Ruff Institute of Global Homelessness

What Ruff Institute of Global Homelessness does

The Ruff Institute of Global Homelessness (IGH) is a non-profit initiative of DePaul University, founded in 2019 and headquartered in Chicago, that operates as a global advocacy, convening, and knowledge-sharing platform addressing homelessness worldwide. IGH structures its work around three signature strategies — "See It" (advocating for international homelessness policy focused on definition and measurement), "Solve It" (partnering with cities and countries to take concrete action to end homelessness), and "Share It" (connecting global movements through publications, convenings, and the International Journal on Homelessness). The organization serves cities, policymakers, practitioners, people with lived experience, and academics across at least 14 countries spanning North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.

IGH's core products include the IGH Framework — the first globally standardized methodology for defining and measuring homelessness — and the Global Homeless Data Map, an interactive ArcGIS StoryMaps-based visualization tool. The organization operates the Vanguard Program and A Place to Call Home campaign, which partner with cities such as Glasgow on measurable homelessness reduction commitments, supported by the International Mayors Council on Homelessness. The IGH Community of Impact is an online webinar-and-knowledge-exchange platform, and the Resource Hub is a curated, multilingual repository organized by topic. IGH also co-supports the International Journal on Homelessness with Western University, the first dedicated peer-reviewed academic venue in the field. IGH does not develop proprietary software; its digital assets are knowledge platforms rather than technology products.

The organization is funded entirely through philanthropic donations processed via DePaul University's giving platform (give.depaul.edu/IGH) and through institutional operational support from DePaul University itself. All IGH resources, frameworks, data tools, and community platforms are provided free of charge to users worldwide. IGH explicitly states it does not operate direct service programs and cannot place individuals in housing. Revenue mechanics are donation-dependent with no commercial pricing, contracts, or licensing fees.

Name

Ruff Institute of Global Homelessness

Legal name

The Ruff Institute of Global Homelessness at DePaul University

Website

https://ighomelessness.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Ruff Institute of Global Homelessness is a DePaul University-hosted non-profit that convenes cities, policymakers, practitioners, and researchers worldwide to define, measure, and end homelessness through the IGH Framework, Vanguard Program, Resource Hub, and International Journal on Homelessness.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homelessness Advocacy and Policy Research

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB), Environment, Climate & Sustainable Development IGOs (BPADAAAI)

Keywords

• Homelessness policy advocacy
• Global social research
• Nonprofit convening services
• Urban housing programs
• Humanitarian knowledge sharing

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic / Donation Funding: IGH is funded through donations processed via DePaul University's giving platform (give.depaul.edu/IGH). Donations support the organization's global advocacy, convening, research, and knowledge-sharing activities.
2. Institutional Support from DePaul University: As an initiative of DePaul University, IGH receives institutional operational support, infrastructure, and administrative backing from the university, which serves as its primary organizational host and funding anchor.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

IGH is a non-profit advocacy and convening initiative that curates a global framework for defining and measuring homelessness, partners with cities and countries through the Vanguard Program to take concrete action, and connects practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and people with lived experience via the Resource Hub, Community of Impact webinars, conferences, and the International Journal on Homelessness. Access to all resources, data tools, and community platforms is free; the organization does not provide direct housing services.

Product overview

The Institute of Global Homelessness operates as a knowledge-sharing and advocacy platform organized around three signature strategies: See It (advocating for international homelessness policy focused on definition and measurement), Solve It (partnering with cities through the Vanguard Program), and Share It (connecting global movements through publications, convenings, and the International Journal on Homelessness). The core offerings include the Global Homeless Data Map, the IGH Framework for measuring homelessness, the Vanguard Program with its city network, the Community of Impact online platform, the Resource Hub with curated research, and the International Journal on Homelessness. The organization functions primarily as an educational and convening platform rather than a technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• A Place to Call Home Campaign: Vanguard city program partnering with cities globally to end homelessness
• IGH Community of Impact
• Vanguard Program
• International Journal on Homelessness

Products and services

• IGH Global Framework on Homelessness The first global framework establishing standardized definitions and methodologies for measuring homelessness internationally, providing a common language for policy, data collection, and advocacy. It is intended for policymakers, national statistical offices, and city governments.
• Global Homeless Data Map Interactive visualization tool showing global homelessness data across different regions and countries, allowing users to access and analyze updated information on homelessness prevalence worldwide. Built on ArcGIS StoryMaps and freely accessible.
• Vanguard Program Structured engagement program partnering with cities and countries committed to taking concrete action to end homelessness, providing technical support, peer learning, and a global network of practice. Intended for municipal and national government partners.
• IGH Community of Impact Online community and webinar series connecting global practitioners, policymakers, and people with lived experience of homelessness for knowledge exchange and collaborative learning. Free membership, open to all.
• IGH Resource Hub Comprehensive online repository of research and resources organized by topics including advocacy, housing, prevention, crisis response, intersectional identities, and supportive services. Free, multilingual access globally.
• International Journal on Homelessness Peer-reviewed academic journal facilitating international discourse on homelessness from diverse perspectives, co-supported by IGH and Western University. Open-access publication for researchers, scholars, and students.
• IGH Conference Annual conference convening practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and people with lived experience to share knowledge and advance solutions to homelessness. In-person and virtual attendance options available.
• International Mayors Council on Homelessness Global council of mayors working collectively to address homelessness through policy advocacy and implementation of effective interventions. Composed of city leaders from Vanguard and other partner cities.
• IGH Leadership Program Program developing leadership capacity among emerging and existing professionals working to end homelessness globally. Structured leadership development with peer learning.

Quantifiable outcome

• The Vanguard Program has engaged multiple cities globally in concrete action to end homelessness through the A Place to Call Home campaign.
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, minor and regional.

• DePaul UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIGH is formally established as an initiative of DePaul University, a major Catholic research university in Chicago. DePaul provides institutional hosting, administrative infrastructure, staffing, and fundraising infrastructure (including the donation portal give.depaul.edu/IGH). This is the primary organizational anchor for IGH's operations and credibility.
• United Nations / NGO Working Group to End HomelessnesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIGH is an active member of the UN NGO Working Group to End Homelessness and participates in UN advocacy efforts, including contributions to UN reports and statements on homelessness and the Sustainable Development Goals. IGH has participated in the UN Commission on Social Development.
• FamVin Homeless AlliancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIGH partners with the FamVin Homeless Alliance (VinFuture Foundation), a global homelessness alliance operating across multiple countries, on shared advocacy, resource sharing, and the global movement to end homelessness.
• Western University (London, Ontario)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIGH co-supports the International Journal on Homelessness (IJOH) with Western University. The journal, hosted on Western's open-access platform, is the first peer-reviewed academic journal dedicated exclusively to global homelessness research, with IGH providing editorial support and strategic direction.
• Vanguard Cities NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIGH's Vanguard Program is built on partnerships with cities and countries (Vanguard Cities) that commit to concrete, measurable action to end homelessness. Cities such as Glasgow, Scotland have formally joined the A Place to Call Home campaign under this framework.
• International Coalition to End HomelessnessmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIGH collaborates with the International Coalition to End Homelessness on global measurement and advocacy initiatives, including the joint proposal for the UN to consider measuring and ending street homelessness worldwide.
• Inclusive Data CharterminorOthersIGH is a signatory to the Inclusive Data Charter, committing to ensuring that data collection and reporting on homelessness is inclusive and reflects the experiences of marginalized populations globally.
• Chicagoland Business Council on HomelessnessregionalGTM or Marketing PartnerIGH collaborates with the Chicagoland Business Council on Homelessness, a regional alliance of businesses and organizations working to address homelessness in the Chicago metropolitan area.
• Regional Homelessness Organizations (Global Network)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIGH's Regional Organizations hub page curates and links to national and regional homelessness organizations across all inhabited continents: National Homeless Network (South Africa), Indo-Global Social Service Society (India), Lee Kuan Yew School (Singapore), Advocacy and Research Centre for Homelessness (Japan), Australian Alliance to End Homelessness, FEANTSA (Europe), European Observatory on Homelessness, Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness, Homeless Hub (Canada), National Alliance to End Homelessness (USA), Centre for Homelessness Impact (UK), Homeless Link (England), Homeless Network Scotland, The International Journal on Homelessness, Consortium for Street Children, Depaul International, FamVin Homeless Alliance, Slum Dwellers International, World Habitat, and others. These organizations serve as nodes in IGH's global network.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• International Coalition to End Homelessness: Coalition working on global measurement and advocacy initiatives, including a joint UN proposal with IGH. Overlaps directly with IGH on the "See It" strategy of pushing for international recognition and standardized measurement of homelessness.
• World Habitat: Global nonprofit that supports housing rights and innovative housing solutions for marginalized communities. Listed by IGH as a regional partner and shares the global housing-as-human-rights advocacy framing IGH promotes at the UN.
• FEANTSA (European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless): European umbrella network coordinating national homelessness organizations, research, and EU-level advocacy. Mirrors IGH's regional-to-global convening, knowledge-brokering, and policy advocacy model in a regional context.
• Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness: National alliance advancing evidence-based plans to prevent and end homelessness in Canada. Operates a comparable "framework plus city-level action" model (e.g., Built for Zero Canada) akin to IGH's Vanguard approach.
• Depaul International: International nonprofit operating homeless services across multiple countries and listed by IGH as a regional partner. Closely aligned with IGH's Vincentian/DSP-aligned mission and global homelessness footprint.
• FamVin Homeless Alliance: Global Vincentian homelessness alliance operating across multiple countries. Listed by IGH as a key partner and shares an identical global advocacy mandate on homelessness, making it the closest comparable organization in mission and scope.
• Centre for Homelessness Impact (UK): UK charity focused on evidence and what works to end homelessness. Comparable to IGH as a research-driven intermediary producing toolkits, evidence reviews, and policy guidance to influence practice and government action.

Broad incumbents

• National Alliance to End Homelessness (US): Established US-focused nonprofit leading national advocacy, research, and public education on homelessness. Provides a comparable research-advocacy-convening structure at a much larger and more resource-rich scale than IGH.

Emerging players

• Slum Dwellers International: Global network of slum dweller organizations in 32+ countries. IGH lists it as a regional partner, and both organizations focus on inadequate housing and the data/methodology needed to address it at scale.

Regional players

• Australian Alliance to End Homelessness: National alliance pursuing the goal of ending homelessness in Australia through evidence-based policy and service-system reform. Comparable to IGH's Vanguard-style city engagement model but scoped to Australia only.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/ighomelessness.bsky.social
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjhSOztbsFJMOeKwhv3keHA
• Facebookfacebook.com/ighomelessness
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institute-of-global-homelessness
• Instagraminstagram.com/ighomelessness

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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