What Aga Khan Foundation Canada does

Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC) is a registered Canadian charity founded in 1980 and headquartered at the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat on Sussex Drive in Ottawa. It operates as an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), a global family of institutions that collectively deploys over $1 billion annually. AKFC partners with Canadian donors, volunteers, and professionals alongside communities in 15+ countries across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East to deliver programs in health, education, gender equality, economic opportunity, food security, and climate resilience. Its current program portfolio reaches more than 4 million people.

AKFC's core offerings fall into three buckets. First, a development programs portfolio executed through multi-sector partnerships with Global Affairs Canada, IDRC, Grand Challenges Canada, and Agence française de développement, with named multi-million-dollar programs including STRIDES, F4EE, and F4HE. Second, a fundraising engine anchored by World Partnership Walk (Canada's largest public movement to fight global poverty, cumulatively raising over $145M since 1985) and World Partnership Golf (over $14M cumulatively across seven cities). Third, a suite of Canadian engagement and professional development programs including the International Youth Fellowship (nearly 600 alumni since 1989), the Canadian Development Exchange/CADEX (nearly 400 alumni since 1984), the Global Leadership Program, the Teachers' Leadership Institute, the Youth Leadership Academy, the Youth Advisory Committee, and the multilingual AKF Learning Hub. Program fees are nominal (CAD $1,000 one-time for International Youth Fellows; $100 for Global Leadership Program participants) and most engagement is free.

The revenue model is donation- and grant-driven rather than commercial. AKFC does not publicly disclose revenue; funding comes from individual Canadians (via Walk, Golf, planned/legacy giving, and direct donations), federal government grants (Global Affairs Canada as the largest institutional funder), and other international donors. There are no equity funding rounds, no subsidiaries, and no venture-backed growth signals — the entity is a mission-driven nonprofit embedded in a global faith-inspired development network, with growth measured in programmatic reach rather than commercial KPIs.

Name

Aga Khan Foundation Canada

Legal name

Aga Khan Foundation Canada

Website

https://akfc.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Aga Khan Foundation Canada is a registered Canadian charity and agency of the Aga Khan Development Network that partners with Canadian donors and professionals alongside communities in 15+ countries across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East to deliver health, education, gender equality, and climate resilience programs reaching more than 4 million people.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Development Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Donor Coordination, Monitoring & Evaluation (MEL) Programs (BPADABAN), Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning (MEL) & Reporting for Donor Programs (BPADAOAL)

Keywords

• International development programs
• Humanitarian charity
• Youth fellowship programs
• Fundraising events
• Educator resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations and Fundraising: AKFC raises funds through individual donations, World Partnership Walk (Canada's largest public movement to fight global poverty, raising over $145 million since 1985), and World Partnership Golf (over $14 million raised). Funds raised go directly to support AKFC's development programs in Africa and Asia.
2. Government Grants and Partnerships: Major funding from Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada, as well as other international donors including IDRC and Grand Challenges Canada. AKFC leverages these funds with the $1 billion annually devoted by the wider Aga Khan Development Network.
3. Professional Development Program Fees: International Youth Fellowship requires a one-time contribution of CAD $1,000 from successful candidates. Other professional development programs may have nominal fees (Global Leadership Program has $100 CAD fee).
4. Planned and Legacy Giving: Accepts planned gifts including wills/trusts, life insurance, registered savings plans (RRSPs, RRIFs, TFSAs), charitable rollovers, appreciated securities, and donor advised funds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Aga Khan Foundation Canada is a registered Canadian charity and part of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). It mobilizes Canadian support for international development programs in Asia and Africa and engages Canadians through fundraising events, learning programs, fellowships, and educator resources. It also partners with the Government of Canada and Canadian institutions on poverty reduction, gender equality, climate change, and education initiatives.

Product overview

Aga Khan Foundation Canada offers a portfolio of development programs and engagement opportunities rather than a unified technology product. Its core offerings include the Learning Hub (a multilingual educational resource platform), various fellowship and leadership programs (International Youth Fellowship, Global Leadership Program, Youth Leadership Academy, Teachers' Leadership Institute), the Canadian Development Exchange professional consultancy program, the Youth Advisory Committee for youth engagement, and fundraising initiatives (World Partnership Walk and World Partnership Golf). The organization also provides educator resources and implements direct development programs across Africa and Asia focusing on health, education, gender equality, and climate resilience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• World Partnership Walk: Canada's largest public movement to fight global poverty, held annually across the country.
• World Partnership Golf
• Global Leadership Program
• International Youth Fellowship
• Canadian Development Exchange (CADEX)
• Teachers' Leadership Institute
• Youth Leadership Academy

Products and services

• Learning Hub An interactive digital learning platform offering self-paced modules, curated resources, events, and community opportunities for Canadians interested in international development, global citizenship, and the work of AKFC and AKDN.
• International Youth Fellowship Program A fellowship program for young Canadians (typically aged 18-30) that combines in-person and virtual learning, mentorship, and overseas fieldwork with AKFC's partners to develop leadership skills in international development.
• Canadian Development Exchange (CADEX) Program A program that connects Canadians with AKFC's international development partners through exchanges, learning modules, and field-based experiences to deepen engagement with global development work.
• Global Leadership Program A leadership development program for Canadians designed to build skills and networks for tackling complex global challenges, delivered in partnership with Canadian institutions and AKDN agencies.
• Youth Advisory Committee A committee of young Canadians that advises AKFC on programming, engagement, and advocacy related to youth, international development, and AKFC's mission.
• Youth Leadership Academy A training program that equips young Canadians with leadership skills, knowledge of global issues, and practical experience in community engagement and international development.
• Teachers' Leadership Institute

Quantifiable outcome

• Current portfolio reaches more than 4 million people
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered notable and core.

• Canadian Geographic MagazinenotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partnership to launch 'Global Citizens 2026' - a special issue exploring global citizenship and how youth across Canada are engaging with global issues.
• Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAKFC works alongside Aga Khan Foundation offices globally and other AKDN agencies including hospitals, schools, universities, businesses, and climate and cultural programs. AKDN devotes $1 billion annually to promote development.
• International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)notableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of Climate Speaker Series events and collaborated on nature-based solutions and climate adaptation programming.
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)notableStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on nature-based solutions in mangrove ecosystems events and conservation initiatives.
• Canada Forum for Impact Investment and DevelopmentnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on innovative financing for nature-based solutions in mangrove communities.
• Global Centre for PluralismnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Global Reads book club events and joint programming on pluralism and global citizenship.
• York UniversitynotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for Teachers' Leadership Institute and Youth Leadership Academy programs.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cuso International: Canadian international development organization focused on poverty reduction across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, with similar government-grant reliance (Global Affairs Canada), volunteer mobilization, and professional-placement programs (overlapping with AKFC's CADEX).
• Right To Play International: Toronto-headquartered international NGO using sport and play for development across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, with overlapping Canadian donor base, Global Affairs Canada funding, and youth engagement programming similar to AKFC.
• Aga Khan Foundation UK: Direct sister agency of AKFC within AKDN, raising funds and implementing development programs in the UK with comparable event-driven fundraising, youth fellowship, and FCDO/government partnership structures.
• Aga Khan Foundation USA: Direct sister agency of AKFC within the Aga Khan Development Network, implementing similar international development programs in Africa and Asia with parallel fundraising, fellowship, and government-grant funding models from the U.S. bilateral donor base.

Broad incumbents

• Oxfam Canada: Canadian affiliate of Oxfam International working on poverty, gender equality, and humanitarian response with significant Global Affairs Canada funding overlap and shared Canadian individual-donor fundraising channels.
• Save the Children Canada: Canadian affiliate of Save the Children with overlapping child-health, education, and gender programming in Africa and Asia, sharing Global Affairs Canada funding sources and competing for similar Canadian individual-donor fundraising channels.
• Plan International Canada: Canadian arm of Plan International focused on children's rights and gender equality, with similar Global Affairs Canada grant portfolio, sponsor-a-child fundraising, and youth-engagement programming that overlaps with AKFC's mandate.
• World Vision Canada: One of Canada's largest INGOs, operating in many of the same countries as AKFC with comparable child-focused health, education, and economic development programs, sharing government-grant and mass-event fundraising channels.
• UNICEF Canada: Canadian arm of a much larger global INGO with significant overlap in child health, education, and gender equality programming funded by Global Affairs Canada; competes for the same Canadian individual-donor and corporate-partnership pool.
• CARE Canada: Canadian affiliate of CARE International with strong overlap in gender equality, women's economic empowerment, and food security programming; competes for similar Global Affairs Canada restricted grants and Canadian individual donors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/akfcanada
• Facebookfacebook.com/akfcanada
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aga-khan-foundation-canada
• Instagraminstagram.com/akfcanada

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Aga Khan Foundation Canada