Social and Economic Action for Lebanon (SEAL)

What Social and Economic Action for Lebanon (SEAL) does

Social and Economic Action for Lebanon (SEAL) is a New York-headquartered non-profit economic development organization founded in 1997 to provide sustainable economic opportunities for underserved Lebanese communities. SEAL operates a grant funding program that accepts applications on two annual deadlines (April 30 and October 31) and directs capital, equipment, business training, and infrastructural interventions to local groups across six focus areas: Agriculture Production, Water and Irrigation, Women in the Workforce, Environment, Humanitarian, and Training and Business Skills (which includes vocational training, IT training, business skills, and training for women as sub-programs). Project sourcing is community-driven: SEAL's Project Manager in Lebanon cultivates relationships with local public officials, professional organizations, and NGOs, while Board members and Friends of SEAL also refer opportunities, and all projects undergo due diligence against mission fit, milestone impact, and non-discriminatory criteria.

SEAL's business model is donation-funded, with contributions coming primarily from Lebanese-Americans and friends of Lebanon in the United States. A distinctive governance feature is that SEAL's Officers and Directors personally cover all operational costs of the organization, so that 100% of contributions are attributed to funding projects. The organization supplements donations with annual benefit galas and a California-based affiliate (SEAL Californie), generating single-event gross proceeds on the order of $1 million (e.g., 2022 silver jubilee and November 2025). SEAL holds Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 2019, which enhances its institutional standing. There is no technology product or platform; SEAL's "offering" is programmatic grant-making and field support, not a software or AI system.

Name

Social and Economic Action for Lebanon (SEAL)

Legal name

Economic and Social Action for Lebanon (SEAL)

Website

https://seal-usa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SEAL is a New York-based non-profit founded in 1997 that funds equipment, training, and infrastructure projects for underserved Lebanese communities across agriculture, water, women in the workforce, environment, humanitarian, and business skills focus areas. Contributions are sourced primarily from Lebanese-Americans in the US.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-profit Economic Development Grants

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

akta.pro primary industry

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Nonprofit grant funding
• Community economic development
• Humanitarian aid programs
• Vocational training services
• Agricultural development grants

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Contributions and Donations: SEAL is funded primarily by Lebanese-Americans and friends of Lebanon in the United States of America. A full list of contributors is sent with the yearly newsletter every January. SEAL's Officers and Directors fund all operational costs of the organization, ensuring that 100% of all contributions get attributed to funding SEAL projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SEAL is a non-profit that funds sustainable economic development projects in underserved Lebanese communities by awarding grants to communities, cooperatives, municipalities, and non-profit organizations. It provides equipment, business training, and infrastructural interventions across five priority sectors: Land & Agriculture, Water & Irrigation, Women in the Workforce, Fishing, and Business Skills. The organization sources projects through referrals and its Lebanon-based Project Manager, conducts due diligence, and monitors implementation to drive long-term self-sufficiency.

Product overview

SEAL (Social and Economic Action for Lebanon) is a non-profit organization that provides sustainable economic opportunities for underserved Lebanese communities through grant programs and direct interventions. The organization operates a grant funding program as its core offering, supporting projects across six focus areas: Agriculture Production, Water and Irrigation, Women in the Workforce, Environment, Humanitarian response, and Training and Business Skills. Within Training and Business Skills, there are four sub-programs: Vocational Training, Training for Women, Information Technology Training, and Business Skills. The organization sources projects across Lebanon, conducts due diligence, and funds initiatives that result in long-term self-sufficiency for beneficiaries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Grant Programs for Economic Development

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Joseph G. Audi / InterAudi Banknotable supporterOthers · 9 March 2024Joseph G. Audi, President and Founder of InterAudi Bank, was honored at SEAL's 2024 event as a distinguished supporter of the organization's mission to provide sustainable economic opportunities for underserved Lebanese communities.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Save the Children Lebanon: Large international NGO with established Lebanon operations covering livelihoods, education, and child welfare. Comparable in multi-sector development and crisis-response mandate but operating globally at significantly larger scale.
• Catholic Relief Services (CRS): Large faith-based humanitarian organization with substantial Lebanon operations supporting livelihoods, agriculture, and humanitarian response. Comparable in sectoral focus on agriculture and economic empowerment, though operating at much larger scale.
• International Rescue Committee (IRC): Major humanitarian NGO with active Lebanon operations addressing economic and humanitarian needs of vulnerable populations. Comparable in crisis-response and economic-recovery mandate but with vastly larger global footprint.
• Mercy Corps: Large international humanitarian and economic development organization with significant ongoing Lebanon programming. Comparable in target geography and economic-development mandate, but operates at much greater scale and scope across many countries.

Direct peers

• World Vision Lebanon: Major child-focused humanitarian NGO with active Lebanon programming across livelihoods, agriculture, and emergency response. Comparable in target geography and multi-sectoral development model.
• René Moawad Foundation: Lebanese foundation supporting rural development, agriculture, and economic empowerment in underserved regions of Lebanon. Highly comparable as a Lebanon-focused grantmaking and community-development organization.
• Relief International: International humanitarian and development nonprofit operating in Lebanon with grants and programs targeting economic self-sufficiency. Directly comparable in country focus and community-led development approach.
• Hariri Foundation: Lebanese diaspora-founded philanthropic organization supporting education, economic development, and humanitarian causes in Lebanon. Highly comparable as a Lebanese-American grantmaking and development institution serving similar communities.
• ANERA (American Near East Refugee Aid): U.S.-based nonprofit delivering development and humanitarian aid across the Middle East including Lebanon, with a comparable model of community-driven project funding. Directly comparable in mission, geography, and beneficiary profile.
• Caritas Lebanon: Lebanese humanitarian and development confederation providing livelihoods, agriculture, and emergency support to underserved Lebanese communities. Directly comparable in mission, country focus, and beneficiary profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sealforlebanon
• Facebookfacebook.com/SEALforLebanon
• Instagraminstagram.com/sealforlebanon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/social-and-economic-action-for-lebanon

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Social and Economic Action for Lebanon (SEAL)