Clean Air Fund
Clean Air Fund is a UK-registered philanthropic foundation, the largest philanthropically-funded organization dedicated to tackling global air pollution. It grants funds, convenes corporate and government coalitions, and supports data platforms to drive clean air action across the UK, EU, India, Indonesia, Ghana, and South Africa.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Clean Air Fund does
Clean Air Fund is a London-headquartered philanthropic foundation founded in 2019 and registered as a UK charity (charity number 1183697). It is the largest philanthropically-backed funder dedicated solely to tackling global air pollution, operating across the United Kingdom, the European Union, India, Indonesia, Ghana, South Africa, and a global programme track. The organization works with four primary constituencies: governments (supporting air quality policies and Low Emission Zones), funders (coordinating philanthropic capital through a coalition model), businesses (via the Alliance for Clean Air with the World Economic Forum), and NGOs/campaigners (through its grants programme). Its portfolio of programmes and initiatives includes the Breathe Cities initiative with Bloomberg Philanthropies and C40 Cities (operating across 14 cities with a goal of cutting air pollution and climate emissions by 30% by 2030), the Action on Black Carbon Programme ($12.9M), the Alliance for Clean Air corporate coalition, and supporting data platforms including OpenAQ and the State of Global Air. Since inception the organization has raised $248M of direct philanthropic funding from eight core funders, catalysed an additional $124M toward clean air initiatives, and supported over 600 projects globally. Its primary products are not commercial technology but rather grant programmes, research publications (including the only global analysis of international development funding for tackling air pollution 2019-2023), policy advocacy outputs, and resource hubs. The revenue model is exclusively philanthropic: Clean Air Fund raises charitable contributions from foundations (notably IKEA Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies), corporations, and institutional donors, and distributes these as grants to partner NGOs, charities, and research organizations. Pricing is not applicable as no commercial products or services are sold; grant sizes range from $350k to $6m (approved by the Grants and Contracts Approval Committee) with grants over $6m approved by the Board. The 11-50 employee team operates from London with regional leadership across its geographies, supported by a Board chaired by Katherine Garrett-Cox (CEO of GIB Asset Management) with trustees including representatives from Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas, Antares Ventures, Jacob's Ladder Africa, and the IKEA Foundation.
Clean Air Fund firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Clean Air Fund
- Legal name
- The Clean Air Fund
- Website
- https://cleanairfund.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Clean Air Fund is a UK-registered philanthropic foundation, the largest philanthropically-funded organization dedicated to tackling global air pollution. It grants funds, convenes corporate and government coalitions, and supports data platforms to drive clean air action across the UK, EU, India, Indonesia, Ghana, and South Africa.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Clean Air Fund industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental Philanthropy and Grantmaking
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)
- SIC
- International Affairs (9721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH), International & Global Public Health Aid Administration (Government Donors) (HLAJALAO)
Keywords
Where Clean Air Fund is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Clean Air Fund business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Philanthropic Funding and Grants: Clean Air Fund operates as a philanthropic organization that raises funds from diverse donors including foundations (IKEA Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies), corporations, and institutional funders. The organization then distributes these funds as grants to NGOs, charities, research organisations and campaigners working on clean air initiatives globally. Revenue comes entirely from charitable contributions and not from commercial product/service sales.
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Clean Air Fund product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Clean Air Fund is a philanthropic foundation that raises charitable contributions from foundations and institutional donors and redistributes them as grants and programmes to organisations combating outdoor air pollution. Its core offering is grantmaking and convening — funding NGOs, research bodies, governments and campaigners, and operating flagship initiatives such as Breathe Cities and the Alliance for Clean Air to drive clean air policy and action globally.
Product overview
Clean Air Fund is a global philanthropic organisation that operates as a portfolio of grant-making and project implementation programmes rather than a unified software product. The organisation's offerings include funding programmes (Grants), strategic initiatives (Breathe Cities, Alliance for Clean Air, Action on Black Carbon Programme), data platforms (The State of Global Air), resource hubs (Black Carbon Hub), campaigns (Our Children's Air), and commissions (Our Common Air). These programmes work together to fund partners, generate data, build public awareness, influence policy, and drive action on air pollution globally.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Grants Programme Core funding programme providing grants to NGOs, charities, research organisations and campaigners working to clean the air in their communities; has supported over 600 projects since 2019.
- Breathe Cities Flagship partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies and C40 Cities supporting cities around the world to cut air pollution and climate emissions by 30% by 2030; operating in 14 cities globally.
- Alliance for Clean Air Corporate coalition with the World Economic Forum that mobilises multinational companies (Google, Accenture, Siemens, Biogen, Maersk, IKEA, Wipro, Haleon, Bloomberg and others) to measure and reduce their air pollution footprint.
- Action on Black Carbon Programme A $12.9 million programme to generate scientific research, build coalitions and implement solutions to cut emissions of black carbon.
- The State of Global Air Comprehensive analysis of air quality data and health impacts for 200 countries, funded by Clean Air Fund and produced by the Health Effects Institute in collaboration with IHME's Global Burden of Disease initiative.
- Black Carbon Hub A one-stop shop resource hub providing the latest evidence, resources and news on black carbon, a potent climate super pollutant.
- Our Common Air A global commission of high-level government figures, health experts, academics and climate specialists working to accelerate collective action on air pollution.
- Our Children's Air A campaign collecting powerful stories from parents around the world about the impact of air pollution on children's health.
Quantifiable outcome
- 930,000 coal boilers replaced with subsidised clean heating alternatives in Poland
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Clean Air Fund
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Clean Air Fund technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Clean Air Fund partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- World Economic ForumcorePartnered with World Economic Forum to launch the Alliance for Clean Air at COP26 in 2021. The alliance brings together multinational companies to take action on air pollution, accelerate climate action, and create healthy communities.
- C40 CitiescoreC40 Cities is a strategic partner in the Breathe Cities initiative, bringing together data, communities and city decision-makers to cut urban air pollution. C40 supports city mayors and provides technical expertise for clean air action.
- World Health Organization (WHO)majorClean Air Fund works with WHO on global health initiatives, including supporting the second global conference on air pollution and health in Colombia (March 2025). WHO roadmap endorsed at 78th World Health Assembly with voluntary goal of halving air pollution deaths by 2040.
- OpenAQmajorOpenAQ is supported by Clean Air Fund to aggregate and provide free access to billions of air quality data points from more than 43,000 reference, research and low-cost monitors worldwide, doubling the number of countries with publicly available air quality data.
- Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)majorClean Air Fund partnered with CII to analyze the economic cost of air pollution to Indian businesses ($95 billion annually) and developed the India CEO Forum for Clean Air with over 130 members galvanizing the private sector.
- Health Effects InstitutemajorClean Air Fund funds The State of Global Air, a comprehensive analysis of air quality data and health impacts for 200 countries, produced by Health Effects Institute in collaboration with IHME's Global Burden of Disease initiative.
- Global Climate and Health AlliancemajorClean Air Fund supports the Global Climate and Health Alliance's Healthy NDCs Scorecard, a comprehensive assessment of governments' national climate commitments that recognise health impacts of air pollution.
- Alliance for Clean Air MemberscoreAlliance for Clean Air founding members include Google, Accenture, Siemens, Biogen, Maersk, IKEA, Wipro, Haleon, Bloomberg, and others. These corporations have committed to measuring and reducing their air pollution footprint, using assets to accelerate clean air solutions, and championing clean air with customers and stakeholders.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Clean Air Fund competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- OpenAQ: OpenAQ is the open-source air quality data platform supported by Clean Air Fund, comparable as a complementary ecosystem player driving open data and policy action on air pollution.
- Health Effects Institute: HEI produces the State of Global Air report funded by Clean Air Fund and is a peer in the global air-pollution evidence ecosystem for policy and donor decision-making.
- Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety: Bloomberg's road safety initiative shares overlapping transport-pollution reduction goals and donor base with Clean Air Fund's Breathe Cities and Alliance for Clean Air work.
Direct peers
- Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF): CIFF is a major climate and health-focused philanthropic foundation active in air pollution funding across emerging markets, directly comparable in mission scope and grantmaking approach.
- IKEA Foundation: IKEA Foundation is both a core funder and board-represented partner of Clean Air Fund, deploying philanthropic capital into climate, air quality and renewable energy with a comparable grantmaking model.
- Energy Foundation: Energy Foundation is a philanthropic intermediary that funds clean energy and clean air policy advocacy, with a comparable grantmaking and advocacy model across multiple geographies.
- ClimateWorks Foundation: ClimateWorks Foundation is a global philanthropy services platform that pools and deploys donor capital for climate mitigation, including super-pollutants and clean air, with a comparable pooled-funder model.
Regional players
- European Climate Foundation: ECF channels philanthropic capital into European climate and air quality initiatives, overlapping heavily with Clean Air Fund's EU portfolio and convening role.
Broad incumbents
- Bloomberg Philanthropies: Bloomberg Philanthropies is a major philanthropic vehicle that co-funds and co-runs the Breathe Cities initiative with Clean Air Fund, making it a directly comparable and active peer in air-quality and climate grantmaking.
- William and Flora Hewlett Foundation: Hewlett's Environment Program supports air quality and climate policy advocacy, making it a comparable large-scale funder in the same policy-impact space.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Clean Air Fund social profiles
Digital presenceClean Air Fund financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Clean Air Fund leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles30 records
Clean Air Fund funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Clean Air Fund 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 Clean Air Fund
What does Clean Air Fund do?
Clean Air Fund is a philanthropic foundation that raises charitable contributions from foundations and institutional donors and redistributes them as grants and programmes to organisations combating outdoor air pollution. Its core offering is grantmaking and convening — funding NGOs, research bodies, governments and campaigners, and operating flagship initiatives such as Breathe Cities and the Alliance for Clean Air to drive clean air policy and action globally.
Is Clean Air Fund a public or private company?
Clean Air Fund is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Clean Air Fund founded?
Clean Air Fund was founded in 2019. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Clean Air Fund based?
Clean Air Fund is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Clean Air Fund make money?
One revenue line is on record: philanthropic Funding and Grants.
Who are Clean Air Fund's main competitors?
Others on record are OpenAQ, Health Effects Institute and Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety. Direct peers are Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), IKEA Foundation, Energy Foundation and ClimateWorks Foundation. European Climate Foundation is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Bloomberg Philanthropies and William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
Does Clean Air Fund have an API?
No public API is recorded for Clean Air Fund.
What industry is Clean Air Fund in?
Clean Air Fund's product category is Environmental Philanthropy and Grantmaking. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAM, Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAH, International Grantmaking & Development Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 9721.