ShelterBox
ShelterBox is a UK-based international disaster relief charity providing emergency shelter, tools, and essential household items to families displaced by natural disasters and conflict across more than 20 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersTruro, Cornwall, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What ShelterBox does
ShelterBox is a UK-registered international disaster relief charity founded in 2000 and headquartered in Truro, Cornwall. The organization provides emergency shelter and essential non-food items — including tents, tarpaulins, shelter tool kits, blankets, mosquito nets, solar lights, kitchen sets, jerry cans, and sleeping mats — to families who have lost their homes due to natural disasters and conflict. As of FY2022, ShelterBox had spent £14 million supporting disaster-affected families with aid items, and the organization reports having helped over 3 million people since inception across an operating footprint spanning at least 20 country programs (including the Philippines, Bangladesh, Lebanon, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Myanmar, Mozambique, Madagascar, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Venezuela, Jamaica, and others). ShelterBox operates through 14 international affiliates in countries including Australia, Canada, the USA, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, New Zealand, and the BeLux region.
ShelterBox firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ShelterBox
- Legal name
- ShelterBox Trust
- Website
- https://shelterbox.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- ShelterBox is a UK-based international disaster relief charity providing emergency shelter, tools, and essential household items to families displaced by natural disasters and conflict across more than 20 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ShelterBox industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Humanitarian Disaster Relief Services
- NAICS
- Temporary Shelters (624221), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Emergency Shelter, Camp Coordination & Camp Management (CCCM) (BPADADAB), Emergency Shelter, NFIs & Winterization for Displaced Populations (BPADAHAG)
Keywords
Where ShelterBox is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Truro, Cornwall
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
ShelterBox business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Single donations and monthly recurring donations from individual supporters worldwide. Regular donations help maintain aid material levels globally for rapid disaster response.
- Book Club Subscription: Monthly book club subscription at £10/month, with members receiving a new book every six weeks. Books are voted on by members and inspired by places where ShelterBox works.
- Corporate Partnerships: Strategic partnerships with companies including donations, employee fundraising, event sponsorship, cause-related marketing, emergency giving, and gifts in kind. Corporate training programs also generate revenue.
- Virtual Gifts: Supporters can purchase virtual gifts corresponding to actual aid items, with gift certificates provided to donors.
- Legacy Gifts: Gifts in wills/bequests from supporters, accounting for approximately 1 in 6 of the families helped.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Book Club monthly subscription |
| Hybrid | Pay-as-you-go | Corporate Training Programs |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels10 records
ShelterBox product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ShelterBox is an international disaster relief charity that provides emergency shelter and essential aid items to families who have lost their homes due to natural disasters and conflict. It distributes physical aid packages including tents, tarpaulins, shelter tool kits, blankets, mosquito nets, solar lights, kitchen sets, jerry cans, and sleeping mats directly to affected populations. The organization also generates revenue through a Book Club subscription, virtual gift donations, corporate training programs, and volunteer ambassador networks to fund its humanitarian operations.
Product overview
ShelterBox is a humanitarian disaster relief organization providing emergency shelter and essential aid to families affected by conflict and natural disasters. The organization offers physical aid products (tents, tarpaulins, tools, blankets, solar lights, kitchen sets, water carriers, mosquito nets) through direct distributions, supplemented by fundraising programs including a Book Club subscription (£10/month), virtual gift donations, and corporate training services (Disaster Response Room and Unlock the Box). Volunteer programs include UK and Global Ambassador initiatives for community outreach and awareness raising.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Book Club: Monthly book subscription service where members receive a new book every six weeks. Books are voted on by members and inspired by places where ShelterBox works. Supports disaster relief funding.
- ShelterKits
- Disaster Response Room
- Unlock the Box
Products and services
- Emergency Shelter Goods Emergency shelter materials including tarpaulins, shelter tool kits, tents, and tools distributed to disaster-affected families as core aid items.
- Non-Food Items (NFIs) Essential non-food items including blankets, mosquito nets, solar lights, kitchen sets, jerry cans/water carriers, and sleeping mats provided to families during disaster relief operations.
- ShelterBox Book Club A book subscription service delivering new books every six weeks to over 2,500 members, with books voted on by members and inspired by places where ShelterBox works. Monthly subscriptions cost GBP 10 and support disaster relief efforts.
- Virtual Gifts Digital gift certificates that allow donors to pay for specific aid items, with recipients receiving a printable certificate showing the aid item purchased for disaster-affected families.
- Disaster Response Room An online team-building activity based on escape room concepts where teams solve puzzles and navigate real-life disaster response scenarios. Duration: 90 minutes, 4-8 attendees per session, delivered online.
- Unlock the Box Training Bespoke in-person corporate training courses using ShelterBox's leadership, team-building, and problem-solving expertise. Includes team-building activities, strategic thinking exercises, and hands-on challenges tailored to client needs.
Quantifiable outcome
- Provided shelter to over 3 million people since 2000
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use ShelterBox
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
ShelterBox technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
ShelterBox partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- AirbnbcorePartnership through Airbnb's Open Homes programme providing accommodation for ShelterBox Response Team Volunteers while responding to disasters. Airbnb hosts can donate a percentage of proceeds to ShelterBox. Open Homes has helped house over 30,000 people in need.
- AggrekocoreThree-year strategic partnership established in 2018 with world-leading provider of mobile modular power and temperature control services. Created a skill-sharing program leveraging Aggreko's expertise to help ShelterBox tackle specific challenges. Aggreko supported Typhoon Mangkhut response in Philippines, helping 565 families with emergency shelter and solar lights.
- Croudace HomescorePartnership since 2015 helping Croudace achieve responsible business goals. Features December pledge campaign where company gives a gift for every home sold. Staff participate in adventure challenges like Wild West Challenge and London Triathlon.
- Arma KarmaminorLow-cost contents insurance alternative for students and young professionals. Established monthly subscription supporting ShelterBox. Inspired by ShelterBox's innovative approach to delivering aid and ability to mobilize global networks.
- Rotary InternationalcoreGlobal partnership with Rotary International. In 2023, Rotary GB&I and Community Fundraisers raised £2,395,443 for ShelterBox. Rotary clubs worldwide support ShelterBox fundraising and awareness.
- Nord Anglia EducationminorCurrent corporate partnership with education organization.
- UHYminorCurrent corporate partnership with accounting firm.
- LivewestminorCurrent corporate partnership.
- HaystominorCurrent corporate partnership.
- ArchminorCurrent corporate partnership.
- JLLminorCurrent corporate partnership with commercial real estate firm.
- MFSminorCurrent corporate partnership.
- MS AmlinminorCurrent corporate partnership with insurance company.
- Juracan RumminorCurrent corporate partnership.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
ShelterBox competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Team Rubicon: Veteran-led disaster response nonprofit providing emergency relief and shelter after natural disasters. Comparable volunteer-driven disaster response model with growing corporate partnership funding streams.
Broad incumbents
- UNICEF: UN agency delivering humanitarian and developmental aid including emergency supplies to crisis-affected populations. Adjacent in emergency aid distribution and donor-supported funding model, though far broader in scope.
- UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency): UN-mandated global organization for refugee protection and emergency shelter provision. Operates at much greater scale with government funding, but functionally overlaps with ShelterBox's displacement and emergency shelter work.
- International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC): Global humanitarian network coordinating disaster response and shelter provision across 191 national societies. Direct functional peer for emergency shelter deployment, though much larger in scale and scope.
Direct peers
- Direct Relief: International humanitarian aid organization focused on emergency medical and disaster relief supplies. Comparable model of distributing physical aid items globally funded through donations and corporate partnerships.
- International Rescue Committee (IRC): Humanitarian organization providing emergency aid and long-term support to refugees and people affected by conflict and disaster. Strong overlap in shelter, household items, and recovery programming.
- Mercy Corps: Global humanitarian aid organization providing emergency relief and recovery in conflict and disaster zones. Directly comparable in mission, fundraising model (corporate partnerships, individual giving), and global operational footprint.
- British Red Cross: UK-registered humanitarian organization providing emergency relief, shelter, and supplies in disasters and conflict. Most direct operational peer given same geography, charity structure, and disaster-response mandate.
- CARE International: International humanitarian organization providing emergency response and recovery in disasters and conflict. Comparable donor-funded model, global geographic reach, and shelter/food/NFI distribution focus.
- Islamic Relief Worldwide: UK-headquartered international humanitarian NGO delivering emergency relief and shelter in disaster and conflict zones. Comparable charity structure, individual-donor-driven fundraising, and global deployment model.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ShelterBox social profiles
Digital presenceShelterBox compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
ShelterBox financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ShelterBox leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
ShelterBox subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries13 records
ShelterBox funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ShelterBox 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 ShelterBox
What does ShelterBox do?
ShelterBox is an international disaster relief charity that provides emergency shelter and essential aid items to families who have lost their homes due to natural disasters and conflict. It distributes physical aid packages including tents, tarpaulins, shelter tool kits, blankets, mosquito nets, solar lights, kitchen sets, jerry cans, and sleeping mats directly to affected populations. The organization also generates revenue through a Book Club subscription, virtual gift donations, corporate training programs, and volunteer ambassador networks to fund its humanitarian operations.
Is ShelterBox a public or private company?
ShelterBox is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was ShelterBox founded?
ShelterBox was founded in 2000. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is ShelterBox based?
ShelterBox is headquartered in Truro, Cornwall, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does ShelterBox make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are book Club Subscription, corporate Partnerships, virtual Gifts and legacy Gifts.
Who are ShelterBox's main competitors?
Team Rubicon is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are UNICEF, UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency) and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). Direct peers are Direct Relief, International Rescue Committee (IRC), Mercy Corps, British Red Cross, CARE International and Islamic Relief Worldwide.
Does ShelterBox have an API?
No public API is recorded for ShelterBox.
What industry is ShelterBox in?
ShelterBox's product category is Humanitarian Disaster Relief Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAAAC, Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI), with a secondary code of BPADADAB, Emergency Shelter, Camp Coordination & Camp Management (CCCM). Its NAICS code is 624221 and its SIC code is 8300.