The End Fund

Charity Number: 1122574

Annual Expenditure: £3.8M
Geographic Focus: Angola, Burundi, Congo (Democratic Republic), Rwanda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, City Of London

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £3.8 million (UK entity); $64+ million globally (2025 projected)
  • Geographic Focus: Global, with focus on Africa and Asia
  • Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed; varies by program and country
  • Application Process: No public application process - invitation/partnership-based
  • Organization Type: Intermediary philanthropic fund supporting NTD programs

Contact Details

UK Registration

  • Charity Number: 1122574
  • Address: 495 Green Lanes, Palmer Green, London, N13 4BS

Global Headquarters

  • Address: 41 East 11th Street, 11th floor, New York, NY 10003, USA
  • Phone: +1 212-905-6175
  • Email: info@end.org
  • Website: https://endfund.org

Partnership Inquiries

  • Contact: Bridie Layden
  • Email: bridie@end.org or blayden@end.org

Overview

The END Fund, registered as UK charity 1122574 in 2007, is a leading collaborative philanthropic initiative dedicated to controlling and eliminating six neglected tropical diseases (NTDs): river blindness, lymphatic filariasis, trachoma, schistosomiasis, intestinal worms, and visceral leishmaniasis. The charity delivers its aims primarily through grant-making to implementing partner organizations working in NTD-endemic countries.

Since 2012, The END Fund has facilitated nearly $500 million in funding from over 7,000 donors across 68 countries, achieving remarkable impact: 2.12 billion treatments delivered, 152 million people treated in 2024 alone, and 7.47 million health workers trained. The organization operates with 75 full-time staff across offices in London, New York, and Nairobi, led by Interim CEO Diana Benton Schechter and governed by a 7-member board chaired by Tsitsi Masiyiwa. In 2023, The END Fund treated over 180 million people through collaborative coalitions with governments, local nonprofits, pharmaceutical partners, and academic institutions.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The END Fund manages four distinct investment funds, with programmatic investments projected to exceed $64 million in 2025:

The Flagship Fund: The cornerstone NTD fund supporting mass drug administration campaigns, surgeries to prevent blindness and disability, health worker training, and prevention education across multiple countries. This fund addresses all six target diseases with a focus on sustainable, long-term elimination strategies.

Deworming Innovation Fund: Launched in 2020, this fund pilots innovative techniques to combat parasitic worm infections in Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe, where 80 million people remain at risk. The fund targets 40 million children affected by intestinal worms and schistosomiasis, running through 2025.

Reaching the Last Mile Fund: Expanded to 39 countries in collaboration with Sightsavers and the Carter Center, this program focuses on reaching populations in remote or underserved areas with NTD treatments.

ARISE Fund: Details of this fund's specific focus were not publicly available, but it forms part of the organization's diversified investment approach to NTD elimination.

Priority Areas

  • Geographic Priority: Sub-Saharan Africa receives the largest share of funding. Through 2019, Ethiopia received $17.4 million, Angola $10.3 million, DRC $9.6 million, and Nigeria $9.1 million from a total of $91.9 million disbursed
  • Disease Focus: River blindness, lymphatic filariasis, trachoma, schistosomiasis, intestinal worms, and visceral leishmaniasis
  • Implementation Approach: Mass drug administration campaigns, surgical interventions, health worker capacity building, prevention education, and sustainable program design
  • Target Populations: The world's most impoverished communities, particularly children in NTD-endemic regions

Who They Fund

The END Fund partners with and provides grants to:

  • International health NGOs (Sightsavers, Helen Keller International, The Carter Center, CBM, Amref)
  • Specialized implementing partners (SCI Foundation, Deworm the World Initiative, MENTOR Initiative, Amani Global Works)
  • Government health ministries in endemic countries (Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, and others)
  • Research institutions (Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine)
  • Community health organizations (Last Mile Health)

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, The END Fund does not fund:

  • Organizations or projects outside the neglected tropical disease space
  • Programs not focused on their six target diseases
  • Individual medical treatments or patient support
  • Research without clear implementation pathways
  • Organizations without demonstrated capacity to deliver NTD programs at scale
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Governance and Leadership

Leadership

  • Interim CEO: Diana Benton Schechter
  • Board Chair: Tsitsi Masiyiwa
  • Board Size: 7 members (US Board of Directors)
  • UK Trustees: 6 trustees (per Charity Commission)
  • Staff: 75 full-time employees across three global offices

Governance Notes: No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The charity's reporting is up to date with the Charity Commission for England and Wales.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The END Fund does not have a public application process. Organizations cannot submit unsolicited grant applications through a portal or standardized form. Instead, The END Fund operates as a strategic intermediary that:

  1. Proactively identifies gaps and opportunities in NTD programs globally
  2. Builds coalitions with stakeholders across the global NTD community
  3. Selects implementing partners based on strategic needs and program opportunities
  4. Works with chosen partners to design programs and provide grants, technical support, and capacity building

The END Fund describes their approach as “identifying gaps and opportunities, building coalitions, supporting the design of programs with implementing partner NGOs, strengthening capacity, and managing grants and providing technical support.”

Getting on Their Radar

Engagement in the NTD Community: The END Fund finds funding opportunities by remaining actively involved in the NTD community, attending regional meetings, and meeting with ministries of health. Organizations working in NTD treatment should:

  • Participate in global and regional NTD conferences and working groups
  • Engage with WHO's NTD program and regional offices
  • Demonstrate strong relationships with ministries of health in endemic countries
  • Build a track record of successful NTD program implementation at scale

Direct Outreach: Organizations with relevant expertise in NTD treatment delivery may contact:

  • General inquiries: info@end.org
  • Partnership inquiries: Bridie Layden at bridie@end.org or blayden@end.org
  • Phone: +1 212-905-6175

When reaching out, organizations should demonstrate:

  • Proven capacity to deliver NTD treatments at scale
  • Strong on-the-ground presence in endemic countries
  • Established relationships with government health ministries
  • Technical expertise in mass drug administration, surgical interventions, or health worker training
  • Ability to contribute to sustainable, long-term disease elimination goals

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are awarded through strategic partnership development rather than application cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no open application process exists.

Application Success Factors

Since The END Fund does not accept unsolicited applications, success in partnering with them depends on:

Demonstrated Implementation Capacity: The END Fund partners with organizations that have proven ability to deliver NTD programs at scale. Examples of current implementing partners include SCI Foundation, Deworm the World Initiative, Sightsavers, The Carter Center, MENTOR Initiative, and Amani Global Works - all organizations with extensive field experience and technical expertise.

Strategic Alignment with Geographic Priorities: The END Fund focuses on countries with significant NTD burden, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Organizations working in Ethiopia, Angola, DRC, Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and other endemic countries are most likely to align with funding priorities.

Government Partnership Capability: The END Fund's approach emphasizes supporting national disease programs and working collaboratively with government health ministries. Organizations must demonstrate strong relationships and partnership capacity with government stakeholders.

Collaborative Approach: The END Fund values organizations that can work within coalitions and partnerships. Their model emphasizes “facilitating strong partnerships with the private sector, government partners, and local implementing partners.”

Integration and Innovation: The Deworming Innovation Fund specifically seeks partners piloting innovative techniques to accelerate progress toward disease elimination, suggesting the organization values evidence-based innovation alongside proven implementation approaches.

Sustainability Focus: Programs must demonstrate approaches to sustainability, including health worker training, community education on prevention, and capacity building that ensures long-term impact beyond the grant period.

Local Knowledge and Presence: The END Fund emphasizes directing “resources through local partners, who know the landscape and can go where others cannot or will not,” indicating preference for organizations with deep local knowledge and access.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Not Open Application: The END Fund does not accept unsolicited grant applications; they identify and approach implementing partners based on strategic needs and opportunities in the global NTD landscape
  • Intermediary Model: This is a pooled philanthropic fund that raises money from donors and strategically deploys it through carefully selected implementing partners - it is not a traditional grant-maker with an open application process
  • Partnership Focus: Success depends on being visible and active in the NTD community, attending regional meetings, and building relationships with both The END Fund team and ministries of health in endemic countries
  • Scale and Expertise Required: Implementing partners must demonstrate proven capacity to deliver NTD programs at scale, with technical expertise in mass drug administration, surgical interventions, or health worker training
  • Geographic Priority: Sub-Saharan Africa receives the largest share of funding, with particular focus on countries like Ethiopia, Angola, DRC, Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe
  • Government Relationships Essential: Organizations must show strong collaborative relationships with government health ministries and ability to support national disease programs
  • Contact for Exploration: Organizations with relevant expertise should contact Bridie Layden (bridie@end.org) or the general info line (info@end.org) to explore potential partnership opportunities, emphasizing demonstrated implementation capacity and strategic alignment

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