Trafigura Foundation
/OVERVIEW: Based in Switzerland, the Trafigura Foundation is the philanthropic entity of the Singaporean commodity and logistics multinational Trafigura Group. The foundation supports global development, climate change mitigation and humanitarian relief programs, prioritizing developing nations around the world.
IP TAKE: Trafigura’s grantmaking prioritizes underserved and vulnerable communities in the developing world, with about a third of all grantmaking directed toward organizations in Africa. Specific areas of interest have included job creation, vocational training, solar energy and global reduction of emissions.
Most of Trafigura’s grantees are well-established organizations. It does not accept unsolicited applications. Instead, the funder prefers to reach out to potential grantees to request a funding proposal. Nonetheless, the foundation also boasts an employee-directed giving program, so don’t hesitate to network with Trafigura employees for funding.
PROFILE: Based in Geneva, Switzerland, the Trafigura Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Trafigura, a Singaporean commodity trading and logistics company that specializes in base metals and energy. In 2017, the Trafigura Foundation revamped its philanthropy to focus on two main areas of grantmaking: fair and sustainable employment and clean and safe supply chains. It also runs an employee-directed community care program that supports communities and causes of interest to its parent company’s employees. Grantmaking is global in scope.
Grants for Global Development
The Trafigura Foundation supports global development through its fair and sustainable employment and clean and safe supply chains initiatives. Grantmaking for employment prioritizes “disenfranchised youth, smallholder farmers, people living with disabilities, women in vulnerable situations and other marginalized groups.” The foundation has partnered with organizations that create employment opportunities, offer vocational training and negotiate with employers for fair wages and safe working conditions. In Rwanda, Trafigura has supported Bridges to Prosperity, an organization that helps rural communities connect to education and work opportunities by building reliable footbridges over local waterways. Another grantee, Reach Vietnam, offers job training and placement to underprivileged young adults between the ages of 16 and 30. Other employment grantees include Mexico’s Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, Egypt’s Education for Employment and FairFishing Somaliland, which supports creating jobs in the sustainable fishing sector in the Horn of Africa.
Global development grants also stem from Trafigura’s clean and safe supply chains funding program, which aims to support vulnerable populations’ “access to market, health services, education and last mile coverage.” The foundation has also given to projects and programs involving transportation and infrastructure. In Africa, the foundation has supported the North Star Alliance, which provides healthcare services to migrant workers and rural agricultural communities. And in South America, the foundation has supported the Fundación Gonzalo Rodriguez, which works in Uruguay and Argentina to improve road safety for school children.
Climate Change and Clean Energy
The Trafigura Foundation conducts climate change and clean energy grants through its clean and safe supply chains initiative, focusing on “mitigating environmental and social issues caused by transportation or infrastructure at land and sea.” The foundation has also given to programs that bring clean energy to rural or underserved areas in the developing world. One recent grant went to Fondem, an organization in Mali that has set up solar energy generation for education, healthcare and consumer use in rural areas. Another grant went to the Smart Freight Center, a global organization that works toward “a more efficient and low-emission global freight sector.” Other grantees include the International Council on Clean Transportation, Planète Urgence Indonesia and Chênelet, a French organization involved in the development of the sustainable construction industry.
Other Grantmaking Opportunities
The Trafigura Foundation’s COVID-19 response included additional funding to its current grantees as well as support for “urgent COVID-19 responses implemented by trusted organizations.” Grantees include Peru’s Fundación Intergación Comunitaria, which provided vulnerable communities with food and hygiene kits, and the Foundation for Innovative Diagnostics, which helps low- and middle-income countries find affordable COVID-19 testing options.
In response to the war in Ukraine, Trafigura Foundation has donated $2 million to a number of organizations serving impacted communities, including UNICEF, the Seafarers International Relief Fund, and the Swiss Red Cross.
Important Grant Details:
The Trafigura Foundation made about $8.5 million in grants in a recent year. Grants range from about $50,000 to $250,000, with an average grant size of about $100,000. About one third of the foundation’s grants support organizations in Africa, with the balance evenly spread over Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North America and Latin America. This funder supports “trusted” nonprofits and NGOs that have the potential to create broad and impactful change in underserved and vulnerable communities in developing nations. For additional information about past grants, see the foundation’s grants database on its programs page.
Trafigura does not accept unsolicited applications. Instead, it proactively seeks out new organizations and programs that align with their mission and request funding proposals from selected organizations. For more information, see the foundation’s selection criteria page.
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