Refuge & Empowerment Internationl

What Refuge & Empowerment Internationl does

Refugee Empowerment International (REI) is a Tokyo-based, volunteer-driven non-profit organization founded in 1979 that funds community-based refugee projects worldwide. REI operates as a certified NPO (registration no. 0104-05-015803) under the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and provides grants of up to US$25,000 per project per year to grassroots organizations run by refugees and displaced persons themselves. The organization has funded more than 820 projects across over 20 countries since inception, reaching approximately 1 million people, with a focus on four pillars: education, job creation, human and legal rights, and environment/community building.

REI's core operations centre on grant-making to field partners (including PARD in Lebanon, DARE Network on the Thai-Myanmar border, KSDC in Myanmar, KWO in Karen State, and World Vision Japan in Sri Lanka) combined with donor engagement in Japan. The organization is not a technology company and does not develop proprietary software products; its digital footprint is limited to a standard website, blog, social media channels, and email newsletter. Revenue is generated through six main streams: individual donations (one-time and recurring via Donor Club), corporate sponsorships (starting at ¥100,000 annually), event fundraising (Gala, Beer Bluff, Race Night, walking challenges), field visit donations (starting at ¥500,000), Furusato Nozei tax-efficient giving via Minato Ward, and corporate employee matching through Benevity, Salesforce, and Spotify platforms.

The organization is led by Executive Director Jane Best OBE (since 2006) with a Board of Directors comprising senior professionals from KPMG, Watson Farley & Williams, Tekko Building, and NNLife. REI operates with 1-10 staff (one full-time Executive Director plus volunteers), maintains a sister organization relationship with REI Australia (founded 2018), and relies on a network of corporate sponsors (Accenture Japan, Conrad Tokyo, Hilton, Grand Hyatt, Delta) and pro bono professional services (KPMG, Custom Media) to maximize the share of donations reaching field projects. The 2026 annual gala raised ¥8.4 million net income, an increase of ¥1 million year-over-year.

Name

Refuge & Empowerment Internationl

Legal name

特定非営利活動法人国際难民支援団体REI

Website

https://rei-npo.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Refugee Empowerment International (REI) is a Tokyo-based volunteer-run non-profit founded in 1979 that funds community-based refugee projects worldwide. It provides grants up to US$25,000 to grassroots organizations in over 20 countries, reaching approximately 1 million beneficiaries through education, job creation, legal rights, and community-building programmes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Aid and Refugee Support Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee, Migration & Displacement Support (BPAGABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI), Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH), Refugee, Crisis & Humanitarian Education Partnerships (EiE) (EDADALAG), Immigrant & Refugee Workforce Integration Programs (EDAAAOAJ)

Keywords

• Refugee support programs
• Community project funding
• Humanitarian grant making
• Nonprofit fundraising events
• Corporate social responsibility

Headquarters

HQ city

Minato

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals through online platform, bank transfer, and credit card. Monthly donor club subscriptions and annual donations.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Annual corporate sponsorships starting at ¥100,000 providing CSR profile enhancement, access to corporate training programs, events, and website recognition.
3. Event Fundraising: Revenue from fundraising events including gala evenings, beer bluff tastings, race nights, and walking challenges. The 2026 gala raised ¥8.4 million.
4. Field Visit Donations: Donations starting at ¥500,000 for participation in field visits to project sites, providing experiential engagement with beneficiaries.
5. Furusato Nozei: Tax-efficient donations through Minato Ward Furusato Nozei system where 70% of donation transfers to REI, providing tax credits to donors.
6. Matching Gift Programs: Corporate employee donation matching through Benevity platform, Salesforce Matching Gifts, and Spotify Matching Gifts programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Refugee Empowerment International is a volunteer-based, certified NGO that provides grant funding to community-based projects run by refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and returnees across more than 20 countries. Funding is concentrated on four pillars: education, job creation, human and legal rights, and environment and community building, with a maximum grant of US$25,000 per project per year. The organization sustains operations through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, Donor Club memberships, fundraising events, and tax-efficient giving programs, while prioritizing long-term empowerment over short-term relief.

Product overview

REI (Refugee Empowerment International) is a nonprofit organization that provides funding to community-based projects supporting refugees and displaced communities. The organization does not offer technology products or software services; instead, it operates programs including project funding for refugee initiatives, a Donor Club for recurring donations, corporate sponsorship programs, educational workshops, team building activities, and field visit programs. REI's core offering is grant-making to grassroots refugee projects across four pillars: education, job creation, human/legal rights, and environment/community building.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Refugee Project Grants Direct grant funding awarded to community-based organizations run by refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and returnees across more than 20 countries, with a maximum grant of US$25,000 per project per year across four pillars: education, job creation, human and legal rights, and environment/community building.
• Donor Club Membership Recurring donation program offering monthly membership from a ¥3,000 minimum or annual membership from a ¥20,000 minimum. Members receive project updates, networking invitations, and information sessions.
• Corporate Sponsorship Program Annual corporate sponsorship starting at ¥100,000 per year providing CSR profile enhancement, access to corporate training programs, event invitations, and website and Annual Review recognition.
• Field Visit Program Premium experiential visits to REI-supported refugee project sites worldwide, requiring a minimum donation of ¥500,000 per person, providing donors with direct engagement with beneficiaries and accountability insights.
• REI Talks Educational presentations of 45–60 minutes on refugee issues, field stories, and economic impact, offered to corporations and groups at ¥100,000 per session.
• Beer Bluff Fundraising Event Beer tasting fundraising event with a minimum donation of ¥10,000 per person including light bites, four beers, and games. Hosted at Schmatz, Tamachi.
• Race Night Fundraising Event F1 racing simulator team fundraising event priced at ¥15,000 per person or ¥60,000 for a team of 4, including food and drinks.
• Annual REI Gala Evening Annual flagship gala dinner held at Conrad Tokyo; the 2026 gala raised ¥8.4 million net income and enabled funding for all five supported projects for the first time since the COVID pandemic.
• Corporate Team Building Workshops Custom-designed workshops and team building activities for corporate teams tied to refugee awareness and engagement, complementing corporate sponsorships.
• Walking Challenge Walking-based fundraising and awareness activity designed to help participants experience and understand a refugee journey.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 820 projects funded since 1979, reaching approximately 1,000,000 people
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• REI AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Partner organisation founded by William Mawhinney in 2018 to further shared mission of refugee empowerment
• GlobalGivingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational donation platform partnership enabling UK and US donors to claim gift aid and tax benefits through GlobalGiving pages
• BenevitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate employee giving and matching donations platform registration enabling employees to donate through workplace giving programs
• Salesforce Matching GiftsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate matching gift program allowing Salesforce employees to have donations matched
• Spotify Matching GiftsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate matching gift program allowing Spotify employees to have donations matched
• Accenture JapanmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor providing support through CSR initiatives and workplace giving programs
• Conrad TokyomajorGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue sponsor for annual REI Gala events, providing premium event space at Conrad Tokyo hotel
• Custom MediamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPro bono design, publications, website development, and article creation support for REI
• KPMG BRM Co., Ltd. JapanmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProfessional support and advice for accounting and tax matters, ensuring financial compliance and transparency
• EAT Creative KKminorOthersProvides office space for REI operations in Tokyo
• Global PerspectivesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining courses coordinated with REI, with CSR Liaison Tove Kinooka as Director and Co-Founder
• Tekko BuildingmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor and Board member Yoji Masuoka is Director at Tekko Building
• SchmatzmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue sponsor for Beer Bluff events at Tamachi location
• Swirl WinemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerWine sponsor for fundraising events including Great Wine Bluff, co-organising wine tasting events
• DeltaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor providing travel-related support
• Hilton TokyominorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor and venue provider for REI events
• Grand Hyatt TokyominorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor and venue provider for REI events
• MUFG BankminorOthersBank for donations via Tamachi branch #043, enabling easy fund transfers for Japanese donors
• Japan Post Office BankminorOthersPost office transfer option for donors (Account no 10100-75870731)
• Minato WardmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMunicipal government enabling Furusato Nozei tax-efficient donations with 70% transfer to REI

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): The leading global refugee agency and the dominant incumbent in the same sector. Comparable as a fundraiser and program funder for displaced populations worldwide, though operating at vastly larger scale.
• International Rescue Committee (IRC): Major global humanitarian NGO delivering emergency relief and long-term recovery for refugees and displaced people. Comparable in mission and donor base, though several orders of magnitude larger than REI.
• Mercy Corps: Large global humanitarian organization addressing conflict, displacement and livelihoods. Overlaps with REI on refugee livelihood, education and community-empowerment programming.

Regional players

• Peace Winds Japan: Japan-headquartered NGO providing humanitarian assistance and recovery support in conflict- and disaster-affected regions. Operates with similar Japan-based fundraising and overseas program geography as REI.
• Civic Force: Japan-based NPO that conducts humanitarian aid and disaster relief, including refugee and disaster-affected community support. Comparable as a domestic Japanese NPO working internationally on humanitarian issues and competing for similar corporate CSR funding.
• Japan Emergency NGOs (JEN): Tokyo-based NPO focused on humanitarian assistance, refugee support and livelihood recovery. Comparable Japanese NPO peer with overlapping donor markets and overseas project execution model.

Direct peers

• Refugees International: U.S.-based sister organization sharing REI's origins (originally 'Refugees International' founded 1979 in Tokyo) that advocates for refugees and displaced people globally and mobilizes donor support. Directly comparable mission, founding history and grantmaking/advocacy model.
• Japan Association for Refugees (JAR): Japan-registered NPO founded in 1999 that provides legal protection and resettlement support to refugees in Japan. Closest Japan-based peer given overlapping focus on refugee empowerment, donor pool and Tokyo operating base.

Others

• Refugee Council USA: U.S. coalition of NGOs working on refugee protection, resettlement and advocacy. Relevant adjacent/ecosystem peer as a fellow refugee-support coordination and advocacy body addressing overlapping donor and partner networks.

Emerging players

• Asylum Access: International nonprofit that provides legal aid and empowerment programs to refugees. Comparable as a grantmaking/implementing partner-style organization working directly with refugee communities on rights, livelihoods and integration.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/refugeeempowerintl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/refugee-empowerment-international
• Instagraminstagram.com/refugeeempowermentintl
• Xx.com/REI_intl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Refuge & Empowerment Internationl