The Children's Investment Fund Foundation (uk)

Core Information

Mission & Focus

Primary Focus Areas:

• Maternal and child health and nutrition (including newborn survival, prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission, severe acute malnutrition treatment, stunting reduction)
• Children's education and welfare (including school feeding programs, child protection)
• Climate change mitigation and adaptation (with specific focus on methane reduction, sustainable cities, green finance)
• Sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) with $325 million committed over four years to end-2026

Secondary Focus Areas:

• Deworming and neglected tropical diseases
• Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programs
• Gender equality (pledged $500 million over five years as part of Generation Equality Forum)
• Adolescent health and development
• Food security and nutrition interventions

Exclusions (What They Don't Fund):

CIFF does not accept unsolicited applications - they proactively identify and approach potential partners based on their strategic research and priorities

Geographic Preferences:

• Sub-Saharan Africa (primary focus on Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria)
• India (office in Delhi since 2007)
• China (exclusively climate-focused work, office in Beijing since 2019)
• South East Asia, Central and Southern America (selected programs)

Organization Type Preferences:

Government partnerships, established NGOs, international institutions, academic research organizations with proven track records and capacity for large-scale implementation

Application Process

Grant Size Ranges:

• Average disbursements: $631 million in 2024 (increased from $578 million in 2023)
• Individual grants can range from hundreds of thousands to tens of millions
• Multi-year commitments common (recent examples: $30 million Ethiopia program, $325 million SRHR commitment over 4 years)

Application Format:

Two-stage invitation-only process:

1. Concept Note: 2-page document with high-level program overview, feasibility evidence, and key risks
2. Due Diligence Phase: Intensive collaborative development of detailed investment memo

Key Questions:

• Theory of change with clear pathway to large-scale impact
• Evidence base and data supporting proposed intervention
• Sustainability considerations (financial, behavioral, political)
• Monitoring and evaluation framework with measurable outcomes
• Alignment with CIFF's strategic priorities and geographic focus

Word Limits & Formatting:

Concept Note: 2 pages maximum

Required Documents:

• Evidence of organizational capacity and track record
• Detailed budget and financial projections
• Risk assessment and mitigation strategies
• Monitoring and evaluation plan with key performance indicators

Application Volume/Competitiveness:

Extremely competitive - invitation-only process with CIFF proactively identifying potential partners through their own research

Language & Positioning

Preferred Terminology:

• “Transformational impact” and “systemic change”
• “Evidence-based” and “data-driven”
• “Large-scale” and “catalytic”
• “Locally-led solutions”
• “Sustainable Development Goals alignment”
• “Theory of change”

Key Themes to Emphasize:

• Scale and sustainability of proposed interventions
• Robust evidence base and commitment to measurement
• Innovation in delivery mechanisms or approaches
• Government partnership and policy influence potential
• Clear pathway to transformational change for children
• Local ownership and community-centered design

Value Alignment Keywords:

• Children's rights and welfare
• Poverty reduction in developing countries
• Health equity and universal access
• Climate resilience and environmental sustainability
• Gender equality and adolescent empowerment
• Evidence-based decision making

Strategic Writing Elements

Direct Funder Guidance

Quotes from Key Personnel:

“We seek ambitious and large scale change with a clear pathway to impact which can be monitored and measured. Putting forward a compelling investment proposition with a clear theory of change to achieve large scale impact is crucially important.” - CIFF Grant-making Process

Current Priorities:

• Childhood and adolescence health and development
• Climate change mitigation (particularly methane reduction with 35% reduction target by 2030)
• Child protection and safeguarding
• Sexual and reproductive health rights expansion
• Maternal and newborn health improvements

Specific Advice to Applicants:

• CIFF is “a data driven organisation” that looks for “the best available evidence and approach”
• Focus on “transformational impact through new policies, new large-scale programmes, innovative delivery, sustained behaviour change, or dynamic business models”
• Demonstrate “considerations for sustainability (financial, behavioural, political etc.) from the outset”
• Include “robust monitoring systems, including key performance indicators”

Standout Factors:

• Government partnership potential and policy influence
• Innovation in program delivery or approach
• Strong evidence base with commitment to rigorous evaluation
• Potential for replication and scaling across countries/regions
• Local leadership and community ownership

Success Patterns

Recent Successful Projects:

• Beginnings Fund: $300,000+ deaths prevention target by 2030 through African government partnerships
• Ethiopia Zero-Dose Children Program: $30 million CIFF-Gavi co-investment for integrated immunization, nutrition, and social protection
• Global Methane Hub: $300+ million philanthropic funding mobilized for methane reduction
• SRHR Step Up Investment: 4.6 million women/girls accessing family planning, 2.5 million unsafe abortions averted (2021-2024)
• Food4Education/Ending School Age Hunger Fund with African Development Bank

Common Success Factors:

• Multi-stakeholder partnerships involving governments and international institutions
• Clear measurable impact targets with defined timelines
• Integration of complementary interventions (e.g., health + nutrition + social protection)
• Alignment with national priorities and Sustainable Development Goals
• Strong local implementation capacity and government buy-in

Funding Duration & Renewal Patterns:

• Multi-year commitments standard (3-5 years typical)
• $3.1 billion currently allocated across ongoing and committed projects
• Evidence of renewal/extension for successful programs demonstrating impact

Decision-Making Schedule:

• Average 15-20 weeks from concept note to investment memo approval
• Executive Team reviews concept notes for advancement to due diligence phase

Success Rates & Competitiveness:

Extremely selective - invitation-only process with proactive partner identification by CIFF research teams

Broader Information

Research Intelligence

Annual Giving Budget & Trends:

• 2024 disbursements: $631 million (8.4% increase from 2023)
• Endowment value: $6.1 billion (2024)
• Total allocated funds: $3.1 billion across ongoing and committed projects
• Consistent annual growth in both disbursements and commitments

Key Personnel:

• Chief Executive Officer: Kate Hampton (since March 2016, former CIFF Climate Change team leader)
• Executive team includes Chief Impact Officer & Executive Director Nutrition, Executive Director India, Lead Economist and Global Director for Climate
• Global presence with half of staff based in program countries

Recent Strategic Changes:

• Increased focus on climate action with methane reduction targets
• Enhanced emphasis on sexual and reproductive health rights ($325 million commitment)
• Expansion of African operations with Addis Ababa office opening (2019)
• Strengthened government partnerships through initiatives like Beginnings Fund

Foundation Background/History:

• Established 2002 by Sir Chris Hohn and Jamie Cooper-Hohn as philanthropic arm of hedge fund
• Charity registration: 1091043 (England and Wales)
• Currently 5th largest global development philanthropy by annual disbursements
• World's largest philanthropy specifically focused on children's lives

Process Management

Application Deadlines:

No formal deadlines - ongoing invitation-only process based on CIFF's strategic research and partner identification

Response Timeframes:

• Concept note to decision: Variable, depends on CIFF research timeline
• Due diligence phase: Average 15-20 weeks to investment memo approval

Reporting Requirements:

• Robust monitoring systems with key performance indicators required
• Independent third-party evaluations often commissioned
• Regular progress reporting aligned with agreed milestones and targets

Contact Preferences:

• Offices in London, Addis Ababa, Beijing, Nairobi, New Delhi
• No formal application portal - contact through existing networks or demonstrate strategic alignment
• Focus on building relationships through sector engagement and partnership networks

Reapplication Policies:

Not applicable due to invitation-only model - ongoing relationship development with potential for future partnership opportunities

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Bottom Line

CIFF seeks established organizations with proven capacity to deliver transformational, evidence-based interventions at scale that create systemic change for children in developing countries, with particular emphasis on health, nutrition, education, and climate resilience through government partnerships and locally-led solutions.