What Unlock Aid does

Unlock Aid is a U.S.-based nonprofit policy advocacy coalition founded in September 2021 in Washington, D.C., focused on reforming U.S. global development policy. The organization operates as a bridge between frontline social innovators and U.S. government policymakers, advocating for changes in how more than $1 trillion in annual U.S. public funding is allocated across global development sectors including health, energy, food, education, and water. Its core mission addresses what it characterizes as an outdated aid architecture that concentrates funding among large contractors ('aid industrial complex'), excludes local organizations from accessing funding, and lacks transparency and accountability.

The organization's offerings are policy frameworks and research outputs rather than traditional products. Core assets include ReimagineAid.org (a voting platform for new aid proposals), the New American Foreign Partnership Standard (policy framework), the Glassdoor for Primes report (transparency analysis of 26 largest contractors), the Health Solutions Index (33-organization database of health supply chain innovators), the Follow the Money microsite (aid funding flow transparency tool), and the $1 Billion Challenge. The organization is governed by Co-Executive Directors Amanda Arch and Walter Kerr, with a board including CEOs of Medic, Zipline, and BAO Systems, and an advisory board with former U.S. Ambassador and former White House officials.

Unlock Aid's business model is grant-funded philanthropy rather than commercial revenue. It is supported by five named foundations: Hewlett Foundation, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Mulago Foundation, Schmidt Futures, and Skoll Foundation. The organization has no disclosed revenue figures; metrics such as '$300 million influenced' refer to federal spending mobilized through advocacy, not its own income. It has no product pricing, no paid customers, and no GTM sales motion. Its distribution is achieved through direct policy engagement with U.S. Congress, USAID, and the State Department, regardless of the 100+ coalition partners spanning 20+ countries.

Name

Unlock Aid

Legal name

Unlock Aid

Website

https://www.unlockaid.org/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Unlock Aid is a nonprofit policy advocacy coalition founded in 2021 that advocates for U.S. global development reform by mobilizing a 100+ organization coalition across 20+ countries to influence federal spending policy. It produces research reports, policy frameworks, and transparency tools targeting U.S. Congress, USAID, and the State Department.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Advocacy Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (81331), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

International Affairs (9721), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Donor Coordination & Aid Effectiveness (BPADAOAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB), Economic Growth, Trade & Private Sector Development Programs (BPADABAF), Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

Keywords

• Policy advocacy coalition
• Global development reform
• Foreign assistance policy
• Development policy advocacy
• Nonprofit coalition building

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Unlock Aid is a policy advocacy coalition founded in 2021 and headquartered in Washington, USA, that convenes more than 100 social innovators, foundations, entrepreneurs, and policy experts to reform U.S. global development and foreign assistance policy. It designs, advocates for, and helps implement policy standards and frameworks — most notably the New American Foreign Partnership Standard — and operates accountability and learning tools such as the Glassdoor for Primes platform and the Health Solutions Index.

Product overview

Unlock Aid is a policy advocacy organization, not a software product company. Its offerings consist primarily of policy frameworks, research reports, and transparency tools aimed at reforming U.S. global development. The core products include the Health Solutions Index (an index of 33 health supply chain innovators), the Glassdoor for Primes report (an industry accountability report), ReimagineAid.org (a voting platform for aid proposals), the New American Foreign Partnership Standard (policy recommendations), the Follow the Money transparency microsite, the $1 Billion Challenge initiative, and the Three Things USAID Can Do recommendations. These products work together as part of Unlock Aid's mission to transform U.S. global development policy by promoting transparency, accountability, and direct funding to frontline organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ReimagineAid.org: A voting platform for new proposals for U.S. international assistance
• The New American Foreign Partnership Standard
• The Builders Report
• Glassdoor for Primes

Products and services

• New American Foreign Partnership Standard

Quantifiable outcome

• $300 million in public resources unlocked for social innovators since late-2021
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MediccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedic is a key coalition partner and board member (Krishna Jafa, CEO) participates in Unlock Aid's governance. The organization works on digital health solutions for community health workers.
• ZiplinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZipline (Lindsay Beck, Board Member) is a leading drone delivery company focused on medical supplies and healthcare logistics in global health supply chains.
• BAO SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBAO Systems (Steffen Tengesdal, CEO, Board Member) provides data systems and analytics solutions for global health and development organizations.
• One Acre FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural social enterprise providing smallholder farmers with financing, training, and market access across multiple African countries.
• Global Innovation FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInvestment fund supporting cost-effective innovations in development across health, agriculture, energy, and other sectors.
• Arizona State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch university partner in Unlock Aid's coalition, contributing academic expertise to global development policy research.
• Village ReachminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit focused on improving health supply chains and last-mile delivery in sub-Saharan Africa.
• DimagiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial enterprise that develops open-source software for global health and development.
• InstigliominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization focused on results-based financing and pay-for-success programs in development.
• PremiseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerData intelligence company providing real-time data and analytics for decision-making in development contexts.
• Conservation X LabsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovation organization focused on conserving biodiversity and supporting conservation technology.
• NEAR (Network for Empowered Aid Response)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner working alongside Unlock Aid to pressure USAID for transparency and accountability reforms.
• CIVICUScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal coalition of civil society organizations co-signing joint letters to USAID on transparency and accountability.
• Project on Government Oversight (POGO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit coalition partner advocating for government accountability and transparency in federal spending.
• Last Mile HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit organization deploying community health workers to deliver care in remote areas.
• mPharmaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth tech company focused on prescription drug access and pharmacy management in Africa.
• GiveDirectlyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit that makes direct cash transfers to people living in extreme poverty.
• TechCrunchminorOthersPublished commentary from Unlock Aid on USAID and foreign aid reform, reaching tech and startup audience.
• The EconomistminorOthersPublished coverage of Unlock Aid's campaign for USAID reform and global development transformation.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ONE Campaign: Global advocacy nonprofit campaigning to end extreme poverty and preventable disease, with direct U.S. and EU policy engagement on foreign aid effectiveness — directly comparable mission to Unlock Aid's aid reform agenda.
• Publish What You Fund: Independent aid transparency and accountability organization publishing the Aid Transparency Index; closely aligned with Unlock Aid's Follow the Money and Glassdoor for Primes transparency work.
• Center for Global Development: Think tank producing influential research on aid effectiveness, foreign aid budgets, and donor policy — operates in the same policy research and advocacy lane as Unlock Aid.
• CIVICUS: Global civil society coalition co-signing joint accountability letters to USAID alongside Unlock Aid; directly comparable coalition advocacy model for civic space and aid reform.
• Project on Government Oversight (POGO): Independent government accountability nonprofit working on federal spending transparency; peer coalition partner of Unlock Aid on USAID accountability and aid contractor transparency.
• Network for Empowered Aid Response (NEAR): Coalition of Global South-led organizations pressuring USAID for localization and accountability reform — directly comparable coalition peer working the same policy terrain as Unlock Aid.

Broad incumbents

• InterAction: Largest U.S.-based alliance of international NGOs engaging on U.S. foreign assistance policy; broader incumbent covering many of the same USAID policy reform issues as Unlock Aid.
• Devex: Media and business intelligence platform for the global development sector; covers the same aid procurement, contracting, and policy reform terrain as Unlock Aid's transparency tools.
• Oxfam America: Major international NGO with significant U.S. policy advocacy on foreign aid, inequality, and humanitarian financing; larger incumbent operating in the same U.S. foreign aid reform space.

Others

• Candid (formerly GuideStar/Foundation Center): Nonprofit information aggregator and grantmaking data provider — enabling infrastructure for the same foundation-funded advocacy ecosystem in which Unlock Aid operates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/unlockaid
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unlock-aid
• Instagraminstagram.com/unlockaid

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Unlock Aid