Ethiopiaid

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £2,390,000 (charitable activities expenditure, 2023)
• Total Income: £2,444,000 (2023)
• Grant Range: Not publicly specified for Small Grants Programme
• Geographic Focus: Ethiopia
• Application Process: Annual Small Grants Programme with fixed deadline
• Number of Partners: 14 current partner organizations

Contact Details

Website: www.ethiopiaid.org.uk

General Phone: 01225 476385

General Email: support@ethiopiaid.org.uk

Small Grants Programme Email: applications@ethiopiaid.org.uk

Trusts & Foundations Contact: Hannah Pain (hannah@ethiopiaid.org.uk)

Address: Ethiopiaid, Bath, England

Overview

Founded in 1989 by Sir Alec Reed CBE with a £1 million donation, Ethiopiaid has grown to become a specialist UK charity raising funds for local Ethiopian organizations to transform lives and achieve lasting change. After visiting Ethiopia in 1987 and witnessing both widespread hardship and remarkable passion and ambition, Sir Alec established the charity to support partner-led development. To date, Ethiopiaid has donated over £36 million to projects across Ethiopia, currently working with 14 dedicated partner organizations and aiming to donate approximately £2 million annually. The charity reported total income of £2,444,000 and charitable expenditure of £2,390,000 in 2023. In April 2025, Anna Lord became CEO with a new global strategy “Be Brave. Be Bold” aiming to more than double annual income to £5 million by 2030. The charity's mission is “breaking the cycle of poverty by enabling the poorest and most vulnerable and their communities to live with dignity, to build resilience and achieve real and sustainable solutions to the challenges they face.” Last year, 222,569 people were reached through Ethiopiaid-funded projects, with around 80% being women and girls.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Small Grants Programme

• Open to registered Ethiopian charities
• Applications due September 15th annually (Round 2 opens July)
• Requires 2-year gap between funding rounds for previous grantees
• Grant amounts not publicly specified
• Application via online form plus Organization Overview Form

Long-term Partnership Funding

• Currently supports 14 partner organizations
• Partnerships often last over 15 years
• Aims to visit all partners in person at least once annually
• Unrestricted and capacity-building grants welcomed from UK trusts/foundations

Priority Areas

Education

• Girls' education and keeping girls in school
• Vocational training for disadvantaged youth
• University scholarships and bursaries
• Access to quality education for vulnerable communities

Maternal Health

• Obstetric fistula treatment and prevention
• Midwifery training and maternal healthcare services
• Antenatal, delivery, and postnatal care
• Mobile health clinics for remote communities

Healthcare

• Prevention services
• Palliative care for terminally ill patients
• Podoconiosis prevention and treatment
• Disability support and rehabilitation
• Cervical cancer screening and treatment

Community Infrastructure

• Emergency response to conflicts, droughts, and disasters
• Water access for pastoralist communities
• Support for elderly people living in poverty

Women's Rights & Protection

• Combating harmful practices (FGM, child marriage)
• Support for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence
• Women's economic empowerment and business development
• Reusable sanitary products for girls

What They Don't Fund

• Organizations outside Ethiopia
• Charities without Ethiopian registration
• Organizations without audited accounts for last two years
• Organizations without safeguarding policies
• Previous grantees within 2-year period (for Small Grants Programme)
• Projects without demonstrated sustainability plan

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Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees (8 trustees total)

Alexandra Chapman - Chair of Trustees

• Daughter of founder Sir Alec Reed CBE
• Chair of The Reed Foundation
• MA in Social Anthropology and Economic/Social Studies
• Has been visiting Ethiopia for over 30 years

Nicola Bullock - Trustee

• Chartered accountant and Fellow of ICAEW
• 20 years international development experience

Vanessa Catterall - Trustee

• Qualified social worker since 2005
• Management and leadership experience in child and family services

Alexandra Fenn - Trustee (since 2007)

• Marketing leadership experience
• Advises technology businesses on strategy

Dr. Alemayehu Gebreyes - Trustee

• NHS consultant haematologist
• Trained and worked as doctor in Ethiopia

Edith Prak - Trustee

• Director of Advancement at University of Nottingham
• Masters in Economics from University of Amsterdam
• Extensive fundraising and international development career

Patrick Reed - Trustee

• Grandson of founder Sir Alec Reed
• Commercial strategy consultant background

Helena Smith - Trustee

• Solicitor qualified in England and Wales
• 18 years legal experience

Note: No trustees receive remuneration from the charity

Senior Staff

Anna Lord - Chief Executive Officer (appointed April 2025)

• Previously Partnerships Manager for 10 years
• Quote: “The CEO role is less about managing, more about leading.”
• Quote: “Part of our strategy is being the specialist charity for people who want to support those in Ethiopia.”
• Leading strategy to grow income from £2.44m to £5m by 2030

Key Staff Members:

• Fran Rutherford - Senior Fundraising Manager
• Mim Maggs - Senior Partnerships Manager
• Becki Fuller - Senior Finance and Operations Manager
• Christina Pierce-Winters - Legacy & Fundraising Compliance Lead

Partner-Led Approach

Anna Lord emphasizes: “We would never have a member of staff travel over to Ethiopia and tell them how to sort out their problems.” The charity operates without staff based in Ethiopia, working entirely through local partners who understand community needs.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Small Grants Programme:

1. Review eligibility criteria at ethiopiaid.org.uk/small-grants/
2. Submit completed Application Form online
3. Submit Organization Overview Form online
4. Applications due by September 15th annually
5. Next round details available in July each year

Recommendation: Submit applications early to allow time for initial feedback and to address technical or internet challenges.

Important: No late or incomplete applications will be accepted.

Contact for Inquiries: applications@ethiopiaid.org.uk

Long-term Partnership Funding:

No public application process specified. Ethiopiaid develops long-term partnerships with organizations already working in their priority areas.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines not publicly disclosed. Previous grantees not guaranteed continued funding due to limited funding and high application volume.

Success Rates

Success rates not publicly disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

Organizations that have received funding from Ethiopiaid must wait 2 years before reapplying to the Small Grants Programme.

Application Success Factors

Eligibility Requirements (Essential)

1. Registration: Must be registered as a charity in Ethiopia
2. Financial Accountability: Provide audited accounts for last two years
3. Safeguarding: Have safeguarding policy and demonstrate its implementation
4. Strategic Planning: Have current strategic plan in place
5. Policy Commitment: Commit to Ethiopiaid's safeguarding policy and code of conduct
6. Sustainability: Demonstrate how work will continue after grant ends
7. Funding Gap: Not received Ethiopiaid funding in last 2 years (Small Grants Programme)

Partnership Approach

Ethiopiaid values:

• Local Leadership: Organizations led by Ethiopians who understand community needs
• Long-term Impact: Projects showing sustainable change beyond grant period
• Partner-Led Development: Respect for local expertise and community-driven solutions
• Focus on Marginalized: Projects serving “the most marginalised and impoverished”

Strategic Priorities

CEO Anna Lord emphasizes giving “more of a platform to our partners” and telling their stories. The charity focuses on:

• Education access (particularly for girls)
• Maternal healthcare
• Prevention services
• Community infrastructure
• Supporting women and girls (80% of beneficiaries)

Current Partner Organizations (Examples)

Organizations currently funded by Ethiopiaid include:

• Afar Pastoralist Development Association (APDA) - 30+ year partnership
• Hamlin Fistula Midwifery College
• Hope of Light (Jimma Fistula Centre)
• Cheshire Services Ethiopia (disability support)
• Hope Enterprises University College (since 2012)
• Hospice Ethiopia (only palliative care provider in Ethiopia)
• Support for Children, Women and Older People (SCWOP)
• Dignity Period
• Wings of Healing
• Nutrition 4 Education and Development (N4ED)
• Atsede Clinic
• Healing Hands of Joy
• Nexus Ethiopia
• Action on Podoconiosis Association (APIDO)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. Registration and Documentation are Essential: Ensure Ethiopian charity registration, two years of audited accounts, and implemented safeguarding policy before applying. These are non-negotiable requirements.

1. Sustainability is Critical: Clearly demonstrate how your work will continue after the grant ends. Ethiopiaid values long-term impact over short-term projects.

1. Partner-Led Philosophy: Emphasize local leadership and community-driven solutions. Ethiopiaid respects Ethiopian organizations' expertise and doesn't impose external solutions.

1. Focus on Women and Girls: With 80% of beneficiaries being women and girls, projects serving these populations align with Ethiopiaid's strategic focus.

1. Apply Early and Complete Applications: Submit applications well before the September 15th deadline to allow time for feedback. Incomplete or late applications are not accepted.

1. Two-Year Funding Gap: If you've previously received Ethiopiaid funding, you must wait 2 years before reapplying to the Small Grants Programme.

1. Build Long-term Relationships: Many partnerships last 15+ years. Think beyond single grants to potential long-term collaboration. Ethiopiaid visits partners annually and values sustained relationships.

References

1. Ethiopiaid UK Official Website - About Us. https://ethiopiaid.org.uk/about-us/
2. Ethiopiaid UK - Small Grants Programme. https://ethiopiaid.org.uk/small-grants/
3. Charity Commission Register - ETHIOPIAID (Charity Number 802353). https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/802353
4. Civil Society News - "Anna Lord: 'It is less about managing, more about leading'". https://www.civilsociety.co.uk/news/anna-lord-less-about-managing-more-about-leading.html
5. Ethiopiaid UK - Our Team. https://ethiopiaid.org.uk/about-us/our-team/
6. Ethiopiaid UK - Our Trustees. https://ethiopiaid.org.uk/about-us/our-trustees/
7. Ethiopiaid UK - Where We Help. https://ethiopiaid.org.uk/where-we-help/
8. Ethiopiaid UK - Our Impact. https://ethiopiaid.org.uk/how-we-help/our-impact/
9. Ethiopiaid UK - Trusts and Foundations. https://ethiopiaid.org.uk/how-you-can-help/trusts-and-foundations/
10. Wikipedia - Ethiopiaid. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopiaid