugePoint's global partnership since 2008 makes UNHCR both a key partner and a comparable organization operating in the same refugee-referral and resettlement space, but at vastly greater scale.
- Norwegian Refugee Council: Major international humanitarian organization delivering protection, shelter, education, and durable-solutions programming for refugees across dozens of countries — a broad incumbent serving overlapping populations and competing for similar multi-year institutional grants.
- International Rescue Committee (IRC): Large, well-established humanitarian NGO providing refugee resettlement, humanitarian aid, and self-reliance programming globally. Operates across many of the same refugee contexts as RefugePoint and competes for institutional donor funding, though at a much larger scale.
- Mercy Corps: Large global humanitarian organization with overlapping livelihoods, self-reliance, and emergency-response programming for refugees and displaced populations; competes for the same institutional donor pool.
Direct peers
- Church World Service (CWS): Direct peer providing refugee resettlement and durable solutions programming. Multiple RefugePoint senior leaders previously held senior roles at CWS, and CWS operates the Resettlement Support Center Africa — the same operational footprint RefugePoint works within.
- Women's Refugee Commission: Advocacy and research NGO focused on refugee women, children, and displaced populations; co-founded the Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative with RefugePoint and shares a closely aligned programmatic focus on refugee self-reliance.
- International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP): Legal aid organization helping refugees access resettlement, family reunification, and other pathways — a direct collaborator on the Family Reunification Pilot Project with RefugePoint.
- HIAS: Jewish-American refugee resettlement agency offering refugee reception, resettlement, and legal aid services in the U.S. and overseas — directly comparable in mission, target population, and service mix to RefugePoint.
- Talent Beyond Boundaries: Organization pioneering labor mobility as a refugee resettlement pathway; partnered with RefugePoint on the Economic Mobility Pathways Project (EMPP) enabling skilled refugees to access work visas to Canada — closely aligned mission and pathway model.
- International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC): Global NGO delivering migration, refugee resettlement, and counter-trafficking services; a former RefugePoint Deputy Country Director served on ICMC deployments. Directly comparable in resettlement-and-pathways focus.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
RefugePoint social profiles
Digital presenceRefugePoint financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
RefugePoint leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
RefugePoint funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
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RefugePoint M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about RefugePoint
What does RefugePoint do?
RefugePoint is a humanitarian nonprofit that delivers direct refugee services and field-building programs across two pillars: Self-Reliance (Urban Refugee Protection Program in Nairobi, the global Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative) and Resettlement & Other Pathways to Safety (resettlement referrals, family reunification navigation, labor mobility / Economic Mobility Pathways Project). All services are provided free of charge to refugees and funded through charitable donations and institutional grants.
Is RefugePoint a public or private company?
RefugePoint is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was RefugePoint founded?
RefugePoint was founded in 2005. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is RefugePoint based?
RefugePoint is headquartered in Cambridge, United States, in the North America region.
How does RefugePoint make money?
One revenue line is on record: philanthropic Donations.
Who are RefugePoint's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency), Norwegian Refugee Council, International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Mercy Corps. Direct peers are Church World Service (CWS), Women's Refugee Commission, International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), HIAS, Talent Beyond Boundaries and International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC).
Does RefugePoint have an API?
No public API is recorded for RefugePoint.
What industry is RefugePoint in?
RefugePoint's product category is Humanitarian Refugee Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADAHAA, Refugee Reception & Registration, with a secondary code of BPAGAEAI, Refugee & Immigrant Support Services. Its NAICS code is 6242 and its SIC code is 8300.