Philanthropy Connections Foundation

What Philanthropy Connections Foundation does

Philanthropy Connections Foundation (PCF) is a privately-held, non-profit foundation established in 2011 by Sallo Polak and registered both as Stichting Philanthropy Connections in the Netherlands and as Philanthropy Connections Foundation in Thailand (ฟิลันโทรปี คอนเนคชั่นส์). Headquartered in Chiang Mai with an additional Dutch entity holding an ABN AMRO account, PCF operates across Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia. Its core service is a two-step intermediation model: first, it identifies community-driven humanitarian and education initiatives started by local stakeholders; second, it connects those projects with sponsors willing to underwrite them. PCF's portfolio of 21 active projects spans eight service categories — childcare, community development, economic development, education, emergency relief, healthcare, infrastructure, and migrants/refugees support — delivered through a partner network of 10+ field organizations including Friends Without Borders, Myitkyina Diocese Development Department, Foundation for Applied Linguistics, IMPECT, and Ban Nai Soi Community Learning Centre. Its flagship productized offering is the PCF University Scholarships Programme, which funds tuition and living costs for underprivileged students.

There is no proprietary technology stack: the organization explicitly does not build its own software products and uses commodity infrastructure (DonorBox for donations, Brevo for email, QR-code payments via Tikkie in the Netherlands and Kasikorn Bank in Thailand, plus direct bank transfers). Its revenue model is donation- and sponsorship-based only, with sponsors underwriting entire projects and donors contributing either one-off, recurring, or larger gifts; PCF emphasizes 'very little overhead' as a value proposition. It maintains 11 employees and benefits from diplomat-level endorsement through Goodwill Ambassador Carter Duong, spouse of the Dutch Ambassador to Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. Since founding, PCF reports serving 'tens of thousands' of beneficiaries across Southeast Asia.

PCF's go-to-market is community-led and founder-network-driven, supplemented by event-based fundraising (marathons, 1,000-km walks), multilingual digital outreach (English, Thai, French website; Facebook; quarterly newsletters), and earned media via founder podcast appearances. It has pivoted its mission emphasis twice in the past five years — first toward emergency food relief during COVID-19 (distributing aid to over 1,020 migrant worker families) and subsequently toward IDP-focused programming in Karenni State following the 2021 Myanmar conflict — signaling operational adaptability within a stable small-team structure.

Name

Philanthropy Connections Foundation

Legal name

Stichting Philanthropy Connections

Website

https://philanthropyconnections.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Philanthropy Connections Foundation, founded in 2011, is a nonprofit operating in Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia. It connects donors and sponsors with community-initiated humanitarian, education, and refugee support projects, managing 21 active programs through a network of local implementing partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Aid and Community Development

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAKAA

Private Foundations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

SECONDARYBPAGAKAK

Education Grantmaking Foundations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

SECONDARYBPAGAKAH

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

SECONDARYEDADAHAC

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/Education Funding, Grants & Financial Aid Administration

SECONDARYBPAGAKAN

Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

Keywords

• Humanitarian aid services
• Education scholarships
• Emergency relief programs
• Community development
• Refugee assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Chiang Mai

HQ country

Thailand

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Sponsorship: PCF generates revenue entirely through donations and sponsorships. Sponsors fully underwrite entire projects while donors contribute to help sustain operations and found new projects. Donations can be one-off, recurring, or large contributions to fund complete projects.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Philanthropy Connections Foundation (PCF) operates a portfolio of humanitarian and community development programs that identify community-driven initiatives across Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia and connect them with individual and institutional sponsors willing to fund them. Its core offerings span eight program areas — childcare, community development, economic development, education, emergency relief, healthcare, infrastructure, and migrants/refugees support — alongside a flagship university scholarship program for underprivileged students. The foundation currently runs 21 active projects with minimal overhead, funded entirely through voluntary donations and sponsorships.

Product overview

Philanthropy Connections Foundation (PCF) operates as a charitable organization connecting community-driven initiatives with sponsors to help people in need. The organization's core offering is a portfolio of humanitarian and development programs spanning eight service categories: Childcare, Community Development, Economic Development, Education, Emergency Relief, Healthcare, Infrastructure, and Migrants/Refugees Support. PCF's flagship initiative is its University Scholarships Programme, which provides financial support to underprivileged students in Thailand and Myanmar. The organization facilitates donations through multiple channels including QR code systems (Tikkie for Netherlands, Kasikorn for Thailand) and direct bank transfers. Currently, PCF manages 21 active projects benefiting tens of thousands of beneficiaries since its founding in 2011, operating with minimal overhead to maximize impact.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Childcare Programs Programs providing care and developmental support for children in need across Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia.
• Community Development Programs Initiatives that strengthen and empower local communities through grassroots-driven projects.
• Economic Development Programs Projects focused on creating sustainable economic opportunities and livelihoods for vulnerable populations.
• Education Programs Educational support including schools, scholarships, teacher stipends, multilingual learning programs, and learning resources for underserved communities.
• Emergency Relief Programs Humanitarian aid and emergency response for communities affected by conflicts, disasters, or crises such as COVID-19 lockdowns.
• Healthcare Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• Tens of thousands of beneficiaries helped since 2011
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Friends Without Borders (FWB) FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018FWB was established in 1999 and registered as a nonprofit in 2008. They work primarily with refugees and displaced children in conflict-affected areas on the Thai-Myanmar border. Since October 2018, FWB has been running the 'SchoolPower' project in Karen State, Myanmar, with PCF's support. The program aims to strengthen quality of life for approximately 720 Karen children living in 9 communities.
• Myitkyina Diocese Development Department (MDDD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018MDDD is run by Bishop John Zau Li and supports communities throughout northern Myanmar. PCF partners with MDDD to provide educational opportunities for children in Kachin State, supporting volunteer teachers with financial assistance and training.
• Foundation for Applied Linguistics (FAL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017FAL supports educational development of ethnic children in Thailand through language programs that bridge the gap between local ethnic languages and Thai. PCF supports FAL programs at four schools in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces by providing top-ups to teacher salaries.
• Ban Wanaluang SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner school in Chiang Mai where PCF supports secondary scholarship students Piyawat and Mol.
• Koung Jor Shan Refugee Camp (KJSRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2012, PCF has worked with KJSRC leadership to award supplementary scholarships to Shan refugee students. The camp runs educational programs to prepare students for scholarships at English schools, with PCF covering basic living costs.
• Mehm Kan Kyi Education Network (MKK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMKK was founded by Min Thein Win in 2010 to support ethnic minority youth. Since 2015, PCF has supported MKK's Intensive English Career Bridging Programme through the Lucendi Foundation, training up to 60 talented young people annually.
• Fortune Community Health Group (FCHG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrassroots organization in Northern Thailand addressing health and human rights needs of Shan migrants. PCF partnered with FCHG to distribute emergency food support to 1,020 migrant worker families during COVID-19 lockdowns.
• Lahu Women OrganisationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal organization in Pying Mong village, Myanmar, working on education for Lahu ethnic minority communities. PCF supported construction of a new school building through this partner.
• Inter Mountain Peoples' Education and Culture in Thailand (IMPECT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThai-NGO run by and for indigenous, rural and poor communities of northern Thailand. IMPECT supports Ban Pha Lai Community School where PCF funded chairs, tables, and water tank covering. IMPECT works with 13 different ethnic groups.
• Ban Nai Soi Community Learning Centre (BNSCLC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides quality education, meals, and dormitories for migrant and refugee children on the Thai-Burma border. PCF supported construction of a new kitchen and reading room. BNSCLC received UNESCO's Wenhui Award in 2018.
• Karenni State Teachers Group (STF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal teachers organization in Karenni State providing internal training for IDP school teachers covering teaching methods, subject training, and emergency education including evacuation and child protection.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• World Vision: World Vision is a broad incumbent running education, child sponsorship and emergency relief programs across Southeast Asia including for displaced populations — a comparable mission delivered at much larger scale and through institutionalized donor channels.
• Catholic Relief Services: Catholic Relief Services is a broad incumbent delivering humanitarian and education programming for displaced and marginalized communities across Southeast Asia, including Myanmar — overlapping PCF's mission with much larger institutional scale.
• Right To Play: Right To Play is a broad incumbent delivering education and play-based learning programs to children in conflict-affected and refugee settings across Southeast Asia — a comparable beneficiary focus delivered through institutional donor funding.
• International Rescue Committee: The IRC is a broad incumbent delivering humanitarian aid, education and women's protection programming for refugees across Southeast Asia, including on the Thai-Burma border — overlapping PCF's refugee and displacement focus with substantial institutional funding.
• Save the Children: Save the Children is a broad incumbent delivering large-scale education, child protection and emergency relief across Southeast Asia, including for refugees and IDPs in Thailand and Myanmar — overlapping with PCF's mission at significantly greater scale and institutional funding base.
• UNICEF: UNICEF is a broad incumbent operating major education, child welfare and emergency response programs for refugee and IDP children in Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia — the same beneficiary populations PCF targets, with vastly larger institutional resources.

Direct peers

• Metta Foundation: Metta Foundation implements community development, education, and disaster relief programs in Myanmar through local partnerships. It is a direct peer in the same grantmaking-bridge niche PCF occupies in the region.
• The Border Consortium: The Border Consortium is a direct peer — a coalition of NGOs delivering food, shelter, education and humanitarian assistance to refugees along the Thai-Burma border, the same operational geography and beneficiary population PCF serves.
• Community Partners International: Community Partners International supports community-driven health and education initiatives in Myanmar, Thailand, and Bangladesh. It is a direct peer operating the same community-broker model and ethnic-minority beneficiary base as PCF.
• Shoklo Malaria Research Unit: Shoklo Malaria Research Unit provides health, education and research services to migrant and refugee populations on the Thai-Myanmar border — overlapping PCF's geographic focus and target community, with comparable scale and partnership-based delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PhilanthropyConnections
• Instagraminstagram.com/stepsforabrighterfuture
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/philanthropy-connections

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Philanthropy Connections Foundation