The Stirling Foundation

What The Stirling Foundation does

The Stirling Foundation is a 501(c)(3) private operating foundation headquartered in Pleasant Grove, Utah, established by David and Laurea Stirling and their children to engage in international charitable work independent of doTERRA, which David Stirling founded in 2008. The foundation operates in the Middle East, Eurasia, and parts of Africa, working to strengthen families, catalyze economic development, promote interfaith cooperation, enable education, improve health, and deliver emergency aid across 60+ countries.

Programs are organized into two interconnected pillars. International Projects provides strategic support and financial resources to locally embedded partner organizations across early childhood education, economic empowerment, healthcare, agriculture, and community development. International Exchanges complements this with leadership convenings — strategic advising, consultative visits, global conferences, student exchanges, and scholarships — designed to deepen collaboration and share best practices among global, national, and local leaders. Operationally, the foundation reports 1,077 cumulative initiatives delivered with a network of 475 partners spanning global institutions and local startups, executed through a model that pairs Regional Directors with Country Manager couples deployed across West Africa, the Levant/Turkey, the Caucasus, East Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. There is no technology layer beyond the Squarespace website; the foundation does not sell products or services and is funded through endowment returns and family contributions.

Name

The Stirling Foundation

Legal name

The Stirling Foundation

Website

https://thestirlingfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Stirling Foundation is a 501(c)(3) private operating foundation that delivers international projects and exchanges through 475 partners across 60+ countries in the Middle East, Eurasia, and parts of Africa, focusing on family stability, economic development, interfaith cooperation, education, health, and emergency aid.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Development & Philanthropic Services

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 industries

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

Keywords

• International development aid
• Philanthropic foundation
• Humanitarian assistance
• Community development programs
• International exchange programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Pleasant Grove

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Giving and Grant Making: The Stirling Foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) private operating foundation that provides strategic support and financial resources to partner organizations. Revenue comes from endowment/investment returns and potentially from the founders' contributions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

The Stirling Foundation is a 501(c)(3) private operating foundation that delivers two interconnected programs: International Projects (providing strategic support and financial resources to local partner organizations for early childhood education, economic empowerment, healthcare, agriculture, and community development) and International Exchanges (thoughtfully designed programs including strategic advising, consultative visits, global conferences, student exchanges, and scholarships that bring together global, national, and local leaders). The foundation operates across the Middle East, Eurasia, and parts of Africa through a network of partner organizations.

Product overview

The Stirling Foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) private operating foundation offering two interconnected program areas: International Projects and International Exchanges. International Projects provides strategic support and financial resources to partner organizations for development initiatives including early childhood education, economic empowerment, healthcare, agriculture, and community development. International Exchanges complements these efforts through leadership programs, conferences, and scholarships that foster cross-cultural collaboration. Together, these programs work to strengthen families, catalyze economic development, promote interfaith cooperation, enable education, improve health, and deliver emergency aid.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• International Projects Strategic support and financial resources provided to partner organizations that know their communities best and are committed to supporting positive development. Programs span early childhood education, economic empowerment, healthcare, agriculture, and community development initiatives across the Middle East, Eurasia, and parts of Africa.
• International Exchanges Thoughtfully designed programs that bring together global, national, and local leaders to foster collaboration, share best practices, and deepen understanding through strategic advising, consultative visits, global conferences, student exchanges, and scholarships.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,077 initiatives delivered across 60+ countries with 475 partners

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• A Common Word Among the YouthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization working with The Stirling Foundation on collaborative initiatives. Partners are selected based on demonstrated passion, integrity, and capability to accomplish shared objectives aligned with national and regional priorities.
• Azerbaijan Multilculturalism CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization working with The Stirling Foundation on collaborative initiatives. Partners range from large multinational organizations to local startups.
• Doha International Family InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization focused on family issues working with The Stirling Foundation on initiatives aligned with national and regional priorities.
• Elevate For Community DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity development partner working with The Stirling Foundation to deliver targeted support for families and communities.
• Empower the FuturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization focused on future generations working with The Stirling Foundation on collaborative development initiatives.
• Engage Now AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization focused on Africa working with The Stirling Foundation on development and empowerment initiatives.
• Fintech AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization working with The Stirling Foundation on economic empowerment and financial inclusion initiatives.
• G20 Interfaith ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational policy forum partner working with The Stirling Foundation on interfaith cooperation and global dialogue initiatives.
• Hard Wired GlobalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization working with The Stirling Foundation on collaborative initiatives with demonstrated passion and capability.
• Help Start Education FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation-focused partner working with The Stirling Foundation on enabling education and expanding learning opportunities.
• Marmara GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner organization working with The Stirling Foundation on initiatives in the Marmara region.
• Muslim Council of ElderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterfaith cooperation partner working with The Stirling Foundation on promoting understanding and collaboration across faiths.
• Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor international organization partner working with The Stirling Foundation on initiatives aligned with OIC priorities for member nations.
• Pathway InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational development partner working with The Stirling Foundation on collaborative initiatives across regions.
• Princess Taghrid InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institute working with The Stirling Foundation on initiatives aligned with its mission and priorities.
• Qatar FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor foundation partner working with The Stirling Foundation on education, science, and community development initiatives.
• Rods HeroscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization working with The Stirling Foundation on collaborative initiatives with demonstrated passion and integrity.
• Seeds of KaticoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization working with The Stirling Foundation on community development and empowerment initiatives.
• Shariot PluscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization working with The Stirling Foundation on collaborative initiatives.
• Terre sans FrontierescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational development partner working with The Stirling Foundation on initiatives addressing community and regional needs.
• United Religions InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterfaith organization partner working with The Stirling Foundation on promoting cooperation and understanding across religious communities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Eurasia Foundation: U.S.-based nonprofit grantmaking and capacity-building foundation operating across the post-Soviet space, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe. Strong geographic and operational overlap with The Stirling Foundation's Eurasia and Caucasus portfolio, and a comparable model of partnering with local organizations to deliver development outcomes.
• World Learning: International NGO operating exchange, education, and development programs across the Middle East, Africa, and Eurasia. Closely comparable to Stirling's two-pillar model of international exchanges paired with strategic development projects.
• Institute of International Education (IIE): U.S.-based nonprofit that administers international exchange, scholarship, and training programs worldwide. IIE's exchange and scholarship work is directly comparable to Stirling's International Exchanges program (student exchanges, scholarships, leadership programs).
• Aga Khan Foundation: International development foundation focused on economic inclusion, education, health, and civil society across the Middle East, Central and South Asia, and East Africa. Closely comparable mission, regional focus, and operating model with Stirling; Aga Khan is larger but operates the same grantmaking-plus-exchange playbook.
• Fetzer Institute: U.S.-based private foundation focused on spiritual transformation, interfaith understanding, and building healthy communities. Comparable niche focus on interfaith cooperation and family/values-based community outcomes, though smaller and more U.S.-centric.
• Synergos: Global nonprofit that bridges philanthropy with local leaders in developing countries, focused on building partnerships for poverty alleviation. Directly comparable to Stirling's strategy of identifying partners with integrity, capability, and passion and developing high-impact initiatives with them.
• Search for Common Ground: International peacebuilding NGO operating in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia with a programmatic focus on interfaith and community-level conflict resolution. Comparable to Stirling's interfaith cooperation and family-strengthening work in similar geographies.
• King Baudouin Foundation: Belgium-based public utility foundation with international grantmaking across education, health, social inclusion, and international development. Comparable in operating model (private operating foundation providing strategic grants plus operating programs) and cross-border reach.

Broad incumbents

• Templeton Foundation: Large U.S. philanthropic foundation funding research and programs at the intersection of science, religion, and human progress. Comparable interfaith-cooperation focus area but at materially larger scale, with broader thematic scope.
• Carnegie Corporation of New York: Major U.S. foundation with international grantmaking programs in education, democratic engagement, and international peace and security. Comparable as a large international grantmaking foundation; broader in scope and historically active in the same regions Stirling targets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-stirling-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

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 The Stirling Foundation