Association for Community Empowerment (ACE)

What Association for Community Empowerment (ACE) does

Association for Community Empowerment (ACE) is a Bangladeshi non-governmental development organization headquartered in Dhaka, founded in 2020 by a group of development professionals. ACE operates a portfolio of social programs rather than a unified technology platform, targeting disadvantaged communities in Bangladesh. Its primary programs include the Annapurna Project, which delivers nutrition, fair price shops, and community kitchens to ready-made garment (RMG) workers through on-premise facilities at partner factories such as Romo Fashion Today Ltd. and TeenAge Modern Fashion Ltd.; the IMPACT-GE project, which addresses plastic recycling and waste worker welfare across four wards of Dhaka South City Corporation in partnership with the Coca-Cola Foundation and SR Asia Bangladesh; and the DISC clinical trial, a smoking-cessation study among 440 Type 2 diabetic smokers conducted with Enam Medical College & Hospital and Centre for Substance Use Research (CSUR, Glasgow). Additional programs cover disaster response (floods across 11 districts), senior homecare, and waste management training in Patuakhali.

ACE's business model is grant-funded: revenue derives from international foundations (Auchan Foundation, Coca-Cola Foundation, The Ocean Foundation, Foundation for a Smoke-Free World), corporate partnerships, individual donations through its website, and modest social-enterprise income from fair price shop and community kitchen sales. The organization operates three sister-concern subsidiaries — Charka Consulting Limited, Advanced Circular Economy Limited, and GreenBiz cooperative — which provide research, consulting, and circular-economy services. With 8 employees and operations spanning Dhaka, Gazipur, Savar, Patuakhali, Rangpur Division, and southeastern Bangladesh, ACE is a small, project-funded NGO that relies on partner factories, municipal bodies, and international research institutions to deliver programs at scale.

The organization holds dual registration with the Bangladeshi Ministry of Social Welfare (2021) and the NGO Affairs Bureau under the Prime Minister's Office (2023). Its beneficiary segments include the 4.4 million RMG workers in Bangladesh (particularly the 77-80% of female workers experiencing anemia), urban waste workers, disaster-affected populations, and clinical trial participants. No proprietary technology platforms, AI/ML capabilities, or patents are disclosed; the organization's competitive position is built on its factory-embedded distribution channels, multi-funder relationships, and integrated program portfolio.

Name

Association for Community Empowerment (ACE)

Legal name

Association for Community Empowerment

Website

https://ace.org.bd

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Association for Community Empowerment (ACE) is a Dhaka-based Bangladeshi non-profit founded in 2020 that runs nutrition, recycling, and health programs for RMG workers, waste workers, and disaster-affected communities, funded by international foundations and delivered through factory partnerships and three sister-concern social enterprises.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGABAN

Human Rights, Social Inclusion & Disability Inclusion

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/International Development & Poverty Alleviation

Keywords

• Community development services
• RMG worker welfare
• Nutrition and health programs
• Waste management initiatives
• Social enterprise consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Dhaka

HQ country

Bangladesh

HQ region

Asia

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants: Primary funding from international foundations including Auchan Foundation, Coca-Cola Foundation, The Ocean Foundation, and The Foundation for a Smoke-Free World.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Funding and support from corporations for specific projects and social enterprise initiatives.
3. Donations: Individual donations through website donation portal for supporting ACE programs and initiatives.
4. Social Enterprise Operations: Revenue from fair price shops and community kitchens through product sales and services.

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Association for Community Empowerment (ACE) is a non-governmental development organization that designs and implements social programs targeting disadvantaged communities in Bangladesh. Its core offerings include the Annapurna Project (nutritious food access and fair price shops for RMG workers), IMPACT-GE (plastic recycling and waste management), DISC clinical research (tobacco harm reduction among Type 2 diabetic smokers), and sister-concern social enterprises covering consulting, circular economy, and cooperative recycling. ACE is funded primarily by international foundations, corporate partnerships, and individual donations.

Product overview

ACE is a non-profit development organization that operates as a portfolio of social programs rather than a unified technology product. Its core offerings include the Annapurna Project (nutrition and health access for RMG workers through fair price shops and community kitchens), IMPACT-GE (plastic recycling and waste management), DISC (tobacco harm reduction clinical research), and sister concerns Charka Consulting, Advanced Circular Economy Limited, and GreenBiz for specialized consulting and environmental services. These programs function independently under the ACE umbrella, each addressing specific development challenges in Bangladesh.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Annapurna Project: Project aimed at improving health, nutrition, and wellbeing of RMG workers and their family members through fair price shops and community kitchens, funded by Auchan Foundation.
• IMPACT-GE
• Community Kitchen
• Protein Nest Fair Price Shop

Products and services

• Annapurna Project
• IMPACT-GE (Integrated Management of Plastic Assortment and Contribution Towards Green Economy)
• Community Kitchen
• Fair Price Shops (Protein Nest)
• DISC (Diabetes and Smoking Cessation) Clinical Trial
• Charka Consulting Limited
• Advanced Circular Economy Limited
• GreenBiz Cooperative
• Co-Composting and Waste Management Training

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 2000 garment workers provided access to nutritious food through Protein Nest Fair Price Shop
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• TeenAge Modern Fashion LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 October 2022Partner factory for the Annapurna Project located at Hemayetpur, Savar. Another Fair Price Shop is being launched at this factory as part of the initiative to improve worker nutrition and wellbeing.
• Romo Fashion Today Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner factory for the Annapurna Project. Romo Fashion Today Ltd. launched the Protein Nest Fair Price Shop on October 10, 2022, providing more than 2000 garment workers with access to nutritious food and daily commodities at discounted prices. The factory hosts the Fair Price Shop and Community Kitchen.
• Mati Industries LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMati Industries Limited establishes and operates fair-price model shops in garment factories as part of the Annapurna Project partnership.
• Enam Medical College & Hospital (EMCH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership for the DISC project (Diabetes and Smoking Cessation) focused on tobacco harm reduction intervention for Type 2 diabetic smokers. Study conducted at their Savar facility.
• Centre for Substance Use Research (CSUR) Ltd., Glasgow, UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research partner for the DISC project developing clinical trial protocol for smoking cessation among Type 2 diabetic smokers in Bangladesh. Dr. Farhana Haseen from CSUR provided keynote address and comprehensive approach in developing research protocol.
• GreenBizcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial enterprise partner for IMPACT-GE project. GreenBiz is a 300-person cooperative where women lead in collecting and sorting plastic waste from households and businesses. Project focuses on circular economy approach to plastic recycling.
• Advanced Circular Economy LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial enterprise partner for IMPACT-GE project running The Integrated Management of Plastic Assortment & Contribution Towards Green Economy. Operates a 300-person cooperative focusing on plastic recycling with women leadership.
• Charka Consulting LimitedsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister concern organization working on research, development communication, corporate social responsibility, environmental sustainability, and community art projects. Helps develop community empowerment as a development communication firm.
• RDRS BangladeshminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerACE conducted evaluation of RDRS Core Comprehensive Programme 2020-2022 covering 8 districts in Rangpur Division and parts of Jamalpur. Evaluation included beneficiary surveys, FGDs, and SWOCs.
• CODECsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for co-composting consultancy service in Patuakhali municipality. Mr. Md. Kamal Hossain, Finance Officer, CODEC Office, contributed to the waste management workshop.
• NRB HUB.comminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Premium Senior Homecare Project launched in collaboration with Anand Pragani Community. Asif Jahan, CEO of NRB HUB.com and Panel-XP, participated in the round table meeting.
• Anand Pragani CommunityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Premium Senior Homecare Project in collaboration with NRB Community. Round table meeting held in Dhanmondi on January 2 for elderly care project.
• Patuakhali MunicipalitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for co-composting consultancy service and waste management training at Jainkathi Co-Compost Plant. Patuakhali Municipality provides potential waste workers for the training program.
• Dhaka South City CorporationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking in four wards under Dhaka South City Corporation for IMPACT-GE project to improve plastic recycling and waste worker safety. Shafiqur Rahman, Ward Commissioner, DSCC, attended project inauguration.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CARE Bangladesh: CARE's Bangladesh country office runs women's empowerment, health, and disaster-response programs with similar target populations (women workers, marginalized communities). Closely comparable programmatic model.
• WaterAid Bangladesh: INGO operating in Bangladesh with community-led WASH programs targeting urban waste workers and marginalized populations. Comparable on integrated community-program structure and urban informal-worker focus.
• Practical Action Bangladesh: INGO working with poor communities on climate adaptation, waste management, and livelihoods in Bangladesh. Closely comparable on plastic-recycling and waste-worker empowerment (overlaps with IMPACT-GE).
• BRAC: Largest Bangladesh-based development NGO operating across community empowerment, women's empowerment, health, education, and microfinance. Most direct comparable on ACE's core mission of integrated community development within Bangladesh.
• RDRS Bangladesh: Bangladesh-based NGO focused on poverty alleviation in Rangpur Division and climate-vulnerable communities — ACE has already evaluated its programs, signaling functional comparability.
• Concern Worldwide Bangladesh: INGO operating extreme-poverty and climate-resilience programs in Bangladesh with comparable beneficiary-targeting approach and donor-funded operating model.
• Mercy Corps Bangladesh: INGO with Bangladesh programs in climate adaptation, economic recovery, and youth employment. Comparable on multi-program NGO structure and climate-vulnerable community focus.

Others

• SAARC Development Fund: Regional development financier supporting community-empowerment projects across South Asia. Comparable as an ecosystem participant/funding counterpart for ACE-type integrated programs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ACEBangladesh
• Facebookfacebook.com/ace.org.bd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ace-org-bd
• Instagraminstagram.com/ace.org.bd
• Xx.com/ACEBangladesh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Association for Community Empowerment (ACE)