Global Water Partnership

What Global Water Partnership does

Global Water Partnership (GWP), founded in 1996 and legally constituted as the Global Water Partnership Organisation (GWPO), is a multi-stakeholder network and Intergovernmental Organisation (IGO) dedicated to improving water governance and mobilising climate-resilient investments. The organisation operates across 180 countries through 13 Regional Water Partnerships, 77 Country Water Partnerships, and more than 2,800 registered partner organisations, with its dual global headquarters in Windhoek (Namibia) and Cape Town (South Africa), having previously been anchored in Stockholm, Sweden.

GWP's core products and programmes include the Global Transformation Agenda (a five-pillar framework covering high-level commitments, mutual accountability, capacity and governance, public-private finance, and gender equality), the Water Knowledge Hub, Communities of Practice, Courses and Trainings, and a pipeline of Investment-Ready Water and Climate Projects. The underlying technology is a coordination and knowledge-dissemination platform rather than a software product; GWP's primary infrastructure is its institutional network and convening power with governments, multilateral bodies, and the private sector.

GWP's business model is non-commercial: the organisation is funded through partnership contributions, government grants, and blended finance facilitation, with core sponsoring partners including the governments of Sweden and the Netherlands, and multilateral partners including WMO, UN-Water, and the G20. Recent commercial-adjacent initiatives include a USD 500 Million Global Blended Finance Facility launched in June 2026 to advance the G20 Presidential Water Investment Legacy Initiative. Cumulative impact since 2014 is reported at over €2 Billion in influenced water management investments, 200+ governance improvements since 2020, and water sector reform support across 90+ countries and 25 transboundary basins.

Name

Global Water Partnership

Legal name

Global Water Partnership Organisation

Website

https://gwp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Global Water Partnership (GWP) is an Intergovernmental Organisation and multi-stakeholder network coordinating water governance and mobilising climate-resilient investments across 180 countries through 13 Regional and 77 Country Water Partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Governance and Climate Resilience Services

NAICS

Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)

SIC

International Affairs (9721), Foreign Governments (8888)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources, WASH & Integrated Water Management (BPADALAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environment, Climate & Sustainable Development IGOs (BPADAAAI), Sustainability & ESG Consulting (BPAHACAK)

Keywords

• Water governance coordination
• Climate-resilient investments
• Water resource management
• Multi-stakeholder partnerships
• Transboundary water cooperation

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockholm

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Partnership Contributions and Grants: GWP operates as an Intergovernmental Organisation (IGO) supported by partnership contributions, grants, and blended finance facilitation. The organisation mobilises climate-resilient investments and coordinates action to strengthen governance, build capacity, advance investment pipelines, and enable access to finance for sustainable water management.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Global Water Partnership (GWP) operates as an Intergovernmental Organisation (IGO) and multi-stakeholder network that coordinates action on water governance and mobilizes climate-resilient investments. It works through 13 Regional Water Partnerships, 77 Country Water Partnerships, and 2,800+ partner organizations across 180 countries to deliver integrated water resource management and cross-sector collaboration.

Product overview

The Global Water Partnership (GWP) is a multi-stakeholder network organization (IGO) rather than a technology product company. Its portfolio consists of programs and coordination services centered around improving water governance and mobilizing climate-resilient investments. The core offering includes the Global Transformation Agenda (coordinating action across five key solutions), supported by the Water Knowledge Hub (knowledge resources), Regional Water Partnerships (13 regional coordination bodies), Country Water Partnerships (77 national partnerships), Courses and Trainings (capacity building), GWP Resources (publications and toolkits), Investment-Ready Projects (project preparation services), and Communities of Practice (professional networks). The network spans over 180 countries with 2,800+ partner organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Investment-Ready Water and Climate Projects Curated pipeline of climate-resilient water and climate investment projects prepared with partner support and made available to governments, financiers, and development partners seeking de-risked, bankable opportunities.
• Courses and Trainings Structured training programs on integrated water resource management and related topics offered to water practitioners, partner institutions, and member Country Water Partnerships.
• Water Knowledge Hub Online repository of GWP publications, policy briefs, toolboxes, and curated water resource management content for partners, researchers, and practitioners.
• Country Water Partnership Services Country-level coordination and facilitation services delivered through 77 Country Water Partnerships to support national water governance, stakeholder engagement, and investment mobilization.

Quantifiable outcome

• €2 Billion+ in water management investments influenced since 2014
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• World Meteorological Organization (WMO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2026WMO Secretary General Celeste Saulo serves as sponsoring partner in GWP's Global Transformation Agenda. The partnership focuses on climate resilience through water and coordinated approaches to global water governance challenges.
• UN-WatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUN-Water Chief Technical Advisor Federico Properzi participates in GWP's Global Transformation Agenda. UN-Water coordinates UN system-wide actions on water and sanitation issues.
• G20flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerG20 engagement is central to GWP's USD 500 Million Global Blended Finance Facility launch. South Africa's G20 Presidency drives the Water Investment Legacy Initiative with GWP coordination.
• Global Commission on the Economics of WatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMr Henk Ovink, Executive Director of the Global Commission on the Economics of Water, is a key partner in GWP's water economics and investment framework development.
• UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy on WatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRetno L.P. Marsudi serves as UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy on Water and is featured in GWP's Global Transformation Agenda partnerships.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• UN-Water: UN system-wide coordinating mechanism for water and sanitation, directly engaged with GWP via GWP's Global Transformation Agenda. Operates as a broader multilateral umbrella while GWP is the only global IGO specifically dedicated to water governance.
• IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature): International organisation working on nature conservation and sustainable resource management including water ecosystems. Comparable as an IGO-status network addressing water-related environmental issues, though with broader environmental mandate.
• World Resources Institute (WRI): Global research organisation operating major water programmes (e.g., Aqueduct). Comparable as a multilateral-adjacent platform addressing water governance, climate resilience, and finance with similar global footprint.
• World Bank Water Global Practice: Multilateral financing institution with a dedicated water practice funding water infrastructure and policy reforms worldwide. Comparable as the dominant capital source for water investment that GWP seeks to catalyse through its blended finance facility.

Direct peers

• World Water Council: International multi-stakeholder platform focused on water policy and investment, organising the World Water Forum. Directly comparable to GWP as a global convener on water governance with similar stakeholder engagement model.
• Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI): Stockholm-based water policy institute convening World Water Week and advancing water governance. Shares GWP's geographic and thematic focus on water governance and shares the same regional ecosystem.
• International Water Association (IWA): Global network of water professionals and organisations advancing water sector best practice. Comparable network-model operating structure to GWP but oriented toward utility and practitioner engagement.
• Global Commission on the Economics of Water: Multi-stakeholder commission advancing the economics and investment framing of water globally. Directly collaborates with GWP via Henk Ovink as a partner in GWP's Global Transformation Agenda on water economics.

Emerging players

• WaterAid: International NGO focused on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in developing countries. Comparable as a global water-focused development organisation with similar donor-funding model, though more implementation-focused than GWP's governance mandate.
• Water.org: Global nonprofit organisation pioneering water and sanitation financing through blended finance. Operates a comparable blended finance approach to GWP's USD 500M facility but with narrower geographic scope.

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GWPNews

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Global Water Partnership