The Crawford Fund

What The Crawford Fund does

The Crawford Fund is an Australian non-profit charitable organization (ABN 86 141 714 490) founded in 1986 by Emeritus Prof Derek Tribe AO OBE, headquartered in Canberra with a small staff of 23 and eight State/Territory committees (ACT, NSW, NT, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC, WA). Its mission is to support international agricultural research for development (Ag4Dev) by highlighting the benefits to both Australia and developing countries, training developing-country scientists and farmers, and supporting young Australians in careers, studies, and volunteering for food and nutrition security.

The Fund operates a portfolio of interconnected programs rather than a single product. The Training Program delivers Master Classes and hands-on agricultural science training that has reached 12,500+ developing-country scientists, extension staff, and farmers across Asia, Africa, and the Pacific. The Mentoring Program places experienced Australian mentors alongside volunteers and researchers in Laos (since 2009), Timor-Leste, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The Next Gen stream encompasses the RAID Network for early-career researchers, the Scholar Program (~40–48 young Australians per year at $2,000 per scholarship), Student Awards (~$3,500 each), and the Henzell Awards. An Annual Food Security Conference and a monthly 'Highlights' e-newsletter serve as convening and dissemination platforms.

The business model is donation-driven under Australian charity law (donations over $2.00 are tax-deductible), with preset tiers of $50–$3,500 plus custom and monthly options, and designated giving for Training, Next Gen, and Mentoring. The Fund is independent of government but works alongside ACIAR as its flagship institutional partner, with most Crawford Fund training explicitly linked to ACIAR projects; additional strategic partners include IRRI, WorldFish, UNDP, FAO, CGIAR, the Australian Volunteer Program, Australian universities, and government research bodies in partner countries. There are no external funding rounds, no subsidiaries, and no commercial revenue streams.

Name

The Crawford Fund

Legal name

The Crawford Fund

Website

https://crawfordfund.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Crawford Fund is an Australian non-profit charitable organization founded in 1986 that supports international agricultural research for development through training, mentoring, and scholarship programs serving developing-country scientists, farmers, and young Australian researchers across Asia-Pacific and Africa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Agricultural Development Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry (115), Support Activities for Forestry (11531)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Foundation/NGO & Philanthropic Scholarships (EDAIAOAH), Research Grants, Fellowships & Stipends (International) (EDAIAOAJ), Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Funds (FSANAJAE)

Keywords

• Agricultural research development
• Capacity building training
• Food security programs
• Agricultural mentoring programs
• International development charity

Headquarters

HQ city

Canberra

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The Crawford Fund operates as a registered charity (ABN 86 141 714 490) that relies on donations from individuals, organizations, and supporters. Donations over $2.00 are tax deductible in Australia. The organization receives support through designated donations for training, mentoring, and next generation programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Crawford Fund is a non-profit organization that delivers hands-on agricultural training, mentoring, scholarships and conferences to build the capacity of developing country scientists and farmers and to support young Australian researchers. Its core activities include Training Programs (including Master Classes benefiting 12,500+ participants), a Mentoring Program placing experienced Australian mentors with volunteers and researchers in Laos, Timor-Leste, Cambodia and Vietnam, the RAID Network for early-career researchers, the Crawford Fund Scholar Program, Crawford Fund Student Awards, and an Annual Food Security Conference.

Product overview

The Crawford Fund is a charitable organization focused on international agricultural research for development (Ag4Dev), not a commercial product or software platform. It offers a portfolio of interconnected programs including Training (Master Classes and hands-on training for developing country scientists), Mentoring (supporting volunteers and researchers in Laos, Timor-Leste, Cambodia, and Vietnam), and Next Gen initiatives (RAID Network, Scholar Program, Student Awards). The Fund also runs annual food security conferences and publishes the Highlights e-newsletter. These programs work together to build capacity in international agricultural research while supporting young Australians in their careers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RAID Network: A national network to connect, engage and support agricultural researchers working in international development
• Crawford Fund Scholar Program
• Crawford Fund Student Awards
• Crawford Fund Mentoring Program

Products and services

• Training Program Hands-on agricultural science training for developing country scientists, extension staff and farmers across Asia, Africa and the Pacific, including the Master Classes initiative, benefiting over 12,500 people globally. Training is largely linked to ACIAR research projects and is delivered with Australian university staff and overseas counterparts.
• Mentoring Program Long-running mentoring program placing experienced Australian mentors with Australian Volunteers and developing country researchers and farming communities in Laos, Timor-Leste, Cambodia and Vietnam, providing continuity of technical support and capacity building.
• RAID Network National network connecting, engaging and supporting early to mid-career Australian researchers in agriculture and international development. Operates as an independent committee of the Fund and partners on outreach, capacity building and State Committee programs.
• Crawford Fund Scholar Program Annual conference scholarship program for young students and scientists with interest in international agricultural research, offering learning, networking and mentoring opportunities at the Crawford Fund annual conference.
• Crawford Fund Student Awards
• Annual Food Security Conference
• Volunteering Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 10:1 benefit-cost ratio on agricultural research investments
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• RAID NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRAID (Researchers in Agriculture for International Development) is a national network operated as an independent committee of the Fund. It connects, engages and supports up-and-coming researchers in Australia with an interest in agriculture and international development. RAID members work with the Crawford Fund in outreach, capacity building and State Committee programs.
• ACIAR (Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerACIAR is the primary Australian government agency delivering international agricultural research. The Crawford Fund works alongside ACIAR to build capacity of scientists and farmers, enhancing ACIAR's activities through training, mentoring, and outreach programs. Most Crawford Fund training is linked to ACIAR projects.
• IRRI (International Rice Research Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRRI is a CGIAR research center focused on rice research. The Crawford Fund sponsors young Australians to attend IRRI's 'Rice: Research to Production' course in the Philippines, providing intensive training on rice production systems.
• WorldFishcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorldFish is a CGIAR research organization focused on fisheries and aquaculture. The Crawford Fund supports students working with WorldFish on fisheries research projects in Pacific Island countries including Solomon Islands.
• UNDP (United Nations Development Program)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNDP is a UN agency focused on development. The Crawford Fund supports students interning with UNDP on agribusiness development projects, particularly in Timor-Leste.
• Australian Volunteer ProgramcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Australian Volunteer Program is a Australian Government initiative. The Crawford Fund helps place and develop Australian agricultural volunteers through this program, with donations supporting additional equipment and impact for volunteer work.
• CGIAR SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCGIAR is a global research partnership for a food-secure future. The Crawford Fund supports and collaborates with CGIAR centers including IRRI and WorldFish, and advocates for continued Australian investment in CGIAR.
• FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAO is a UN agency focused on agriculture and food security. Crawford Fund mentors and volunteers collaborate with FAO on projects and initiatives in developing countries.
• Australian Universities and Research InstitutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIncludes University of Sydney, Charles Sturt University, Australian National University, and others. These institutions provide researchers, mentors, and host student projects. Crawford Fund training involves collaboration between Australian university staff and overseas counterparts.
• Timor-Leste Ministry of Agriculture and FisheriescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGovernment ministry leading agricultural development in Timor-Leste. Crawford Fund mentoring program provides strategic support to address constraints to nutrition-sensitive agriculture in partnership with MAF personnel.
• Royal Government of Cambodia - Research InstitutescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCrawford Fund mentor Dr Peter Batt works with Cambodian research institutes and government bodies to identify opportunities for Australian volunteers and training programs to add value to rural development activities.
• Lao PDR Agricultural Research InstitutionscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLong-running mentoring program in Laos since 2009, supporting young Australian volunteers to improve crop and soil health, biosecurity, and food safety in partnership with Lao agricultural institutions.
• Vietnam Academy of Forest Science (VAFS)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCrawford Fund mentor Dr Chris Beadle works with Vietnam's Silvicultural Research Institute and other institutes within VAFS to support smallholder timber and pulpwood producers and build scientific publishing capabilities.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Farm Africa: UK-based NGO focused on training and supporting African farmers and researchers in sustainable agriculture and food security. Comparable capacity-building and farmer-training mission across developing regions, with similar grant/donation funding model.
• Australian Volunteers International: Operates the Australian Volunteer Program, which Crawford Fund uses as a channel partner for placing agricultural volunteers in developing countries. Both organizations share the mission of placing skilled Australians in international development roles.
• Self Help Africa: International development NGO working on agricultural training, farmer enterprise, and food security in sub-Saharan Africa. Directly comparable training-and-capacity-building mission for smallholder farmers in developing regions.
• APAARI (Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions): Regional association facilitating agricultural research and capacity building across the Asia-Pacific — the same geography Crawford Fund focuses on for mentoring and training. Both convene regional stakeholders and support institutional development in partner countries.

Broad incumbents

• TechnoServe: International nonprofit that works with enterprising people in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. Comparable focus on agricultural capacity building and economic development in developing regions.
• CABI (Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International): Not-for-profit inter-governmental organization providing scientific expertise, training, and information in agricultural research for development. Comparable scientific capacity-building mission and global footprint in plant health and food security.
• Heifer International: Large international nonprofit working to end hunger and poverty through sustainable agriculture and livestock training. Operates a comparable farmer-training model across developing countries, although at much larger scale and with different funding mechanisms.
• AGRA (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa): African-led institution working to transform agriculture from a subsistence model into a competitive, sustainable system. Shares the agricultural development and capacity-building mission, though focused on the African continent rather than Asia-Pacific.
• CGIAR: Global agricultural research partnership whose centers (IRRI, WorldFish, CIMMYT, ICRISAT) Crawford Fund directly partners with and advocates for. Both entities fund agricultural research and capacity building for food security in developing countries.
• ACIAR (Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research): Australian government agency that commissions and manages international agricultural research. Crawford Fund is its flagship capacity-building partner and most Crawford training is linked to ACIAR projects, making it the closest institutional counterpart.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-crawford-fund

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Crawford Fund