French Red Cross Foundation

What French Red Cross Foundation does

The French Red Cross Foundation (Fondation Croix-Rouge française), operating from Montrouge and Paris, is a non-profit research foundation founded circa 2013 that finances and disseminates social science research to improve humanitarian and social action. It serves academic researchers in social sciences, humanitarian and social organizations, and field practitioners working on themes including health access, epidemics, climate and disasters, migration, humanitarian transition, and social cohesion. Headcount stands at 81 employees, and the Foundation maintains an independent identity while remaining structurally embedded within the French Red Cross Movement.

Its product portfolio comprises open-access publications (Les Papiers de la Fondation, Pratiques & Humanités, the Devenir Humanitaire book collection co-published with Karthala, L'Essentiel Scientifique, La Lettre de la Fondation newsletter), multimedia content (the En-Quête d'Humanité podcast distributed across Ausha, Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music, Canal U), programmatic services (Research Fellowships and "Tremplin" grants, Research Prizes, Bénévo'Lab, the APRIS workshop method, the Ebola Programme), and event series such as Rencontres de la Fondation and Instant Recherche webinars. There is no commercial SaaS, API, or software product; delivery relies on web-based digital publishing, podcast infrastructure, and in-person convenings rather than proprietary technology platforms.

The business model is donation- and grant-driven rather than revenue-commercial: income derives from individual and corporate donations, philanthropic partnerships (including AXA Research Fund), book sales via Karthala, and the parent French Red Cross relationship. All research outputs are released open-access at no cost to users, and fellowship applications are free. Customer segments span academic researchers, humanitarian and social NGOs (Croix-Rouge française itself, ACINA, Un Toit Pour Toi), and policy/field practitioners; go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, mediated through conferences, webinars, podcasts, and publications rather than conventional sales motion.

Name

French Red Cross Foundation

Legal name

Fondation Croix-Rouge française

Website

https://fondation-croix-rouge.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The French Red Cross Foundation is a non-profit research foundation, founded circa 2013 with 81 employees, that finances and disseminates social science research on humanitarian and social action. It serves francophone academic researchers, humanitarian NGOs, and field practitioners through fellowships, research prizes, open-access publications, podcasts, webinars, and the APRIS methodology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Social Science Research Foundation

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Field-of-Study & Discipline-Specific Funding (EDAIAOAD), Global Health Research, Evidence & Technical Assistance Organizations (HLAJAKAN), International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

Keywords

• Humanitarian research funding
• Social science publications
• Research fellowships grants
• Open access humanitarian research
• Humanitarian podcasts dissemination

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Research Funding and Fellowships: The Foundation funds social science research through individual and postdoctoral fellowships, research prizes, and targeted research programs on humanitarian and social action themes.
2. Donations and Philanthropic Support: Individual and corporate donations support the Foundation's mission to finance and disseminate social science research. The Foundation actively promotes giving through its 'Faire un don' (Make a donation) program.
3. Partnership and Co-publishing Revenue: Partnerships with publishers like Karthala for the Devenir Humanitaire collection generate revenue through book sales while maintaining the Foundation's research dissemination mission.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The French Red Cross Foundation finances and disseminates social science research to improve humanitarian and social action. It funds individual researchers through fellowships, postdoctoral grants, and research prizes; produces open-access publications, podcasts, webinars, and thematic reports; and runs programs such as APRIS (post-research and social innovation workshops) and Bénévo'Lab to translate research findings into operational humanitarian practice.

Product overview

The French Red Cross Foundation is a research foundation (not a technology product company) that finances and disseminates social science research to improve humanitarian and social action. Its 'products' consist of publications (Les Papiers de la Fondation, Pratiques & Humanités, Devenir Humanitarian, L'Essentiel Scientifique, La Lettre de la Fondation, Alternatives Humanitaires journal), multimedia content (En-Quête d'Humanité podcast), and programs (research fellowships, APRIS workshops, Bénévo'Lab, Research Prizes, Ebola Programme). The Foundation also organizes the L'Instant Recherche webinar series and publishes thematic reports. The organization does not offer a commercial software product or SaaS platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• En-Quête d'Humanité Podcast Signature podcast presenting Foundation-supported research projects through researcher interviews, portraits, and accessible explanations of social science findings for humanitarian and social action practitioners; distributed across Ausha, Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music, Canal U, and Podcast Addict.
• Les Papiers de la Fondation Scientific working papers presenting research results from Foundation-supported researchers, formatted for both specialized and general audiences.
• Pratiques & Humanités (P&H) Four-page synthetic documents making research findings accessible in clear language without jargon, with attention to practical implications for humanitarian and social actors.
• Pratiques & Humanités – Croix-Rouge Compétence Research summaries from Croix-Rouge Compétence training programs, selected from the annual Young Researchers Congress, highlighting practical implications for health and social sector professionals.
• Devenir Humanitaire Book collection published in partnership with Karthala editions, compiling proceedings from Foundation-organized annual seminars, distributed in France and across African bookstores.
• L'Essentiel Scientifique Comprehensive scientific overview published for the Foundation's 10-year anniversary (2013-2023), containing capitalization and prospective elements on research themes and priority territories.
• La Lettre de la Fondation (Newsletter) Bilingual newsletter providing thematic updates on Foundation activities and research outcomes.
• Alternatives Humanitaires Journal Bilingual international review (French/English) dedicated to humanitarian reflection and debate, published three times annually, co-founded by the Foundation as a founding partner since 2016.
• Thematic and Geographic Reports (Rapports thématiques et géographiques) Thematic reports published based on supported research or research programs launched by the Foundation, covering specific topics and geographic areas of focus.
• APRIS (Atelier Post-Recherche et Innovation Sociale) Workshops A collaborative method developed by the Foundation to bridge research and practice, translating research findings into actionable change through stakeholder workshops and collective intelligence approaches.
• Bénévo'Lab A research initiative that empowers volunteers, staff, and field workers to find solutions to challenges encountered in daily Red Cross missions through tailored research.
• Research Prizes (Prix de Recherche) Annual awards recognizing outstanding researchers contributing to humanitarian and social action understanding, including winners such as Michel Agier (2022), Séverine Autesserre (2017), and Didier Fassin (2019).
• Research Fellowships (Bourses de Recherche) Funding programs supporting researchers including postdoctoral fellowships, individual grants, and specialized calls such as the 'Tremplin' grants for responsible and ethical use of technologies in humanitarian action.
• L'Instant Recherche Webinar Series Annual webinar series bringing together researchers and practitioners to discuss contemporary humanitarian challenges, covering topics such as epidemics, migrations, climate disasters, mental health, and harmful information.
• Ebola Programme Research Support Anthropological research program examining French Red Cross intervention perceptions during the Ebola epidemic in Guinea (2015-2016), including field surveys and experiential feedback from deployed expatriate staff.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10 years of accumulated social science research on humanitarian vulnerabilities (2013-2023)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• KarthalacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-publishing partnership for the Devenir Humanitaire book collection. Karthala's distribution network enables availability across French bookstores and throughout Africa, extending the Foundation's research reach beyond France.
• SixtineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction partnership for the En-Quête d'Humanité podcast series, providing audio production expertise and distribution support.
• BababamminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPodcast publisher partnership for the Maintenant vous savez podcast episode featuring the Foundation as part of Podcasthon 2026.
• EllyxcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport platform specialized in social innovation that the Foundation collaborated with to assist ACINA and Un Toit Pour Toi associations in strengthening their strategies and measuring social impact.
• Université Senghor d'AlexandriecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Francophonie university operator to deliver a two-day training module on humanitarian operations to Master's students in Development, conducted by Foundation researchers and network experts.
• Economix LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConvention with the economics research laboratory at Université Paris Nanterre and CNRS to host a Nigerien research laureate from the Foundation's 2017 cohort, providing academic infrastructure for research implementation.
• Alternatives Humanitaires Journal ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder and financial partner of the bilingual (French/English) Alternatives Humanitaires international journal dedicated to humanitarian reflection and debate, published three times annually. Founding partners include Benoît Miribel (Fondation Mérieux), Jean-Baptiste Richardier (Fondation Handicap International), Jean-Christophe Rufin (Fondation Action contre la Faim), and Jean-François Mattei/Virginie Troit (Fondation Croix-Rouge française).
• CRESPPA (GTM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration with CRESPPA laboratory (CNRS) for researcher Nina Sahraoui's Marie Sklodowska-Curie CYBERGEN project on gendered migration challenges.
• RC3 ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive member of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Research Consortium, a network of the Movement's research bodies, contributing to coordinated research efforts across the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
• Croix-Rouge CompétencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated organization operating 157 training institutes across 60 sites in 12 regions and overseas departments. The Foundation conducts research on learner well-being and mental health at these institutions and produces Pratiques & Humanités - Croix-Rouge Compétence publications highlighting student research.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Research and Innovation Unit: The global Red Cross Movement's central research body; co-member of the RC3 Consortium with the subject, conducts humanitarian policy and operational research at much larger scale with broader international scope but a similar Movement-affiliated research mission.
• Fondation de France: Largest French grantmaking foundation distributing philanthropic funds across humanitarian, social, environmental, and cultural causes; operates a broader portfolio but shares the French philanthropic infrastructure, donor base, and grantmaking methodology with the subject.
• Wellcome Trust: Large UK-based research foundation funding global health and social science research with comparable fellowship programs, open-access publication mandates, and humanitarian health focus; operates at substantially larger scale and primarily in English.
• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Research Unit: Embedded research function within a major humanitarian medical NGO; similar Movement-adjacent research positioning, conducts operational research and publishes findings on humanitarian action, though focused on medical/clinical themes rather than social sciences.
• Croix-Rouge française (French Red Cross): The parent Movement organization of which the subject Foundation is an affiliated entity; operates as a much larger incumbent providing direct humanitarian services, training, and healthcare across France, while the Foundation focuses on research funding and dissemination within the same Movement.

Regional players

• Université Senghor d'Alexandrie: Existing partner of the subject Foundation delivering joint humanitarian training; Francophonie-operated university providing master's-level education in development and humanitarian action across African and francophone countries, with parallel capacity-building and training mission in the same research ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Fondation Action contre la Faim: Co-founding partner of Alternatives Humanitaires journal; French humanitarian research foundation funding food security, nutrition, and humanitarian action research with parallel grantmaking, publication, and dissemination infrastructure.
• AXA Research Fund: Existing financial partner of the subject Foundation; both are philanthropic grantmaking bodies funding postdoctoral fellowships and academic research on themes including health, environment, and social vulnerability, with similar postdoctoral fellowship structures and academic dissemination channels.
• Fondation Mérieux: Independent French humanitarian foundation co-founding the Alternatives Humanitaires journal with the subject; both fund and disseminate social science research on global health and humanitarian action, with overlapping francophone networks and similar grantmaking-plus-publication models.
• Fondation Handicap International / Humanity & Inclusion: Co-founding partner of Alternatives Humanitaires journal; operates as both a humanitarian NGO and a research-focused foundation funding social science work on disability, vulnerability, and humanitarian action, with directly comparable mission and dissemination model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/FondationCroixRougefran%C3%A7aise
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fondation-croix-rouge-francaise

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about French Red Cross Foundation