International Association For Refugees (iafr)

What International Association For Refugees (iafr) does

International Association For Refugees (IAFR) is a Christian, faith-based humanitarian nonprofit registered as a 501(c)(3) in the United States, founded in 2009 by Tom Albinson and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The organization serves forcibly displaced people — refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons — across 11 ministry locations in the USA (Atlanta, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Northern Colorado), Europe (Bratislava, Lille, Sarajevo, Athens, Ukraine), and Africa (Burundi, Dzaleka, Kakuma). Its service portfolio spans shelter (Jonathan House in Minneapolis; Ft Morgan Housing Initiative in Colorado), community-based hospitality (Hope Community in Sarajevo), emergency food and medical assistance, primary-to-university scholarships, vocational training, small-business micro-investments, Bible distribution, refugee church building support, and refugee-church consulting. IAFR operates a decentralized "community-led" go-to-market in which long-term missionaries raise their own support, with field execution largely delivered through on-the-ground partner organizations such as There Is Hope (Malawi), Windle International Kenya, One Heart (Greece), Amis Des Exilés (France), RENAPEC (Burundi), and Good Shepherd's Ambassadors Ministry.

IAFR funds itself exclusively through donations from individuals, churches, and organizations, offering one-time gifts, recurring sustaining partnerships, project-specific sponsorship (with unit-economics ranging from $15 per Bible to $9,000 per multi-year secondary scholarship), and legacy giving through wills. The organization reported $2.3 million in total contributions in its 2026 Annual Report and supported its 28 staff and 14 active projects with 202 church partnerships. IAFR is a member of ICVA and the Refugee Highway Partnership, and references UNHCR data in its educational materials. There is no proprietary technology product; delivery relies on field staff, missionaries, and local partner organizations, with the central knowledge asset being the IAFR Toolbox of educational resources and the Foundations of Refugee Ministry training curriculum.

Name

International Association For Refugees (iafr)

Legal name

International Association for Refugees

Website

https://iafr.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IAFR is a Minneapolis-headquartered 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers faith-based humanitarian services — including shelter, education, vocational training, and emergency relief — to forcibly displaced people across 11 ministry locations in the USA, Europe, and Africa, funded entirely through donations and church partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Aid Services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refugee, Migration & Displacement Support (BPAGABAH), Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI), Integration & Inclusion Services (Housing, Education, Employment) (BPADAHAI), NGO/Nonprofit Education Programs & Service Delivery (EDADALAC), Humanitarian Health & Emergency Medical Relief NGOs (HLAJAKAE)

Keywords

• Refugee humanitarian services
• Displaced persons assistance
• Faith-based nonprofit ministry
• Refugee education scholarships
• Asylum seeker shelter programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: IAFR generates revenue exclusively through donations from individuals, churches, and organizations. The organization offers multiple giving options including one-time donations, recurring sustaining partnerships, project-specific gifts, and legacy giving through wills. All contributions are tax-deductible as IAFR is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

IAFR is a Christian 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers humanitarian aid, shelter, education, healthcare, vocational training, and faith-based community support to forcibly displaced people across 11 ministry locations in the United States, Europe, and Africa. The organization operates a portfolio of programs including Jonathan House (asylum seeker shelter), Hope Community (Sarajevo refugee center), refugee church buildings, scholarships, and emergency food assistance, funded entirely by donations from individuals, churches, and partner organizations.

Product overview

IAFR is a Christian humanitarian organization operating as a portfolio of interconnected programs rather than a unified technology product. The core offerings include Jonathan House (shelter for asylum seekers in Minnesota), Hope Community (Sarajevo Refugee Center), and ministry location services across 11 sites in Africa, Europe, and the USA. Educational programs encompass primary school scholarships, university scholarships, and vocational training in refugee camps. Humanitarian aid includes emergency food assistance, medical assistance, and Bible distribution. Economic development programs support small business startups and housing initiatives. Training programs offer principles-based refugee ministry education through interactive seminars and online courses. The organization also provides a Toolbox of educational resources and refugee church consulting services. IAFR serves approximately 117.8 million forcibly displaced people worldwide through partnerships with refugee-led organizations, local NGOs, and 202 church partnerships, with $2.3 million in total contributions supporting 28 staff and 14 active projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Jonathan House: A shelter ministry providing safe, stable housing and supportive community to asylum seekers in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota
• Hope Community
• Refugee Highway Partnership

Products and services

• Jonathan House Shelter and supportive community program for asylum seekers in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, providing safe, stable housing and relational community to help people recover from forced displacement and rebuild their lives. 33 asylum seekers sheltered to date with higher than average asylum approval rates.
• Hope Community - Sarajevo Refugee Center Community center in Sarajevo, Bosnia providing safe, welcoming space where displaced people can access warmth, refreshment, coffee, tea, snacks, games, learning opportunities, spiritual support, friendship, weekly community meals, and worship times. Has welcomed over 2,200 guests from 27 nations in 18 months.
• Foundations of Refugee Ministry Training Principles-based refugee ministry training for churches and mission groups through interactive seminars covering topics including Refugee Realities, Biblical Perspective, Continuum of Response, Recovery Ministry, Humanitarian Space, and Best Practices.
• Ministry Locations and Service Opportunities Mission and volunteer opportunities across 11 ministry locations in USA (Atlanta, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Northern Colorado), Europe (Bratislava, Lille, Sarajevo, Ukraine, Athens), and Africa (Burundi, Dzaleka, Kakuma) serving forcibly displaced populations.
• Toolbox Resources Educational resources including The Map of the Refugee Highway, Refugee Realities FAQ, Terms of Displacement, Refugees in the Bible, Refugee Convention, Best Practices, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and IAFR Voices publications.
• Bibles for Refugees Provides Bibles to refugee households in camps. Every $15 donation gifts one Bible including shipping to refugee camps in Africa. Priority languages include Swahili, English, French, Dinka Bor, Nuer, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Arabic, Amharic, Moro, and Turkana. 22,449 Bibles delivered as of 8/2025.
• Kakuma Emergency Assistance Emergency food assistance partnership with refugee churches in Kakuma, Kenya targeting orphans, widows, pregnant women, single mothers, and those with disabilities. Provides non-perishable food items including maize flour, beans, cooking oil, and salt. Over 12,000 people assisted in 2025-2026.
• Dzaleka Refugee Medical Assistance Medical assistance program providing pharmaceuticals to health clinics in Dzaleka refugee camp. Since 2020, five shipments have been sent benefiting 60,000 patients. Annual goal of $11,500 to provide medical assistance for refugees, asylum seekers, and IDP.
• Dzaleka Primary School Scholarships Sponsors refugee children and orphans to attend school for $35/month covering school fees and uniform. Partners with Ebenezer Academy and PCC Primary School. Goal to sponsor 100 children annually.
• Dzaleka Refugee Scholarships University/college scholarship program for refugees in Dzaleka. Only 1% of refugee youth go to university globally. Cost of $2,480 per student per year, $9,920 for full 4-year program. Partners with There Is Hope. Goal of 6 students per year.
• Dzaleka Vocational Training Vocational training program in Dzaleka offering courses in carpentry, masonry, tailoring, welding, and plumbing. $935 sponsors one student for 12-month training. Partners with There Is Hope. Over 71 students helped complete training.
• Dzaleka Small Business Small business startup support in Dzaleka refugee camp. Invests in 3-5 businesses per year with approximately $500 per small-scale investment. Partners with There Is Hope for business proposal vetting and monitoring.
• Ft Morgan Housing Initiative Two-year residential housing program in Northern Colorado providing safe, stable housing leading to home ownership for displaced persons. Involves rehab of multi-unit buildings with supportive community environment.
• Kakuma Refugee Youth Camp Annual youth camp in Kakuma bringing diverse kids together for 3-4 days of investment. $6,000 covers venue, food, and transport for 300 youth. 258 youth participated in 2025. Partners with Good Shepherd's Ambassadors Ministry (G-SAM).
• Kakuma Refugee Scholarships High school scholarship program for refugee girls in Kakuma, Kenya. Only 23% of refugee adolescents attend school; only 4 girls enrolled for every 10 boys. $9,000 covers 3 years of secondary boarding school including tuition, travel, medical, books, uniforms, and allowance. Partners with Windle International Kenya.
• Kakuma Strategic Worker Financial sponsorship of Nicolaus Gagai, a Kenyan displaced by post-election violence, serving as full-time worker strengthening children ministries and leading street children outreach in Kakuma. Support need is $375/month ($4,500/year).
• Refugee Church Buildings Building materials provision for refugee churches in camps. Average cost of $1,700 per church. Goal to assist at least 6 refugee church buildings annually. 82 church building projects supported as of 8/2025. Focused on Dzaleka and Kakuma camps.
• Lille Refugee Welcome Center Refugee Welcome Center in Lille, France operated through local nonprofit Amis Des Exilés. Offers French language tutoring, cultural outings, friendship, practical accompaniment, weekly sharing group with Scripture, fellowship, and prayer.
• Refugee Church Consulting Consulting service with Pastor Jean Pierre Gatera consulting refugee churches in US and internationally on navigating life and ministry in new contexts, and helping US churches and agencies effectively serve and partner with refugee churches.
• Dzaleka Ebenezer Academy Refugee-led elementary school construction project in Dzaleka refugee camp. Phase 1 complete with two classroom blocks (6 classrooms), well, restrooms. $154,000 raised; additional $8,000 needed for security fence. Serves approximately 11,000 school-aged children in the camp.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,200+ guests from 27 nations served at Sarajevo Hope Community in 18 months
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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.

• There Is HopecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMalawian NGO partnering with IAFR in Dzaleka refugee camp for vocational training, small business development, university scholarships, and trauma care programs. Their programs are certified by the government and have developed a good reputation for maintaining high standards.
• Windle International Kenya (WIK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNGO based in Kenya specializing in refugee education. IAFR partners with WIK for high school scholarship programs in Kakuma refugee camp, leveraging their significant experience and systems for facilitating refugee education programs.
• One HeartcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreek agency partnering with IAFR in Athens to help asylum-seekers and refugees through medical services, shelter, food, baby supplies, clothing distribution, and legal assistance.
• Amis Des Exilés (Friends of Exiles)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal nonprofit in Lille, France through which IAFR operates its Refugee Welcome Center offering French language tutoring, cultural outings, friendship, and practical accompaniment for asylum seekers.
• International Pentecostal Holiness Church Africa (IPHCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIAFR financially sponsors Nicolaus Gagai's ministry in Kakuma through IPHCA, supporting children's ministry development and outreach among street children.
• RÉSEAU National des Pasteurs des Églises Chrétiennes du Burundi (RENAPEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network of Christian church pastors in Burundi partnering with IAFR for refugee church ministries in Gasorwe refugee camp.
• Channel of Blessings Initiative (CBI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in Burundi working with IAFR in Gasorwe refugee camp for capacity building and organizational development.
• ICVA NetworkminorOthersIAFR is a member of the ICVA network, connecting with other humanitarian organizations in the refugee sector.
• Refugee Highway Partnership (RHP)minorOthersIAFR participates in the Refugee Highway Partnership, an international network of Christians, churches and agencies serving forcibly displaced people worldwide. Original Best Practices document was drafted at RHP's founding gathering in 2001.
• UNHCRminorOthersIAFR references UNHCR as the UN Refugee Agency providing reports, statistics and background information related to forcibly displaced people. IAFR resources include UNHCR's Welcoming the Stranger document.
• Good Shepherd's Ambassadors Ministry (G-SAM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRefugee youth-led nonprofit in Kakuma that plans and runs the annual refugee youth camp. IAFR provides funding while G-SAM handles implementation.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• HIAS: Jewish-founded refugee resettlement agency operating across the U.S. and internationally to protect and resettle refugees. Comparable to IAFR as a faith-rooted, mission-driven refugee resettlement and integration organization serving forcibly displaced populations.
• Open Doors USA: Christian organization serving persecuted Christians and refugees through relief, advocacy, and Bible-based support. Comparable to IAFR in its faith-rooted humanitarian identity, Bible-distribution programs, and church-based partnership model.
• Church World Service: Faith-based humanitarian organization supporting refugees, asylum seekers, and disaster-affected communities through resettlement and integration services. Directly comparable to IAFR in its church-network-driven refugee ministry model.
• Samaritan's Purse: Evangelical Christian humanitarian organization providing emergency relief, medical assistance, and spiritual support in disaster and conflict zones. Comparable to IAFR in faith-based identity, emergency relief focus, and Bible-distribution programming.
• World Relief: U.S.-based evangelical Christian humanitarian organization providing refugee resettlement, immigration services, and global refugee assistance. Highly comparable to IAFR given its faith-based identity, church partnership model, and refugee-focused Continuum-of-Response-style programming.
• Jesuit Refugee Service USA: Catholic Jesuit organization serving refugees and forcibly displaced people through shelter, education, livelihoods, and advocacy. Closely comparable to IAFR in its faith-driven Continuum-of-Care approach and refugee-led accompaniment model.
• Global Refuge (formerly LIRS): Faith-rooted refugee resettlement and immigration services organization serving refugees, asylum seekers, and unaccompanied children in the U.S. Directly comparable to IAFR in shelter, resettlement, and integration programming for forcibly displaced people.

Broad incumbents

• International Rescue Committee: Large secular humanitarian organization delivering emergency relief, resettlement, and economic recovery programs to refugees and conflict-affected populations globally. Overlaps with IAFR's program mix but operates at substantially greater scale and without a faith-based mission.
• Tearfund: Evangelical Christian relief and development agency working through local churches to address poverty and disaster response globally. Comparable in faith-based humanitarian approach and church-network distribution model.
• Caritas Internationalis: Catholic confederation of 160+ member organizations providing humanitarian aid, refugee support, and social services worldwide. Comparable to IAFR in faith-based humanitarian identity and refugee focus, but at much larger scope and scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-association-for-refugees-iafr-

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 International Association For Refugees (iafr)