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Vibrant Village Foundation

Annual Giving
$4.1M
Grant Range
$10K - $0.2M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $4.12M (2024)
  • Total Assets: $93.7M (2024)
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $175,000
  • Median Grant: $80,000
  • Geographic Focus: Africa (Ghana, Kenya) and Central America (Guatemala)
  • Total Partners: 46 organizations across 12 countries

Contact Details

Website: https://www.vibrantvillage.org

Email: info@vibrantvillage.org

Mailing Address: 9450 SW Gemini Dr. #76518, Beaverton, Oregon 97008-7105

Overview

Founded in 2010 by Ken deLaski (former Deltek CEO), the Vibrant Village Foundation has invested over $40 million in underserved communities worldwide. With assets of $93.7 million, the foundation distributed $4.12 million to 46 grant partners in 2024. The foundation's mission is "to advance wellbeing and resilience in rural communities in Africa and Latin America" through dynamic, long-term partnerships centered on shared learning and mutual accountability. VVF takes a distinctly bottom-up approach, prioritizing locally-led organizations with annual revenues under $1 million. The foundation is distinguished by its commitment to unrestricted funding (87% of partners in 2024), multi-year support, and organizational capacity building beyond financial grants. In 2024, 93% of grant partners were locally-led and 41% were women-led organizations, reflecting the foundation's emphasis on local leadership and gender equity.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Unrestricted Multi-Year Grants: $10,000 - $175,000 (median $80,000)

  • Typically awarded based on grantee's fiscal year
  • Usually unrestricted to allow organizational flexibility
  • Multi-year commitment (several years)
  • Invitation only through targeted outreach

Priority Areas

Core Focus Areas:

  • Food security and sustainable agriculture
  • Family health and nutrition
  • Financial wellbeing and economic development
  • Education equity and literacy
  • Clean water, sanitation, and hygiene
  • Rural livelihoods and enterprise development
  • Regenerative agriculture transformation

Geographic Priorities:

  • Countries ranked low or medium on UNDP's Inequality-Adjusted Human Development Index
  • Currently active in 12 countries across East & Southern Africa, West Africa, and Central America
  • Primary operational presence in Ghana, Kenya, and Guatemala

What They Don't Fund

  • Organizations in countries with high security threats
  • Organizations with annual revenue exceeding $1 million USD
  • Organizations not founded and led by people from the region where they operate
  • Organizations not registered as independent local nonprofits in their operating country
  • Organizations not aligned with their 9 Assessment Criteria

Governance and Leadership

Board Members:

  • Ken deLaski, Founder and President
  • Sang Ahn
  • Jeremy Barnicle
  • Daphne deLaski
  • Kathleen deLaski
  • Dana deLaski
  • Sarah Goracke
  • Eric Brehm

Leadership Team:

  • Laura Koch, Executive Director: Joined in 2012 to build Portland-based grantmaking portfolio, named Executive Director in 2017. Provides leadership to the multicultural team and serves as primary liaison with the Board. Passionate about supporting local organizations and right-sizing M&E for small organizations.
  • Osman Mohammed: Country Director, Ghana & Regional Partnerships Director for West Africa
  • Geoffrey Nyambane: Country Director, Kenya
  • Maimuna Kabatesi: Regional Partnerships Director - East & Southern Africa
  • María José Pérez Quintana: Regional Partnerships Director - Central & South America
  • Xavier Tissier: Director of Operations & Strategic Initiatives

Founder's Philosophy: Ken deLaski observed that "much of it seemed like a band aid in providing humanitarian relief, helping the sick, and feeding the poor. This type of aid serves a very important purpose but I realized that our work should start from the bottom up to focus on projects and solutions that foster stronger, more vibrant communities—in turn helping families to have healthier, more productive lives."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. Current grant opportunities are by invitation only. The Vibrant Village Foundation proactively identifies organizations through targeted outreach based on alignment with their mission, values, and assessment criteria.

Organizations that meet eligibility criteria and align with VVF's focus areas may contact the foundation via email at info@vibrantvillage.org to introduce themselves, though this does not guarantee consideration for funding.

Getting on Their Radar

Regional Director Outreach: With Regional Partnerships Directors positioned in West Africa (Osman Mohammed), East & Southern Africa (Maimuna Kabatesi), and Central & South America (María José Pérez Quintana), VVF actively conducts field-based research to identify potential partners. These directors have deep regional expertise and networks in their respective areas.

Partners Gathering Network: VVF hosts in-person Partners Gatherings (such as the 2024 gathering in Tanzania with 27 leaders from 13 organizations) that facilitate peer-to-peer learning and collaboration. Current partners may provide informal connections to organizations doing aligned work.

Demonstrated Alignment: Organizations should ensure their public-facing materials clearly demonstrate alignment with VVF's values: locally-led governance, community engagement, accountability to community, and social equity & inclusion. VVF specifically looks for organizations that "take a bottom-up approach" and where "community engagement and local leadership" are integral.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly documented. Grants are typically awarded based on the grantee's fiscal year, suggesting a flexible, relationship-driven timeline rather than fixed deadlines.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation operates on an invitation-only basis with multi-year partnership commitments rather than single-grant cycles.

Application Success Factors

Locally-Led Leadership: VVF defines locally-led as "nonprofit organizations led by people born and raised in the regions where they work." This is a fundamental requirement, with 93% of 2024 partners meeting this criterion.

Organizational Size: Must operate with less than $1 million USD in annual revenue. VVF states that "grantees tend to be smaller organizations with strong roots in the communities they serve."

9 Assessment Criteria: Organizations are evaluated on:

  1. Governance: Strong, transparent organizational governance structures
  2. Leadership and Team: Capable, locally-rooted leadership
  3. Systems, Policies and Procedures: Functional operational systems
  4. Program Logic: Clear theory of change and programmatic approach
  5. Impact & Performance Measurement: Appropriate monitoring and evaluation (right-sized for organization)
  6. Collaboration: Ability to work with other organizations and stakeholders
  7. Accountability to Community: Mechanisms for community feedback and participation
  8. Community Engagement: Deep engagement with beneficiary communities
  9. Social Equity & Inclusion: Commitment to serving marginalized groups

Partnership Readiness: VVF seeks "dynamic, long-term, highly engaged partnerships centered around shared learning and mutual accountability." Organizations should be prepared for an involved partnership with capacity-building support beyond funding.

Bottom-Up Approach: The foundation values organizations that start from community needs rather than imposing external solutions. As founder Ken deLaski emphasized, their work should "start from the bottom up."

Recent Partner Examples:

  • Kenya Drylands Education Fund (education and economic opportunity)
  • Foundation for Community Livelihood and Development, Malawi (education and economic opportunity)
  • Friends of Orphans, Uganda (human rights and inclusion)
  • Rights Action Ghana (human rights and inclusion)
  • Movement Towards Peace and Development Agency, Sierra Leone (human rights and inclusion)
  • ACADES (grassroots interventions and collaboration)
  • Fundación Nueva Esperanza (participatory development)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Invitation-only model: No public application process exists. Focus on getting noticed through regional networks, demonstrating clear alignment with values, and potentially reaching out to Regional Partnerships Directors in your region.

  • Locally-led is non-negotiable: Organizations must be founded and led by people from the region where they work. This is consistently emphasized across all materials and reflected in 93% of partners.

  • Small is strategic: The $1M revenue cap is intentional—VVF specifically wants to support smaller organizations with deep community roots rather than large international NGOs.

  • Unrestricted, multi-year funding: 87% of partners receive unrestricted funding over several years, signaling VVF's commitment to organizational autonomy and sustainability rather than project-specific support.

  • Capacity building is integral: VVF provides support beyond funding, including organizational strengthening in MEAL, financial management, and communications. They're looking for partners ready to engage in shared learning.

  • Geographic focus is specific: Currently active in 12 countries with primary operations in Ghana, Kenya, and Guatemala. New geographic expansion appears limited and strategic (e.g., growing Guatemala portfolio from 7 to 12 partners in 2025).

  • Women-led organizations prioritized: The foundation has actively increased women-led organizations from 24% (2022) to 41% (2024), indicating this as a strategic priority.

References

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