What Manusher Jonno Foundation does

Manusher Jonno Foundation is a national grantmaking civil society organization based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, founded in 2000. The foundation provides grants and supports programmatic interventions focused on human rights, governance, social justice, inclusion, and gender equality, serving vulnerable populations and civil society actors across Bangladesh. The organization does not operate a commercial business model; its "revenue" derives from donor contributions and grants rather than earned income, and it is structured as a privately held non-profit rather than a publicly listed or venture-backed entity.

The foundation's most material institutional relationship is a partnership with the United Kingdom government that has spanned more than two decades, anchoring its funding base and lending it diplomatic validation. In 2025, this relationship was publicly reinforced when Executive Director Shaheen Anam received an honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) from British High Commissioner Sarah Cooke at a ceremony in Dhaka, in recognition of her contributions to social justice, inclusion, and gender equality in Bangladesh.

With a staff of 101-250, the foundation's operations are limited to South Asia and are built on advocacy, programmatic funding, and civil society engagement rather than technology products. The source material contains no disclosures regarding AI, software, or proprietary technology platforms; the foundation competes with peer Bangladesh-based grantmakers on credibility, donor relationships, and programmatic track record rather than on technology.

Name

Manusher Jonno Foundation

Legal name

Manusher Jonno Foundation

Website

https://manusherjonno.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Manusher Jonno Foundation is a Bangladesh-based national grantmaking civil society organization that funds human rights, governance, social justice, inclusion, and gender equality programs. It operates as a non-profit with a long-standing UK government partnership and 101-250 staff.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Grantmaking and Human Rights Advocacy

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

Keywords

• Human rights advocacy
• Gender equality programs
• Grant making services
• Social justice funding
• Civil society support

Headquarters

HQ city

Dhaka

HQ country

Bangladesh

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Core offering

Manusher Jonno Foundation is a national grant making organization that mobilizes funds and channels them to civil society actors in Bangladesh working on human rights, governance, social justice, inclusion, and gender equality. It complements its grantmaking with direct advocacy and programmatic interventions targeting vulnerable populations and systemic inequality.

Product overview

Manusher Jonno Foundation is a civil society organization in Bangladesh focused on social justice, inclusion, and gender equality. The organization works on advocacy and programmatic interventions rather than technology product offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• National Grantmaking Program A grant making program that mobilizes and channels funds to civil society organizations and NGOs in Bangladesh working on human rights, governance, inclusion, and gender equality; targets local and national NGOs implementing rights-based projects.
• Social Justice and Human Rights Advocacy Program A programmatic initiative advancing social justice, inclusion, and human rights in Bangladesh through direct advocacy and intervention activities alongside partner organizations; targets vulnerable populations affected by injustice and exclusion.
• Gender Equality Program A programmatic stream focused on advancing gender equality in Bangladesh through funded partner projects and direct interventions; targets women, girls, and gender-marginalized communities.
• Governance Program A programmatic stream that supports governance and civic accountability work in Bangladesh by funding civil society partners and engaging in relevant advocacy; targets governance reformers and civic stakeholders.

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• United Kingdom (Government/Development Partners)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManusher Jonno Foundation has maintained a partnership with the UK government spanning over two decades. This long-term partnership has supported the foundation's work in social justice, inclusion, and gender equality in Bangladesh. The relationship was further validated when Executive Director Shaheen Anam received an honorary MBE from the British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Sarah Cooke.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Pact: International development organization specializing in capacity strengthening of civil society and locally led development through grants and partnerships. Comparable as an intermediary grantmaker focused on civil society strengthening in rights-related contexts.
• The Asia Foundation: International development foundation that operates across Asia, supporting governance, human rights, and civil society programs through grants and direct implementation. Directly comparable as a multi-decade, donor-funded foundation working on rights and governance in South Asia.
• Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy: International democracy-focused foundation supporting inclusive governance and political pluralism, including programming in Bangladesh. Comparable as a donor-funded European foundation working on governance and rights themes.
• BRAC: Bangladesh-headquartered global development organization with deep programs on social inclusion, governance, and gender equality. Comparable as a domestically rooted Bangladeshi civil society institution with international donor partnerships.
• Aga Khan Foundation: International development foundation working across South Asia on governance, inclusion, and civil society support. Comparable as a long-tenured, donor-funded grantmaking and program implementation body in the same regional and thematic space.
• Open Society Foundations: Global grantmaking foundation with a primary thematic focus on human rights, democratic governance, and inclusion. Directly comparable as a grantmaking body funding rights-and-governance work, including in South Asia.

Broad incumbents

• Oxfam Great Britain: Major UK-headquartered international development and rights organization with active Bangladesh programming and close UK government funding ties. Comparable as a UK-donor-funded rights and governance player in Bangladesh, but operates at much larger scale and across many themes.
• Ford Foundation: Large US-based international grantmaking foundation with significant programming on human rights, governance, and gender equality globally. Comparable as a major incumbent in the same grantmaking and thematic space, but with much broader geographic scope and budget.

Emerging players

• Restless Development: International development organization focused on youth-led governance, inclusion, and rights programming with UK donor ties. Comparable as a smaller, partnership-driven organization working on overlapping themes, but with a youth-focused differentiator.

Others

• FCDO (UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office): The UK government department that has funded the foundation for over two decades. Not a competitor but a key institutional donor and strategic counterpart; included as an ecosystem peer for context.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/manusherjonno
• Facebookfacebook.com/manusherjonnofoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/manusher-jonno-foundation

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 Manusher Jonno Foundation