Foundation for the ICRC

The Foundation for the ICRC was established in 1931 to help the ICRC fulfil its vital humanitarian mission in both peacetime and wartime.

Makamba province. ICRC restoring family links program. A family reunited. Juliana AMADOR MESA/ICRC

Who we are

Logo Foundation For ICRC_EN

The period between the First World War and the Second World War was a time of great uncertainty. 

The Foundation for the ICRC was seen as a way of securing the future of impartial, neutral and independent humanitarian action. Ninety years on, the ICRC continues to act as the guardian of international humanitarian law (IHL), protecting and assisting conflict-affected people, and serving as a neutral humanitarian intermediary. At the same time, the organization faces new challenges, such as new means and methods of warfare and the combined and worsening impacts of conflict and climate change. To meet the needs of people globally, the ICRC must adapt to these new realities, and do so quickly, by innovating and harnessing the power of technology. 

The Foundation manages an endowment fund, which complements other sources of funding. The fund generates a steady income stream that the ICRC invests to carry out its humanitarian mission alongside its partners, particularly within the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. 

In 2020, the Foundation was restructured as an umbrella foundation and has incorporated other, dedicated funds, such as the Paul Reuter and Clare Benedict funds

An Investment Committee is responsible for setting the Foundation’s asset allocation strategy, which aims to strike an optimal balance between minimizing risk and maximizing returns. The Foundation complies with all the Movement’s principles and guidelines and upholds strict standards of ethical investment. 

Our vision

Our objective is to nurture an endowment fund that helps secure the future of the ICRC’s independent, impartial and neutral humanitarian action, focusing on three key pillars. 

Pillar 1: Acceleration of humanitarian innovation

We accelerate humanitarian innovation to strengthen the ability of the ICRC and its Movement partners to prevent and alleviate human suffering. In selecting which incubation projects and innovation initiatives to support, we are guided by the principle of humanity – always striving to make the greatest impact in the lives of people affected by armed conflict and other violence.

Engineering Humanitarian Action

For example, we have supported the ICRC’s partnership with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Zurich (ETHZ) and of Lausanne (EPFL) to develop innovative engineering solutions for greater humanitarian impact. Tapping into cutting-edge research and fast scientific and technological advances, the solutions they engineer help better prevent suffering and improve the lives and livelihoods of people in need.

Here are some more examples of projects the Foundation has supported:

Pillar 2: Fund humanitarian work in forgotten conflicts

Responding to acute and pressing needs in conflicts that lack media and donor attention is one of the major challenges for the ICRC to fulfil its mandate as an impartial humanitarian actor. Today's breaking news frequently becomes tomorrow's forgotten story as conflicts become ever more protracted, leading to tragically underfunded operations. The Foundation provides funding to support the ICRC’s life-saving work in such situations.

Pillar 3: Dedicated funds for specific causes

Donors are often passionate about specific causes. As an umbrella Foundation, we can establish dedicated funds to support vital humanitarian work that is aligned with the ICRC’s mandate and institutional strategy. The Foundation provides the necessary flexibility to manage these dedicated funds in accordance with our donors' wishes.