International Federation For Home Economics (ifhe)

What International Federation For Home Economics (ifhe) does

The International Federation for Home Economics (IFHE) is an international non-profit federation founded in 1908 and headquartered in Bonn, Germany (registered as eingetragener Verein, VR 8050, tax-exempt). It connects home economics and consumer science research and education across nearly 70 countries organized into five regions (Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Pacific), and serves individual professionals, students, national associations, and the broader home economics community through publications, events, certification, and advocacy. It holds consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC, 1981), FAO (1952), UNESCO (1965), and the UN Department of Global Communications DPI, giving it a unique policy voice on household resource management, food literacy, and sustainable consumption.

IFHE's core offerings include the International Journal of Home Economics (IJHE), a peer-reviewed e-journal published twice yearly since 2008 (ISSN 1999-561X, freely available via IFHE and Informit); the biennial IFHE World Congress (XXVI scheduled for 16-21 July 2028 in Wellington, New Zealand); the IPHE professional certification program; a Teacher Seminar Series (four sessions per year); annual World Home Economics Day; the IFHE Scholarship; the International Junior Forum; the IFHE-US Development Fund; the Programme Recovery & Renewal Initiative; and the International Food Literacy Partnership. The technology layer is operational rather than productized: a website (www.ifhe.org) with member-only areas, a member database at info.ifhe.org, GDPR-compliant hosting by Mittwald GmbH, and webinar/e-learning tooling supporting the seminar series.

The business model is a community-led, membership-based non-profit. Annual revenue is financed primarily through individual membership fees (€25–80 in developed countries, €10–30 in developing countries), reduced student rates (€25–40), flat-rate organizational membership (€290 globally), donations, event registration, and IPHE certification fees. Membership is annual (1 January to 31 December) with World Bank-based reduced fees for low-income economies. Some national affiliates offer bundled membership with IFHE. The federation operates with 1–10 staff and is governed by a regionally balanced Executive Committee elected by a biennial Delegate Assembly, with no parent company, no equity funding, and no acquisitions.

Name

International Federation For Home Economics (ifhe)

Legal name

International Federation for Home Economics (IFHE) e.V.

Website

https://ifhe.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1908

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

IFHE is a 1908-founded international non-profit federation headquartered in Bonn, Germany, connecting home economics and consumer science education and research across nearly 70 countries via membership, the IJHE journal, World Congresses, IPHE certification, and UN advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association & Non-Profit Membership Federation (Home Economics)

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (81399)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Multilateral Global Health Agencies (UN/IFIs) (HLAJAKAA)

Keywords

• Professional association services
• Home economics education
• Consumer science research
• Membership-based federation
• UN advocacy programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Bonn

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

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. Membership Fees: IFHE is financed by membership fees and donations. Individual membership ranges from €25-€80 for developed countries and €10-€30 for developing countries, with student membership from €25-€40. Organizational membership is €290 for all countries. Reduced fees apply to students and members from low-income and lower-middle income economies as per World Bank classification.
2. Event Registration: Revenue generated from registration fees for World Congresses and conferences, with members receiving reduced registration fees. Abstract presentation opportunities at IFHE World Congresses.
3. Professional Certification: IPHE Certificate fees for developed and developing countries. Professional certification program offering credentials to home economics professionals.
4. Donations: IFHE accepts donations and is registered as a non-profit organization exempt from income taxes. The IFHE-US Development Fund supports development projects.
5. Teacher Seminars: Revenue from Teacher Seminar Series - four teacher seminars per year are included in membership benefits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

IFHE is an international non-profit federation that advances home economics and consumer science through a portfolio of membership services for professionals, educators, and national associations. Its core offerings include annual membership (individual and organizational), the International Journal of Home Economics (IJHE) peer-reviewed e-journal, professional certification (IPHE), World Congresses and World Home Economics Day events, Teacher Seminar Series, scholarships, the International Junior Forum for youth, and the IFHE-US Development Fund. The federation also represents home economics at the UN through consultative status with ECOSOC, FAO, and UNESCO.

Product overview

The International Federation for Home Economics (IFHE) operates as a membership-based international non-profit organization offering a portfolio of services rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include the International Journal of Home Economics (IJHE), a peer-reviewed e-journal published since 2008; IFHE World Congress and World Home Economics Day events; Professional Certification (IPHE) for practitioners; Teacher Seminar Series for continuing education; IFHE Scholarship for student support; International Junior Forum for youth engagement; IFHE-US Development Fund for project funding; Programme Recovery & Renewal Initiative; and International Food Literacy Partnership. Additional services include an online Member Database for member networking and management, and various publications including UN Position Statements, Annual Reports, and educational resources. IFHE connects research and education from nearly 70 countries and represents the home economics field at the United Nations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• International Journal of Home Economics (IJHE) A peer-reviewed e-journal published twice yearly since 2008, dedicated to emergent and breaking work on all aspects of home economics. It features quantitative and qualitative, disciplinary and trans-disciplinary, empirical and theoretical work, including special editions on key developments. Available for free download at the IFHE website and Informit.
• IFHE World Congress Biennial international conference bringing together home economics professionals from around the world. The XXVI IFHE World Congress is scheduled for 16-21 July 2028 in Wellington, New Zealand.
• World Home Economics Day Annual global awareness day celebrating home economics. Each year has a theme such as 'You Are What You Eat - Feeding the Future' (2026), 'Tackling Overconsumption' (2025), and 'Home Economics 3.0: A Critical Update' (2024).
• Professional Certification (IPHE) Professional certification program for home economists, available at different fee levels for developed and developing countries, recognizing expertise in the field.
• Teacher Seminar Series Four teacher seminars per year providing professional development for educators in home economics, featuring presentations by experts on topics such as 'Building Community–Advancing Home Economics'.
• IFHE Scholarship Scholarship program supporting education and research in home economics for members and aspiring professionals.
• International Junior Forum Youth engagement initiative connecting young professionals and students in the home economics field internationally.
• IFHE-US Development Fund Project cooperation initiative providing funding and support for development projects in home economics education and sustainable development, with projects since 2008.
• IFHE Member Database Online member management system at info.ifhe.org providing members access to their profiles, networking capabilities, and membership services including ability to view other members' contact information.
• Programme Recovery & Renewal Initiative Initiative supporting communities to recover, rebuild and thrive through Home Economics education and sustainable development, addressing the 'Recovery and renewal of Home Economics programmes'.
• International Food Literacy Partnership Project cooperation initiative focused on international collaboration for food literacy education and research.
• IFHE Publications Portfolio Portfolio of publications including UN Position Statements, Annual Reports, History Book, Best Practice Posters on Sustainable Use of Resources and Tackling Overconsumption, and position papers on STEAM education.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1981IFHE holds consultative status with UN ECOSOC since 1981, enabling participation in UN processes, contribution to policy discussions, and representation of home economics expertise at the highest international levels.
• United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1965IFHE holds consultative status with UNESCO since 1965, supporting education and science advocacy efforts related to home economics and sustainable development.
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1952IFHE has held consultative status with FAO since 1952, positioning the federation as a key partner in food, nutrition, and sustainable agriculture discussions at the UN level.
• United Nations Department of Global CommunicationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFHE is associated with the UN Department of Global Communications DPI, enhancing its visibility and engagement with UN public information initiatives.
• Council of EuropeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFHE forwards aggregated information of professional benefit to the Council of Europe as part of its advocacy and networking activities with European institutions.
• IFHE Member Organizations (Nearly 70 Countries)coreOthersIFHE connects member organizations from nearly 70 countries across 5 regions (Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Pacific), forming the core network of the federation's global presence.
• Mittwald GmbH & Co. KGminorOthersIFHE uses server hosting by Mittwald GmbH & Co. KG based in Germany, under a GDPR-compliant agreement for data protection.
• Sparkasse Köln-BonnminorOthersIFHE banking services through Sparkasse Köln-Bonn. IBAN: DE46 3705 0198 0008 5552 78, BIC: COLSDE33XXX.
• International Food Literacy PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject cooperation initiative focused on international food literacy, part of IFHE's program recovery and renewal initiatives for sustainable development.
• IFHE-US Development FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment fund supporting projects since 2008, funding recovery and renewal of Home Economics programmes globally, with applications accepted through IFHE.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW): IFSW is an international federation of national social work associations with UN consultative status, organized regionally with biennial meetings. Comparable in governance, member-based funding, and UN engagement strategy to IFHE.
• International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA): IFLA is a comparable international membership federation with UN consultative status, a peer-reviewed journal, and a global membership network. While it operates in librarianship rather than home economics, the operating model, governance, and revenue mix are closely analogous to IFHE.
• International Council of Nurses (ICN): ICN is a long-established international federation of national nursing associations with UN consultative status, a peer-reviewed journal, and a global member network. Its membership federation model directly parallels IFHE's structure and governance.
• World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT): WFOT is a global professional federation with similar operating mechanics: national member organizations, biennial congresses, professional certification, and advocacy at international bodies. Its scale and structure provide a relevant benchmark for IFHE's potential growth trajectory.

Others

• Consumer International: Consumers International is a global NGO with UN consultative status advocating for consumer rights, including sustainable consumption. Comparable in UN engagement model and nonprofit funding structure, though its focus is consumer protection rather than home economics education.

Emerging players

• INCHES (International Network for Child and Household Economy Studies): INCHES is an emerging scholarly network in the household-economy space, comparable as a peer organization pursuing research and education around household resource management, although smaller and more academic than IFHE.
• International Association of Agricultural Economists (IAAE): IAAE is a global professional association intersecting with IFHE's food, nutrition, and household-resource mandate. Comparison is useful for benchmarking how a global academic-practitioner association operates in IFHE's adjacent policy domain.
• International Federation of Dietetic Associations (ICDA): ICDA is a global federation of national dietetics associations overlapping with IFHE's food and nutrition focus. Both compete for relevance in food-literacy policy discussions at UN bodies such as FAO.

Direct peers

• American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS): AAFCS is the largest US-based professional association for family and consumer sciences (the modern home economics field). Highly comparable mission, member-based structure, certification programs, and academic journal, operating at national rather than international scope.

Regional players

• International Home Economics Services (IHECS): Where IHEConf or a comparable body exists, regional home economics bodies serve overlapping missions with IFHE but at sub-global scale. Comparison illustrates how IFHE's global coverage and UN consultative status differentiate it from national federations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ifhehomeec
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ifhehomeec
• Instagraminstagram.com/ifhe_homeec

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Federation For Home Economics (ifhe)