Canadian Lutheran World Relief

What Canadian Lutheran World Relief does

Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) is a Winnipeg-based registered Canadian charity founded in 1946, now marking its 80th year of operation. The organization delivers humanitarian aid, long-term community development, refugee resettlement, and church engagement programming through a partner-mediated model that channels donor contributions to local implementing organizations, principally Lutheran World Federation offices, ACT Alliance members, and community-based groups in affected regions. Its core program lines are refugee resettlement (as a Sponsorship Agreement Holder with the Government of Canada), food security and livelihoods, education and skills (including the GRIT vocational training project in the West Bank), and humanitarian emergency response across 25+ countries in the Middle East, East Africa, Central America, and Eastern Europe. CLWR also operates the Gifts from the Heart charitable gift catalogue and has phased out its legacy We Care commodity shipment program in favor of local procurement.

CLWR's business model is multi-stream: individual donations from Canadian supporters (online, phone, mail, e-transfer, monthly giving, and Gift Catalogue), Government of Canada grants via Global Affairs Canada (often matched up to 4:1 through Canadian Foodgrains Bank partnerships), and church-based fundraising. The organization claims approximately 85% of every dollar reaches programs, reflecting a thin administrative structure of 11-50 employees. Its go-to-market motion is community-led: Lutheran congregations and community groups act as both fundraising channels and refugee sponsorship volunteers, while direct mail, online portals, and storytelling-driven digital content engage individual donors. CLWR holds no proprietary technology, does not sell products commercially, and has no AI or software capabilities disclosed.

Name

Canadian Lutheran World Relief

Legal name

Canadian Lutheran World Relief

Website

https://clwr.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Canadian Lutheran World Relief is a Winnipeg-based registered Canadian charity, founded in 1946, that delivers refugee resettlement, food security, education, and humanitarian emergency programs through international partners, funded by individual Canadian donors, Lutheran churches, and Government of Canada grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Aid and Refugee Resettlement Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Community Food Services (624210)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Humanitarian Aid & Relief Ministries (BPAGAJAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH), Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG)

Keywords

• Humanitarian aid services
• Refugee resettlement
• Disaster relief programs
• Food security programs
• Community development

Headquarters

HQ city

Winnipeg

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: CLWR receives donations from individual Canadians through online portals, phone, mail, and e-transfer. Donors contribute to specific programs, emergency appeals, or general 'where needed most' funds. The organization offers monthly giving programs and legacy giving options.
2. Government Funding: CLWR receives matching funds and program funding from the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada. Many programs are matched by the Canadian government, multiplying the impact of donations.
3. Gift Catalogue Sales: The Gifts from the Heart catalogue allows donors to purchase specific items (goats, chickens, clean water, training) as gifts for friends and family, with recipients receiving cards informing them of the donation made in their honor.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Canadian Lutheran World Relief is a Canadian registered charity that delivers humanitarian aid, refugee resettlement, food security, education, and emergency response programs. It serves as a Sponsorship Agreement Holder with the Government of Canada to coordinate private refugee sponsorship through Lutheran congregations, and channels donor contributions through international partner organizations to deliver programs in crisis-affected and developing regions including the West Bank, South Sudan, Uganda, Ethiopia, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Jordan.

Product overview

Canadian Lutheran World Relief operates as a humanitarian organization offering multiple interconnected programs rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include refugee resettlement sponsorship coordination, food security and livelihoods support, education and skills training, and emergency humanitarian response. Key branded programs include Gifts from the Heart (donation catalogue), the GRIT vocational training initiative in the West Bank, and the We Care supply shipment program (now being phased out). The organization functions as a charitable relay, channeling donor contributions through field partners to affected communities worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GRIT: Gender-Responsive and Inclusive Technical and Vocational Education and Training in the West Bank - a project helping women and people with disabilities achieve learning and employment goals
• Gifts from the Heart
• We Care
• GRIT (Grit Training)

Products and services

• Gifts from the Heart A charitable gift catalogue allowing donors to purchase symbolic gifts (such as goats, chickens, clean water, and agricultural training) that benefit communities in need, with printable or mailed cards sent to recipients informing them of the donation made in their honor. The catalogue is available year-round with emphasis during the Christmas season.
• Refugee Resettlement Program A refugee resettlement service coordinating with Canadian Lutheran congregations and community groups to sponsor refugees arriving in Canada through CLWR's Sponsorship Agreement Holder status with the Government of Canada. Provides settlement support and community integration assistance during refugees' first year in Canada. Resettled 199 refugees last year across 20+ Canadian cities from 9 countries of origin.
• GRIT (Gender-Responsive and Inclusive Technical and Vocational Education and Training) A vocational training program in the West Bank helping women and people with disabilities access education, training, and employment opportunities in non-traditional fields, implemented through nine TVET institute partners. Targets 17,250 women and girls as beneficiaries.
• Food Security and Livelihoods Programs Agricultural support, training, and infrastructure development to improve sustainable and nutritious food access for small-scale farmers, including irrigation systems, watershed protection, climate-resilience training, and weather-indexed climate insurance in vulnerable regions such as Ethiopia, Burundi, El Salvador, and Nicaragua.
• Education and Skills Programs Support for school infrastructure repair, hygiene facilities, educator training, and technical/vocational skills development for displaced populations and vulnerable groups including women and people with disabilities in regions such as Jordan, Nicaragua, and the West Bank.
• Humanitarian Response Emergency response to crises including war, natural disasters, and complex emergencies, providing immediate survival assistance and long-term recovery support through international partners including Lutheran World Federation offices, ACT Alliance members, and Humanitarian Coalition members.
• Fikre Tsehai Internship Fund A paid internship program supporting people who have recently arrived in Canada as refugees or through special humanitarian pathways to build careers at CLWR, working in programs, operations, finance, communications, church relations, or donor services across CLWR's offices in British Columbia, Manitoba, and Ontario.

Quantifiable outcome

• 199 refugees resettled last year
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Lutheran World Federation (LWF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLWR works in partnership with Lutheran World Federation offices globally, including LWF Uganda, LWF Chad, LWF Jerusalem, and LWF Sudan. LWF is a key implementing partner for refugee protection, livelihood programs, and vocational training across multiple countries.
• ACT AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLWR is a member of ACT Alliance, a global coalition of churches and church-related organizations working together in over 140 countries to create positive and sustainable change. Through this alliance, CLWR accesses emergency response networks and shared humanitarian standards.
• Canadian Foodgrains BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLWR is a member of Canadian Foodgrains Bank, whose goal is a world without hunger. This partnership enables government matching of donations up to 4:1 for food security programs.
• Humanitarian CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLWR is a member of the Humanitarian Coalition, which brings together 12 leading Canadian aid organizations to provide Canadians with a simple and effective way to help during large-scale humanitarian emergencies. Members include Action Against Hunger, CARE Canada, Save the Children, World Vision Canada, and others.
• TVET Institutes (West Bank)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGRIT project implemented through nine TVET institutes: Episcopal Technological and Vocational Training Centre (Ramallah), Hisham Hijjawi College of Technology (Nablus), LWF Vocational Training Centers (Jerusalem, Ramallah), Palestine Polytechnic University (Hebron), Talitha Kumi Vocational Training Centre (Beit Jala), YMCA Jericho, Salesian Vocational Training Centre (Bethlehem), and In'ash Al-Osra Association (Ramallah).

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Aga Khan Foundation Canada: Faith-rooted Canadian foundation funding development, humanitarian response, and education programs across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Comparable in faith-based identity, Canadian donor base, Global Affairs Canada partnership, and long-tenure international development presence.
• Oxfam Canada: Canadian affiliate of Oxfam International working on humanitarian response, gender justice, and food security in conflict and crisis contexts. Direct peer in humanitarian response delivery, Global Affairs Canada partnership, and overseas implementing-partner model.
• Development and Peace (Caritas Canada): Catholic faith-based Canadian international development organization running refugee support, food security, and emergency response programs through Caritas Internationalis. Direct peer in faith identity, Canadian donor base, government funding dependency, and overseas partner-delivery model.
• Mennonite Central Committee Canada: An Anabaptist faith-based Canadian humanitarian organization delivering refugee resettlement, food security, and community development through partner networks. Most direct comparable to CLWR in faith-based identity, church-sponsorship refugee model, and Global Affairs Canada partnership profile.
• Canadian Red Cross: Canada's leading humanitarian aid organization delivering emergency response, refugee assistance, and disaster relief. Direct peer in humanitarian mandate, Canadian government partnership, and refugee resettlement operations, though operating from a secular rather than faith-based identity.
• Islamic Relief Canada: Faith-based Canadian humanitarian organization delivering emergency relief, food security, orphan sponsorship, and refugee support programs globally. Direct peer in faith-driven donor model, multi-program humanitarian portfolio, and Canadian donor fundraising orientation.

Broad incumbents

• Save the Children Canada: Canadian arm of global child-rights organization delivering humanitarian aid, education, and child protection. Humanitarian Coalition co-member with overlapping emergency response and education programming, though operating at significantly larger scale with a child-rights focus.
• World Vision Canada: Largest Christian child-focused humanitarian NGO in Canada, operating across humanitarian response, food security, education, and child sponsorship. Broad incumbent offering overlapping capabilities across CLWR's portfolio but with significantly larger scale and a child-sponsorship commercial model.
• CARE Canada: Major Canadian humanitarian organization focused on women and girls in humanitarian response, food security, and emergency relief. Overlapping member of Humanitarian Coalition alongside CLWR, with comparable Canadian government grant exposure and emergency-response delivery model.

Emerging players

• KAIROS Canada: Ecumenical Canadian faith-based coalition of churches working on humanitarian, human rights, and ecological justice programming internationally. Comparable faith-rooted Canadian identity and Global Affairs Canada funding exposure, though operating at smaller scale and with a broader advocacy lens rather than direct service delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CanadianLutheranWorldRelief
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/canadian-lutheran-world-relief

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Canadian Lutheran World Relief