Global Grassroots

What Global Grassroots does

Global Grassroots was a US-domiciled 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2004 that operated social-change programs for women in post-conflict East Africa, with field operations in Rwanda and Uganda. The organization employed approximately 14 staff and was led by founder Gretchen Ki Steidle and Managing Director Sara Taggart.

Its core offering was a proprietary "Conscious Social Change" methodology that integrated mindfulness, trauma healing, and social entrepreneurship training. This was delivered through a portfolio of programs including the Academy for Conscious Change, the Women & Water Leadership Initiative, the Young Women's Academy, Trauma Healing (in partnership with Breath-Body-Mind), and the Wisdom Lab. The Women & Water program combined clean water access with women's leadership development, contributing to 107,525 people receiving water access.

The business model was donations-based: Global Grassroots was funded through grants, foundations, and individual donors rather than commercial revenue. Over 17 years, the organization reported more than 1,600 women trained, 237,383 beneficiaries, and a 92% sustainability rate for water ventures. The organization concluded operations and dissolved its 501(c)(3) status in October 2023, with programmatic continuity reportedly transitioned to Africa-led successor entity Umurage Growth.

Name

Global Grassroots

Legal name

Global Grassroots

Website

https://globalgrassroots.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Closed

Short description

Global Grassroots was a US-based nonprofit that trained women in post-conflict Rwanda and Uganda using a "Conscious Social Change" methodology combining mindfulness, trauma healing, and social entrepreneurship. It dissolved operations in October 2023 after 17 years.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Impact Nonprofit Training Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Leadership, Civic Education & Service-Learning Nonprofits (BPAGADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Education, Skills & Workforce Development Aid Programs (BPADABAE), International & Local Implementing NGOs (HLAJAKAD), Community Development & Social Impact Programs (EDAIAGAA)

Keywords

• Social entrepreneurship training
• Mindfulness education programs
• Trauma healing workshops
• Women leadership development
• Nonprofit capacity building

Headquarters

HQ city

Kigali

HQ country

Rwanda

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Global Grassroots relied on donations and grants to fund its programs. The organization provided training, seed grants, and coaching to participants at no cost. Operations were funded through supporter contributions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Global Grassroots delivered a portfolio of nonprofit social programs centered on its Conscious Social Change methodology, which combines mindfulness, trauma-healing, and social entrepreneurship training. The flagship Academy for Conscious Change provided a two-week residential training plus seed grants and ongoing coaching for women in post-conflict East African communities to design and implement their own social purpose ventures. Supplementary programs included the Women & Water Leadership Initiative and the Young Women's Academy. Operations concluded in October 2023.

Product overview

Global Grassroots offered a portfolio of social programs centered on its Conscious Social Change methodology, which combines mindfulness, trauma-healing, and social entrepreneurship training. The core offerings included the Academy for Conscious Change (providing intensive two-week residential training with hands-on venture support), the Women & Water Leadership Initiative (focused on clean water access ventures led by women), and the Young Women's Academy (for youth empowerment). Supporting components included Trauma Healing services using Breath-Body-Mind (BBM) techniques and the Wisdom Lab for participatory research and impact documentation. As of October 2023, Global Grassroots dissolved its 501(c)(3) status, with legacy operations continuing through Umurage Growth in Rwanda.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Academy for Conscious Change: The organization's flagship training program combining intensive training with hands-on opportunities to apply mindful leadership skills while implementing a self-designed social purpose venture.
• Women's Water Leadership Initiative
• Young Women's Academy
• Conscious Social Change

Products and services

• Academy for Conscious Change A two-week residential training program combining mindfulness, trauma-healing, and social entrepreneurship that empowers women in post-conflict communities of Rwanda and Uganda to design and implement social purpose ventures; participants also received a small seed grant and ongoing hands-on coaching from Global Grassroots staff.
• Women & Water Leadership Initiative A program empowering trained women to lead water access ventures in rural Rwandan villages, integrating Conscious Social Change methodology with clean water infrastructure development; documented to provide 107,525 people with new access to clean water and a 92% venture sustainability rate over 15 years.
• Young Women's Academy A program for young women in East Africa providing personal growth work, agency development, and concrete social change skills to support their pathway into leadership and venture design.
• Wisdom Lab An initiative that elevates the voices and stories of grassroots change agents through digital storytelling, case studies, and participatory action research, including Ripple Effects Mapping, IPSOS evaluations, and team and community impact surveys.

Quantifiable outcome

• 237,383 beneficiaries impacted through social change programs since 2006
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered notable and core.

• UNDP Conscious Food Systems Alliance (CoFSA)notableStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal Grassroots' inner work for social change model was featured in the UNDP-funded Conscious Food Systems Alliance (CoFSA) Rationale for Action report, highlighting the organization's contribution to regenerative food systems through consciousness-based approaches.
• Oxford UniversitynotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal Grassroots' Young Women's Academy was featured in the Oxford Character Project report on character-based leadership education, positioning the organization's programs within academic research on leadership development.
• Breath-Body-Mind (BBM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBreath-Body-Mind technique, created by Drs. Richard Brown and Patricia Gerbarg, serves as a foundation of the Academy for Conscious Change. This trauma healing methodology is integrated into the core training curriculum.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Broad incumbents

• BRAC: One of the world's largest development NGOs operating programs across multiple countries including in East Africa. Comparable as a broad incumbent in international development and social entrepreneurship programming for underserved women, though BRAC operates at vastly greater scale and across sectors.
• Acumen: Global impact investor and social enterprise builder operating in East Africa. Comparable as a broader incumbent in social entrepreneurship support with patient capital, leadership development, and a strong measurement practice.

Direct peers

• Ashoka: Global network supporting social entrepreneurs including many women changemakers in Africa. Directly comparable as a fellow ecosystem builder identifying, training, and funding social entrepreneurs, with similar focus on grassroots leadership and changemaker development.
• WaterAid: International nonprofit focused on clean water access, sanitation, and hygiene in underserved communities. Directly comparable through its overlapping Women & Water Leadership Initiative work delivering community water access in Africa.
• charity: water: Nonprofit funding clean water projects in developing countries with strong donor engagement and impact reporting. Comparable as a peer organization focused on water access with strong storytelling and impact measurement practices.
• TechnoServe: Nonprofit working with enterprising people in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. Comparable as a direct peer in East Africa focused on entrepreneurial training and economic empowerment for underserved populations.
• Women for Women International: Nonprofit serving women survivors of war and conflict in countries including Rwanda with social and economic empowerment programming. Highly comparable given the post-conflict women empowerment focus and East Africa footprint.
• Room to Read: Nonprofit focused on literacy and gender equality in education across Asia and Africa. Comparable as a peer in education/youth development for girls in low-income countries with structured training programs and outcome measurement.
• Echoing Green: Organization that finds, invests in, and supports emerging leaders driving social change worldwide. Comparable as a direct peer identifying and funding social entrepreneurs with leadership development programming.

Regional players

• Segal Family Foundation: African-focused philanthropic foundation supporting grassroots social entrepreneurs across East and Southern Africa. Comparable as a peer funder of grassroots social change leaders in the same geographic footprint as Global Grassroots.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ggrassroots

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Global Grassroots