The Foundation For Community Development And Empowerment

What The Foundation For Community Development And Empowerment does

The Foundation For Community Development And Empowerment (FCDE) is a US-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 01-0944516) that strengthens the capacity of grassroots community-based organizations (CBOs) and NGOs in rural East Africa, primarily western Uganda. Founded in 2010 by Eric Younger, FCDE operates a US office in Ketchum, Idaho and three regional offices in Uganda — Kasese (since 2012), Rukungiri (since 2015), and Mbale (launched 2025) — with a staff of approximately 20 across both countries. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and led by Co-Executive Directors Rebecca Raymond (US) and Sylvia Kabugho (Uganda). Since 2012, FCDE has worked with more than 50 grassroots partner organizations across verticals spanning agriculture, energy/environment, health, livelihoods, social justice, women's empowerment, and youth/education.

FCDE delivers a portfolio of interconnected capacity-building programs rather than a unified technology product. Core offerings include the Small Business Initiative (SBI), which combines Street Business School's curriculum with FCDE coaching, networking, and competitive seed funding; customized Capacity Building Training Programs covering proposal writing, budgeting, project design, evaluation, and fiscal accountability; a Small Grants Program for hard-to-fund projects; Regional Resource Centers providing open-access computers, internet, and workspace; an Emergency Response Fund deployed during crises such as COVID-19; the Elevating Women Leaders Initiative with monthly "power circles"; and Network/Peer Learning Programs fostering consortiums and joint projects. No proprietary software, APIs, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed; "technology" is limited to basic ICT tools within resource centers.

FCDE's business model is donation- and grant-driven, with revenue sourced from individual contributions (e.g., the "Go the Distance" peer-to-peer event), foundation grants (Segal Family Foundation, Utopia Foundation, SeedMoney), U.S. government channels (PEPFAR via partner capacity-building), corporate partnerships, and structured international volunteer pipelines (Peace Corps, Global Health Corps, Princeton in Africa, Catchafire, and an HBCU-based Cultural Connections program). Distribution is delivered directly through field offices using a community-led go-to-market approach — recruiting partners via open applications, referrals, and network connections — rather than any commercial channel. The organization claims 100% of funds directly support programs and holds a Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency (2026).

Name

The Foundation For Community Development And Empowerment

Legal name

The Foundation for Community Development and Empowerment

Website

https://fcde-dev.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FCDE is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that strengthens the capacity of grassroots community-based organizations in rural East Africa through training, small grants, peer networks, and regional resource centers across three Ugandan offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Institutional Capacity Building & Training (Workforce/Systems Strengthening) (BPADAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

International & Local Implementing NGOs (HLAJAKAD), Technical Cooperation, Capacity Building & Policy Advisory Programs (BPADABAO), NGO/Nonprofit Education Programs & Service Delivery (EDADALAC), Economic Growth, Trade & Private Sector Development Programs (BPADABAF)

Keywords

• Community development services
• Nonprofit capacity building
• Grassroots organization training
• Small grants funding
• Community empowerment programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Kasese

HQ country

Uganda

HQ region

Africa

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: FCDE operates as a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 01-0944516) funded through donations, grants, and charitable contributions. The organization passes funds directly to grassroots partner organizations through small grants.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

FCDE strengthens the capacity of grassroots community-based organizations (CBOs) and NGOs in rural East Africa through a portfolio of interconnected programs: customized training and coaching, small grants, peer networking, technology and workspace access via Regional Resource Centers, the Small Business Initiative (SBI), and targeted initiatives such as the Elevating Women Leaders Initiative and the Emergency Response Fund. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and delivers these services directly to 50+ partner organizations through three regional offices in Uganda.

Product overview

FCDE is a nonprofit organization (501(c)(3)) that operates as a portfolio of interconnected community development programs rather than a unified software platform. The core offerings include the Small Business Initiative (SBI) which combines Street Business School curriculum with coaching and seed funding; Capacity Building Training Programs providing customized workshops and mentorship; Small Grants for grassroots partners; Regional Resource Centers offering technology access; Emergency Response Fund for crisis support; Elevating Women Leaders Initiative for female empowerment; and Network/Peer Learning Programs. These programs work together to strengthen local organizations in rural East Africa (primarily Uganda) through training, connections, and resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Small Business Initiative (SBI) A collaborative capacity building initiative that combines Street Business School's proven curriculum with FCDE coaching, networking, and competitive seed funding to help grassroots organizations lead small business development and lift up local entrepreneurs. Targeted at grassroots CBOs and small business participants in rural East Africa.
• Capacity Building Training Programs Customized training and coaching delivered to grassroots partners covering mission and strategy, project design and management, fundraising, and fiscal accountability, followed by ongoing coaching and mentorship. Intended for staff and leaders of grassroots CBOs and NGOs in rural East Africa.
• Small Grants Program Flexible small grants provided through a participatory process that builds grassroots partners' proposal writing, budgeting, project design, and evaluation skills, supporting difficult-to-fund projects such as piloting new ideas or gathering evidence. Targeted at grassroots partner organizations in FCDE's network.
• Regional Resource Centers Community hubs providing local organizations with access to computers and internet, workspace, and IT and communications training, operated with an open door policy for partner organizations. Aimed at grassroots partner organizations in FCDE's regional coverage areas.
• Emergency Response Fund Rapid response funding mechanism providing timely support to grassroots partners during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling access to treatment and essential supplies for vulnerable populations. Aimed at grassroots partner organizations facing emergencies.
• Elevating Women Leaders Initiative A program designed to strengthen leadership skills, cultivate mentorship relationships, and build a supportive intergenerational network of women development professionals through monthly 'power circles' consisting of trainings, peer-learning, and experience sharing. Targeted at women leaders in grassroots community-based organizations.
• Network and Peer Learning Programs Initiatives fostering connections across the partner network to promote peer-learning and strengthen collective power of civil society, including mentorship, consortiums, joint-projects, and opportunities for shared wisdom and lessons learned. Aimed at FCDE's 50+ grassroots partner organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 41 young mothers trained in entrepreneurship program, 100% started businesses within one year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Confluence InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner in development working with FCDE on community development initiatives.
• SP-HoldingscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner supporting FCDE's development work.
• Street Business SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining partner whose proven curriculum is combined with FCDE coaching, networking, and competitive seed funding in the Small Business Initiative (SBI) program.
• Lisle InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partner organization in the development sector.
• Opportunity CollaborationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork partner in the impact investment and social entrepreneurship space.
• ShockwaveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner organization in development sector.
• Peace CorpsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFCDE has hosted three Peace Corps Volunteers and benefits from their youth development and community engagement expertise.
• Global Health CorpsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFCDE has hosted six Global Health Corps Fellows who contribute to health-focused programming.
• Princeton in AfricaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFCDE welcomed its first Princeton in Africa Fellow to support international volunteer programming.
• CatchafireminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteer recruitment platform helping FCDE find skilled virtual volunteers for projects in graphic design, data analysis, and social media.
• Fayetteville State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHBCU partner sending students to participate in Cultural Connections internship program with FCDE grassroots partners.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Catchafire: A volunteer-matching platform that FCDE uses for virtual skills-based volunteering. Not a direct competitor, but an enabling ecosystem partner comparable to the in-kind capacity support FCDE itself receives.

Direct peers

• Asante Africa Foundation: Co-Executive Director Rebecca Raymond previously held a senior role at Asante Africa Foundation. Both are US-based nonprofits delivering education and economic empowerment programming through local partners in East Africa.
• Foundation for Sustainable Development: FCDE founder Eric Younger previously served as Executive Director of Foundation for Sustainable Development. Both organizations are US-headquartered nonprofits that build the capacity of grassroots organizations in the Global South, making them structurally and philosophically highly comparable.
• Global Grassroots: A US-based nonprofit using a similar locally-led development model to empower grassroots change agents, particularly women, in East Africa through capacity building, grants, and peer networks.
• Segal Family Foundation: A core funder and strategic partner of FCDE that similarly supports grassroots African organizations through trust-based philanthropy and capacity-building grants, with overlapping funder and partner ecosystems.
• Lisle International: Listed FCDE partner. Lisle International operates a comparable model of partnering with local organizations internationally to advance community development, with overlapping programmatic philosophies and partner geographies.

Emerging players

• Street Business School: FCDE's curriculum partner in the Small Business Initiative. Street Business School provides the proven entrepreneurship curriculum that FCDE layers with coaching and seed funding, making it a closely linked but upstream partner organization.
• Opportunity Collaboration: A strategic network partner of FCDE that convenes social entrepreneurs and impact investors. While operating a different model (convening vs. direct capacity building), it sits in the same locally-led development ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• TrustAfrica: A larger African-led foundation that provides grants and capacity-building support to civil-society organizations across Africa. Overlaps with FCDE in capacity-building philosophy but operates at a significantly broader geographic and institutional scale.

Regional players

• Wezesha Impact: Co-founded by FCDE board member James Ssekikubo Katumba, Wezesha Impact runs entrepreneurship and social innovation programs for Ugandan youth. Comparable in mission and geography, with similar target beneficiaries and capacity-building approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/foundation-for-community-develompent-and-empowerment

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Foundation For Community Development And Empowerment