Manos Unidas
Manos Unidas is the official development NGO of the Catholic Church in Spain, founded in 1960 and headquartered in Madrid. It funds and implements international development cooperation projects, humanitarian emergency aid, and awareness campaigns across more than 50 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America through 450+ local partners and 6,900 volunteers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1960
- HeadquartersMadrid, Spain
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Manos Unidas does
Manos Unidas (legal name: Manos Unidas, Campaña contra el Hambre) is a Spanish non-governmental development organization founded in 1959-1960 and headquartered in Madrid. It is the official NGO of the Catholic Church in Spain for international development cooperation and operates as a registered religious entity with the Spanish Ministry of Justice (NIF G28567790). Its mission is the fight against hunger, poverty, and inequality, and the structural causes that produce them.
Its core service portfolio spans international development cooperation projects, education-for-development programs for Spanish society, emergency humanitarian aid, donation and membership programs, volunteer engagement, an annual nationwide awareness and fundraising campaign ('Declara la guerra al hambre'), and policy advocacy on climate justice, food rights, and corporate human rights. Implementation is delivered through a network of more than 450 local partners across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, working across seven thematic verticals: education, health, water and sanitation, women's rights and equity, human rights, food security and livelihoods, and environment/climate change. The technology layer is non-proprietary and limited to standard digital channels — the manosunidas.org donation site, social media properties, a BIZUM short-code, partner portal, and common marketing analytics tools (Google Analytics, Hotjar, Neural One).
Revenue is generated from three streams: individual donations and recurring memberships (socios), corporate partnerships with banks and foundations (Banco Sabadell, Banco Santander, Ferrovial, Fundación Real Madrid, Cadena 100, Fundación Pelayo), and institutional funding from AECID, the European Union, and Spanish regional governments. The organization employs 294 paid staff and mobilizes 6,900 volunteers across Spain; in 2025 it deployed over €41 million across 531 new projects in 52 countries, supporting more than 1 million people.
Manos Unidas firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Manos Unidas
- Legal name
- MANOS UNIDAS, CAMPAÑA CONTRA EL HAMBRE
- Website
- https://manosunidas.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1960
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Manos Unidas is the official development NGO of the Catholic Church in Spain, founded in 1960 and headquartered in Madrid. It funds and implements international development cooperation projects, humanitarian emergency aid, and awareness campaigns across more than 50 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America through 450+ local partners and 6,900 volunteers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Manos Unidas industry classification
Industry- Product category
- International Development Cooperation
- NAICS
- Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment (BPAGABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Education Access & Quality (International Development) (BPAGABAE), Institutional Capacity Building & Training (Workforce/Systems Strengthening) (BPADAEAC), Environment, Climate & Sustainable Development IGOs (BPADAAAI), Nutrition & Food Security (Global Health) NGOs (HLAJAKAH)
Keywords
Where Manos Unidas is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Madrid
- HQ country
- Spain
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Manos Unidas business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations and Memberships: Individual supporters contribute through one-time donations, monthly memberships (socios), and legacy gifts (testamento solidario). These form the core private funding base.
- Corporate Partnerships: Companies collaborate through sponsorships, cause marketing, and employee giving programs. Partners include Banco Sabadell, Banco Santander, Fundación Real Madrid, Ferrovial, and others.
- Institutional Funding: Funding from public institutions including AECID (Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation), the European Union, and regional governments (Generalitat Valenciana, Junta de Castilla-La Mancha, etc.) for specific development and humanitarian projects.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Manos Unidas product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Manos Unidas is the Catholic Church's official NGO in Spain for international development cooperation. It funds and implements development projects in over 50 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America through 450+ local partners, delivers emergency humanitarian aid, and runs development education and social awareness programs for Spanish society to address hunger, poverty, and inequality.
Product overview
Manos Unidas is a non-governmental development organization (NGO) affiliated with the Catholic Church in Spain. Rather than a traditional technology product company, it offers a portfolio of charitable programs and services including international development cooperation projects, humanitarian emergency response, awareness/education programs for Spanish society, membership/donation programs, and volunteer opportunities. The organization operates across seven thematic areas: education, health, water and sanitation, women's rights and equity, human rights, food and livelihoods, and environment/climate change. Its work spans over 50 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America through partnerships with local organizations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1 million people supported in 2025
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Manos Unidas
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Manos Unidas technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Manos Unidas partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
25 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Fomento de la Vida (FOVIDA)coreLocal partner in Peru implementing the 'Justicia Climática' project for agroecology and women's leadership in Junín and Huancavelica regions, with a budget of 559,742 euros.
- Fundación PelayomajorFoundation supporting Manos Unidas' program against human trafficking in the Cambodia-Thailand border region, specifically in Poipet city, providing assistance to victims and families at risk.
- Caritas FreetowncoreLocal partner implementing the REAR project for rehabilitation and empowerment of youth addicted to kush in Sierra Leone. Provides agricultural training and psychological support.
- Generalitat ValencianamajorGovernment institution co-financing the agroecology and women's leadership project in Peru.
- U4IMPACTminorUniversity collaboration platform connecting students with social impact projects, supporting the Peru project with innovation challenges and hackathons.
- AECID (Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo)coreSpanish government agency for international development cooperation. Has conventions and collaboration agreements supporting development and humanitarian projects.
- Unión EuropeacoreEuropean Union co-finances development projects in Latin America, Asia, and Africa through Manos Unidas partnerships.
- Banco SabadellminorPrivate banking institution partnering with Manos Unidas for development projects.
- Banco SantanderminorMajor Spanish bank collaborating with Manos Unidas as a corporate partner.
- Fundación Real MadridminorFoundation of Real Madrid football club partnering with Manos Unidas for social projects.
- Cadena 100minorSpanish radio station collaborating with Manos Unidas for campaigns like education projects in Syria.
- FerrovialminorSpanish infrastructure company partnering with Manos Unidas for development initiatives.
- Delegación Diocesana de Migraciones (DDM) de TángercoreLocal church organization in Morocco working with migrants, including sub-Saharan migrants, sharing experiences with Manos Unidas youth volunteers.
- Asociación HanancoreLocal partner in Morocco working for inclusion of children with disabilities through early intervention, therapies, and educational activities.
- ATILcoreLocal partner in Morocco promoting access to education, women's autonomy, and social inclusion through dialogue and North-South cooperation.
- CIDSEmajorInternational coalition of Catholic development organizations working on justice, climate, and human rights advocacy.
- CONCORDmajorEuropean confederation of development NGOs for policy advocacy and coordination.
- Coordinadora ONGDEmajorSpanish national coordination of development NGOs for joint advocacy and representation.
- Dicasterio para el Servicio del Desarrollo Humano IntegralcoreVatican department for integral human development, aligning with Manos Unidas' Catholic mission.
- Instituto de Desarrollo y Medio Ambiente (IDMA)corePeruvian organization with 40 years of experience in sustainable rural development, implementing agroecological project in Castrovirreyna.
- Asociación de Antiguos Alumnos del CEFANcoreAssociation of former agricultural training center students in Foumban, Cameroon, implementing agro-livestock productivity improvement project.
- Generalitat ValencianamajorRegional government of Valencia supporting development projects and humanitarian initiatives.
- Junta de Castilla-La ManchamajorRegional government supporting development and education projects.
- Xunta de GaliciamajorRegional government of Galicia supporting development cooperation projects.
- Oficina de Desarrollo de la Diótesis de KikwitcoreDiocesan development office in the Democratic Republic of Congo implementing food security and agriculture projects.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Manos Unidas competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ayuda en Acción: Major Spanish international development NGO operating in multiple countries across Latin America, Africa, and Asia, with similar funding model (individual donations, corporate partnerships, institutional grants) and overlapping programmatic focus on rural development, education, and child welfare.
- World Vision España: Spanish arm of World Vision International, a faith-inspired child-focused development and humanitarian organization. Competes in the same faith-based and child-welfare sponsorship space, with comparable local partner execution model and corporate fundraising channels.
- Cruz Roja Española: Spanish Red Cross, a large humanitarian organization with extensive volunteer base, significant institutional funding, and operations in emergency response and development — competing directly with Manos Unidas for Spanish donor support and government partnerships.
- Médicos del Mundo España: Spanish chapter of the Doctors of the World international network, focused on health access, humanitarian emergencies, and vulnerable populations. Competes for Spanish donors, AECID grants, and EU funding while operating in overlapping geographies.
- Save the Children España: Spanish arm of the global child rights organization, operating through local partners in developing countries with comparable fundraising channels (individuals, corporates, institutional) and competing for Spanish institutional grants from AECID and the EU.
- Oxfam Intermón: Spanish affiliate of the Oxfam international development confederation, operating in similar thematic sectors (food security, women's rights, humanitarian response) and competing for the same institutional and individual donor pool in Spain. Most direct large-scale non-faith-based peer.
- Cáritas España: Official Catholic Church social outreach organization in Spain, deeply comparable in faith-based positioning, parish-network distribution model, and volunteer-led fundraising. Competes for the same Catholic donor base and institutional funders while addressing overlapping themes of poverty, exclusion, and international development.
- Acción contra el Hambre: Spanish-headquartered international NGO focused on hunger eradication, food security, and humanitarian emergencies. Operates through local partners in dozens of countries, raises funds in Spain via individual donations and corporate partnerships, and competes directly with Manos Unidas for Spanish donor wallets and institutional grants.
- Entreculturas: Jesuit-founded Spanish NGO focused on education and social inclusion in developing countries, with similar Catholic-affiliated identity, volunteer base, and fundraising through parish and school networks. Strong thematic overlap in education access and human rights advocacy.
Broad incumbents
- UNICEF España: Spanish national committee of UNICEF, a multilateral UN agency with substantially larger scale and global recognition. Competes for Spanish corporate partnerships and individual donations in the children's rights and development space, with broader programmatic reach but less granular local presence.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Manos Unidas social profiles
Digital presenceManos Unidas financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Manos Unidas leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Manos Unidas funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Manos Unidas M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Manos Unidas
What does Manos Unidas do?
Manos Unidas is the Catholic Church's official NGO in Spain for international development cooperation. It funds and implements development projects in over 50 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America through 450+ local partners, delivers emergency humanitarian aid, and runs development education and social awareness programs for Spanish society to address hunger, poverty, and inequality.
Is Manos Unidas a public or private company?
Manos Unidas is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Manos Unidas founded?
Manos Unidas was founded in 1960. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Manos Unidas based?
Manos Unidas is headquartered in Madrid, Spain, in the Europe region.
How does Manos Unidas make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations and Memberships are the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships and institutional Funding.
Who are Manos Unidas's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ayuda en Acción, World Vision España, Cruz Roja Española, Médicos del Mundo España, Save the Children España, Oxfam Intermón, Cáritas España, Acción contra el Hambre and Entreculturas. UNICEF España is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Manos Unidas have an API?
No public API is recorded for Manos Unidas.
What industry is Manos Unidas in?
Manos Unidas's product category is International Development Cooperation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGABAA, Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment, with a secondary code of BPAGABAE, Education Access & Quality (International Development). Its NAICS code is 813.