What Unicef Iceland does

UNICEF Iceland (legal name Barnahjálp Sameinuðu þjóðanna – UNICEF) is the Icelandic national committee of the United Nations Children's Fund, established in 2004 and headquartered at Strandgata 75, 220 Hafnarfjörður, Iceland. As one of 32 national committees that collectively channel over $2 billion annually into UNICEF's global operations across 190+ countries, the organization raises funds domestically to support international child welfare programs in health, nutrition, education, child protection, water and sanitation, and emergency response, while also operating domestic child rights education and municipal advocacy programs.

The organization's core offering is the Heimsforeldrar (Global Parents) monthly sponsorship program, under which approximately 22,000 individual donors commit to recurring contributions of 3,000, 5,000, or 8,000 ISK per month via the unicef.is website, phone (552-6300), or direct bank debit through Kvika Bank, with payments processed by Teya. Complementary products include one-time emergency donations, the Sannar gjafir (True Gifts) e-commerce gift catalog, Múmín subscription gifts, and memorial/legacy giving. Domestic programs include the UNICEF Akademían e-learning platform, the Réttindaskóli (Rights School) certification covering 63 preschools, primary schools and after-school programs, the Barnvæn sveitarfélög (Child-Friendly Municipalities) initiative engaging 22 municipalities, the Loftslagsloforð climate promise, and a Ungmennaráð (Youth Council). Under Icelandic law, donors can deduct up to 350,000 ISK annually from taxable income for contributions to UNICEF Iceland.

In FY2025, UNICEF Iceland reported total revenue of 851 million ISK (fundraising revenue of 736 million ISK), of which approximately 71% came from Heimsforeldrar monthly sponsors. Iceland ranks highest among all UNICEF national committees in per-capita giving. The organization is governed by a board chaired by Edda Hermannsdóttir (CEO of Lyfja og heilsu), led operationally by Executive Director Birna Þórarinsdóttir, and structured around a 17-person staff including heads of fundraising, finance, communications, domestic programs, advocacy, and graphic design. Strategic and institutional partners include the Icelandic government (core funding plus bilateral programs in Sierra Leone and Uganda), Kvika Bank, the Ministry of Education and Children's Affairs, and the Fyrirtækjaráð corporate advisory council.

Name

Unicef Iceland

Legal name

Barnahjálp Sameinuðu þjóðanna – UNICEF

Website

https://unicef.is

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UNICEF Iceland is the Icelandic national committee of UNICEF, raising funds from approximately 22,000 monthly donors and corporate partners to support global child welfare programs in 190+ countries and to deliver domestic child rights education across municipalities and schools in Iceland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-profit Fundraising and Humanitarian Aid

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

akta.pro primary industry

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB), Humanitarian Health & Emergency Medical Relief NGOs (HLAJAKAE), International Development & Donor-Funded Education Programs (EDADALAB), Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH)

Keywords

• Child welfare fundraising
• Humanitarian aid programs
• Monthly donation subscriptions
• Emergency relief appeals
• Children's rights advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Hafnarfjörður

HQ country

Iceland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Monthly Donor Contributions (Heimsforeldrar): Monthly recurring donations from approximately 22,000 Heimsforeldrar (Global Parents) supporters. Donors contribute amounts ranging from 3,000-8,000 ISK monthly. This represents the largest single revenue stream at nearly 71% of total revenue.
2. Emergency and Project Donations: One-time donations for specific emergency appeals and projects such as Venezuela earthquake response, Gaza, Ukraine, Yemen, Sudan, Syria. Typical one-time donation amounts of 5,000-20,000 ISK.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partners and businesses contribute through the Fyrirtækjaráð (Corporate Council) and direct corporate donations. Includes Kvika bank partnership for banking services.
4. Government Support: Icelandic government contributions including core funding and targeted project support for development cooperation in Sierra Leone and Uganda.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

UNICEF Iceland is the Icelandic National Committee of UNICEF that raises funds for UNICEF's global programs supporting children's rights, survival, education, and emergency humanitarian relief. It collects donations from individuals, companies, and government entities and channels them to UNICEF's international programs, while also conducting domestic child rights education and advocacy in Iceland.

Product overview

UNICEF Iceland operates as a charitable organization with a unified fundraising and advocacy platform. The core offering centers on the Heimsforeldrar (Global Parents) monthly donation program, complemented by one-time donations, Sannar gjafir (True Gifts) charitable catalog, and emergency appeals. Additional services include UNICEF Akademían providing children's rights education, the Rafræn heimsreisa introductory digital journey for new donors, and a Tax Deduction Calculator. The organization also runs child rights advocacy programs including Barnvæn sveitarfélög (Child-friendly Municipalities) and Réttindaskóli (Rights School certification). Supporting structures include Fyrirtækjaráð (Corporate Council) and Ungmennaráð (Youth Council).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Heimsforeldrar UNICEF: Monthly sponsorship program where donors support UNICEF's global work for children. 'Global Parents' make regular monthly contributions.
• UNICEF Akademían
• Sannar gjafir
• Barnvæn sveitarfélög
• Réttindaskóli og -frístund

Products and services

• Monthly Donation Program
• One-Time Donation
• Emergency Appeals
• Gift Catalog / Symbolic Gifts
• Corporate Partnership Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 22,000+ monthly donors (Heimsforeldrar) supporting UNICEF programs globally
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Kvika BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerKvika is the main banking partner and supporter of UNICEF Iceland's Heimsforeldrar (Global Parents) monthly donor program. The partnership provides banking services and co-marketing opportunities for child welfare fundraising campaigns.
• Icelandic GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Icelandic government is a model supporter of UNICEF through core funding, development cooperation contributions, and project support. The government contributes to UNICEF programs in Sierra Leone and Uganda as part of bilateral development cooperation, maintaining steady and increasing support for international development and humanitarian work.
• Ministry of Education and Children's AffairscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExtended agreement with the ministry for implementation of the Child Rights Convention in municipalities, schools, and after-school programs. 22 municipalities working with UNICEF on child-friendly initiatives.
• Corporate Council (Fyrirtækjaráð)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory council for corporate partnerships including Ásta Fjelsted (CEO), Edda Hermannsdóttir (Marketing), Guðbjörg Edda Eggertsdóttir (Investor), Hjörleifur Pálsson (Chairman), Linda Björk Ólafsdóttir, Úlfar Steindórsson, Þórður Magnússon. Assists UNICEF in achieving corporate fundraising goals.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Save the Children Iceland (Barnaverndarstofa): Domestic child welfare NGO in Iceland offering recurring giving, emergency response, and child advocacy. Direct competitor for the same Heimsforeldrar-style monthly donor pool within Iceland's limited charitable market.
• SOS Children's Villages Iceland (SOS Barnaþorp): Icelandic national organization for SOS Children's Villages, operating child sponsorship, family support programs, and emergency response. Direct competitor for both individual sponsorships and corporate giving in Iceland.
• Icelandic Red Cross (Rauði kross Íslands): Largest domestic humanitarian NGO in Iceland, directly competing with UNICEF Iceland for individual and corporate donors in the same small market. Operates emergency appeals and recurring giving programs with overlapping donor pools.
• Plan International Iceland: Icelandic arm of Plan International operating child sponsorship and emergency fundraising. Competes with UNICEF Iceland for individual monthly donors and corporate partnerships in the Icelandic market.

Broad incumbents

• UNICEF USA: U.S. national committee for UNICEF, the most direct structural peer to UNICEF Iceland. Operates the same monthly sponsorship model, emergency fundraising, and advocacy programming at a vastly larger scale, serving as a useful comparator for donor retention and program design.
• UNICEF UK: U.K. national committee for UNICEF operating one of the largest UNICEF fundraising operations globally. Useful comparator for advanced digital fundraising techniques, corporate partnership structures, and donor lifecycle programs.

Direct peers

• UNICEF Denmark (UNICEF Danmark): Danish national committee operating the same Faddere/Guidestjerne monthly sponsorship programs with similar Nordic tax deductibility. Direct peer for benchmarking donor acquisition cost, retention, and program diversification.
• UNICEF Sweden (UNICEF Sverige): Nordic UNICEF national committee operating with a similar recurring-sponsor model and high per-capita giving culture. Closely comparable in terms of scale, donor base characteristics, and tax-incentivized giving environment.
• UNICEF Finland (UNICEF Suomi): Finnish UNICEF national committee operating with similar recurring-donor ("Kuukausilahjoittaja") and emergency appeal models in a small Nordic market. Comparable in scale, headcount, and donor-program structure.
• UNICEF Norway (UNICEF Norge): Norwegian UNICEF national committee operating the same Global Parents/Faddere monthly giving program in a high-tax-incentive Nordic market. Most structurally comparable peer given Nordic economic, demographic, and regulatory similarities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/unicefisland
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@unicefisland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unicef-iceland

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Unicef Iceland