What Windward Islands Research & Education Foundation does

The Windward Islands Research & Education Foundation (WINDREF) is a Grenada-based nonprofit research and education foundation established in 1994 in St. George's, Grenada. It operates as a regional coordinating hub for interdisciplinary research, education, and community programs across the Caribbean, with operational presence in Grenada, the United States (New York), the United Kingdom (London), Dominica, and Saint Lucia. The foundation's programs span environmental health, climate change, marine conservation, bioethics, behavioral health, and child development — including named initiatives such as Reach Within, Sports for Health, Mankind Needs Reefs!, Children Grow Towards Kindness, the Climate Change and Health Center, and the Center for Global Bioethics. The foundation is co-located with St. George's University on the True Blue campus and is affiliated with research networks spanning Johns Hopkins, Stanford, and Oxford.

WINDREF hosts a portfolio of regional institutional designations that define its core function: the UN Climate Change Secretariat's Regional Collaborating Centre (RCC Caribbean), the Global Water Partnership Caribbean Regional Office, a regional greenhouse gas Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) hub, and a PAHO-led Climate Change and Health Center. These designations position the foundation as technical infrastructure for Caribbean nations on climate action, water governance, and climate-health policy. Leadership includes Vice President Calum Macpherson and Sports for Health Ambassador Dr. Sir Kirani James.

The foundation's business model is a multi-donor grant-funded nonprofit structure, with funding drawn from a concentrated set of large institutional donors including the Gates Foundation, NIH, Wellcome Trust, World Bank, CDC, WHO, PAHO, and CARPHA. Revenue mechanics operate through project-based grants, multilateral pass-through funding via hosted centers, and program-specific restricted funds. The foundation does not operate a commercial product or fee-for-service model at scale, though the MRV hub creates a partial technical-services revenue channel for Caribbean government clients.

Name

Windward Islands Research & Education Foundation

Legal name

Windward Islands Research & Education Foundation

Website

https://windref.gd

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

WINDREF is a Grenada-based nonprofit research foundation operating Caribbean-wide programs in climate change, environmental health, bioethics, and community development, funded by major international donors including the Gates Foundation, NIH, and Wellcome Trust.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Research and Education Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Climate Policy, Governance & NDC Support (BPADALAA), Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO), Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

Keywords

• Public health research
• Environmental sustainability programs
• Climate change adaptation
• Bioethics education
• Community health equity

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint George's

HQ country

Grenada

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding and Donations: As an independent nonprofit organization, WINDREF operates primarily through grant funding from international donors, foundations, government agencies, and charitable donations. The organization leads public health initiatives across the Caribbean and hosts climate change adaptation programs funded by multilateral and bilateral donors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

WINDREF conducts applied multidisciplinary scientific research and education programs in public health, environmental sustainability, climate change adaptation, bioethics, and child neurodevelopment. Its deliverables include grant-funded research studies, community outreach programs such as Reach Within and Sports for Health, environmental restoration initiatives like Mankind Needs Reefs!, and regional convening functions hosted on behalf of UNFCCC, PAHO, and the Global Water Partnership. The foundation does not sell commercial products and is funded through grants and charitable donations.

Product overview

WINDREF is a nonprofit research and education foundation that does not offer commercial software products or technology platforms. Its offerings consist of research programs and community-focused initiatives, including the Caribbean Centre for Health Equity (CCHE) housing the Reach Within child health equity program, the Center for Global Bioethics, the Sports for Health initiative, the Mankind Needs Reefs! environmental program, and the Children Grow Towards Kindness neurodevelopment initiative. These are public health, environmental sustainability, and community development programs rather than technology products or services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Caribbean Centre for Health Equity (CCHE) A health equity research center housing programs such as Reach Within for child health equity, serving Caribbean governments, academic institutions, and vulnerable communities.
• Center for Global Bioethics Research and education center focused on bioethics education, training, and policy development for international research collaborators and regional scholars.
• Reach Within Child health equity initiative housed within the Caribbean Centre for Health Equity, providing mental health and psychosocial support to children affected by trauma, abuse, violence, and natural disasters through psychological first aid and resiliency camps.
• Sports for Health Health promotion program featuring Olympic Gold Medalist Kirani James as Sports for Health Ambassador, partnering with National Schools Sporting Events to help Grenada's children develop healthy lifestyles.
• Mankind Needs Reefs! Coral reef restoration and mangrove replanting initiative in partnership with The Nature Conservancy to protect coastlines from climate change impacts and support local fishing communities with sustainable practices.
• Children Grow Towards Kindness Center for Child Neurodevelopment initiative that trains regional experts to develop and administer culturally appropriate child assessments, partnering with local community health workers.
• Center for Child Neurodevelopment Program dedicated to child neurodevelopment assessment, training regional experts to deliver culturally appropriate evaluations in partnership with community health workers.

Quantifiable outcome

• WINDREF has been conducting research for 27+ years across public health, environmental sustainability, and bioethics.
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

34 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• St. George's University (SGU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWINDREF is an independent nonprofit organization located on the True Blue campus of St. George's University (SGU) School of Medicine in Grenada. SGU provides the physical campus and ongoing institutional support, including the Small Research Grant Initiative that has helped WINDREF scientists.
• Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPAHO co-leads the Climate Change and Health Center with WINDREF. PAHO/WHO also listed as a past donor supporting WINDREF's regional health initiatives.
• The Nature Conservancy (TNC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWINDREF has partnered with The Nature Conservancy to restore coral reefs and replant mangroves along vulnerable coastlines in Grenada. This initiative helps protect coasts from climate change impacts by working with local fishing communities.
• UNDP/UNEP Global Support ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWINDREF hosts the UN Climate Change Secretariat Regional Collaborating Centre (RCC Caribbean), operating under the UNFCCC Secretariat, and is partnered with the UNDP/UNEP Global Support Programme for climate change initiatives.
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) SecretariatcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWINDREF serves as the host institution for the UN Climate Change Secretariat Regional Collaborating Centre (RCC Caribbean), making it a key regional partner for UN climate action.
• Global Water Partnership Caribbean Regional OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWINDREF hosts the Global Water Partnership Caribbean Regional Office, supporting climate change adaptation and water management across the Caribbean region.
• Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWINDREF collaborates with CARPHA on public health research initiatives across the Caribbean, with CARPHA also listed as a past donor.
• World Health Organization (WHO)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWHO has supported WINDREF's public health research and initiatives as a past donor and collaborative partner.
• African Medical Research Foundation (AMREF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner and collaborator on the WINDREF Partners page.
• Greenhouse Gas Management Institute (GHGMI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner and collaborator on the WINDREF Partners page, supporting WINDREF's regional greenhouse gas measurement, reporting and verification hub.
• Grenada Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Forestry, Fisheries & EnvironmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner and collaborator on the WINDREF Partners page.
• Grenada Ministry of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner and collaborator on the WINDREF Partners page.
• Grenada Ministry of HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner and collaborator on the WINDREF Partners page.
• Institute of Human VirologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner and collaborator on the WINDREF Partners page.
• Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner and collaborator on the WINDREF Partners page.
• Kansas State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner and collaborator on the WINDREF Partners page.
• Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New OrleansminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner and collaborator on the WINDREF Partners page.
• Old Dominion UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner and collaborator on the WINDREF Partners page.
• Oxford University Maternal & Perinatal Health InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner and collaborator on the WINDREF Partners page.
• Stanford UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner and collaborator on the WINDREF Partners page, with past funding support.
• University of California – DavisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner and collaborator on the WINDREF Partners page.
• University of PittsburghminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner and collaborator on the WINDREF Partners page.
• University of Reading – Technologies for Sustainable Built EnvironmentsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner and collaborator on the WINDREF Partners page.
• University of StirlingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner and collaborator on the WINDREF Partners page.
• University of the West IndiesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner and collaborator on the WINDREF Partners page.
• York UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner and collaborator on the WINDREF Partners page.
• UNICEF Eastern Caribbean OfficeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a 2023 donor and collaborator supporting WINDREF programs.
• State University of New York Research FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a 2023 donor and collaborator.
• General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOAS Executive Secretariat of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) has supported WINDREF programs across multiple years.
• Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a past donor and collaborator supporting WINDREF's marine and fisheries research.
• Nova Southeastern UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a past donor and collaborator, including the Kenyon Award support.
• Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a past donor and collaborator.
• American Veterinary Medical AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a past donor and collaborator.
• BirdLife International and Save our Species ProgrammeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a past donor and collaborator.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Wildlife Conservation Society: Global conservation NGO running long-term wildlife and habitat programs, including in the Caribbean. Comparable as a grant-funded research and conservation nonprofit with multi-decade regional presence.
• Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI): Global health nonprofit implementing health programs in low- and middle-income countries, including the Caribbean. Comparable as a grant-funded, multidisciplinary health organization with university-style research output.
• PAHO Foundation: The philanthropic arm of the Pan American Health Organization supporting health programs across the Americas. Comparable in mission and donor base; PAHO directly co-leads WINDREF's Climate Change and Health Center.

Direct peers

• The Nature Conservancy (Caribbean Program): Global conservation organization with an active Caribbean program covering coral reef and mangrove restoration. Directly comparable on the marine/coastal conservation side and an active WINDREF partner on the 'Mankind Needs Reefs!' initiative.
• Global Water Partnership Caribbean: Watershed-management network hosted in the Caribbean region on integrated water resources. Directly comparable as a regional climate/water program; WINDREF hosts its Caribbean Regional Office.
• Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA): The Caribbean region's primary public health agency, focused on disease surveillance, health research, and policy across CARICOM members. Directly comparable as a Caribbean public health research and capacity-building entity, and listed as both a WINDREF partner and past donor.
• University of the West Indies: The leading Caribbean academic institution conducting multidisciplinary health and environmental research across the region. Comparable as a regional research and education anchor and listed as a major WINDREF partner.
• Healthy Caribbean Coalition: Caribbean civil-society alliance addressing NCDs, public health, and policy advocacy. Comparable as a regional health-focused nonprofit working with Caribbean governments and WHO/PAHO.

Regional players

• Caribbean Biodiversity Fund: Regional environmental trust fund financed by KfW, IKI, and others to sustain biodiversity finance in the Caribbean. Comparable on the environmental funding/conservation side and listed as a 2023 WINDREF donor.
• Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE): Latin American/Caribbean center for agricultural and natural resource research and graduate education. Comparable as a regionally embedded, multi-disciplinary research and education institution in tropical environmental science.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Windward Islands Research & Education Foundation