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CRI Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$12.0M
000

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $12,029,662 (2024)
  • Total Assets: $136 million
  • Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed (varies by organization and program)
  • Geographic Focus: Sub-Saharan Africa
  • Number of Awards: 15 (2023)
  • Application Method: Invitation only / no public application process

Contact Details

Website: www.crifoundation.org
Address: 535 Boylston St Fl 7, Boston, Massachusetts, 02116

Overview

CRI Foundation Inc (formerly Child Relief International Foundation) was co-founded in 2006 by economist and investment fund manager Andrew Weiss and his wife Bonnie, with their daughter Kara Weiss now serving as Executive Director. With total assets exceeding $136 million, the foundation made $12 million in charitable disbursements in 2024. The foundation operates two discrete programs: CRI Health, which provides grants to organizations working to improve health outcomes in Africa, and CRI Research, which supports academic research in development economics through the Weiss Fund. CRI Foundation is a member of Big Bang Philanthropy and emphasizes evidence-based approaches, cost-effectiveness, and long-term partnerships with high-impact organizations. The foundation is staffed with professionals across the United States and internationally, including Chief Economist Xiao Yu Wang.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

CRI Health Grants

  • Organizational grants to NGOs working on health outcomes in Africa
  • Focus on both early-stage organizations with high potential and established organizations with proven track records
  • Semi-annual reporting cycles with frequent communication
  • Long-term funding relationships with robust renewal processes

The Weiss Fund for Research in Development Economics

  • Administered through University of Chicago
  • Supports research by students and ladder faculty at 11 participating universities (Boston University, Columbia, Harvard, MIT, Northwestern, Princeton, Stanford, UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, University of Chicago, Yale)
  • Multiple grant types: Implementation & Policy grants (>$25k reviewed twice yearly), Travel grants (<$15k), Pilot grants (<$25k), reviewed on rolling basis
  • Eligibility includes undergraduate and graduate students, junior faculty, and senior faculty who are BREAD Fellows

Priority Areas

Child and Newborn Health

  • Addressing child mortality in sub-Saharan Africa (1 in 13 children die before age five)
  • Targeting malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea, and pneumonia

Mental Health

  • Addressing treatment gaps for anxiety and depression in Africa (87 million people affected)

Primary Care

  • Supporting community health worker programs
  • Improving healthcare access in rural environments

Health Systems Strengthening

  • Evidence-based or evidence-generating interventions
  • Programs with potential for government adoption or institutional influence

Current Partners

CRI Foundation currently funds 23 NGO partners including: ALIMA, CHIC, EarthEnabled, University of Global Health Equity, Healthy Learners, Innovations for Poverty Action, Integrate Health, Jacaranda Health, J-PAL, Lwala Community Alliance, Mother Health International, Muso, Seed Global Health, StrongMinds, TIP Global Health, and others.

The foundation also makes Program-Related Investments (PRIs) in organizations including Access Afya, Adjuvant Capital, Afripads, Global Health Investment Fund, and Tugende.

What They Don't Fund

  • Organizations outside of Africa (for health grants)
  • Programs not focused on health outcomes or development economics research
  • Unsolicited proposals from any organization

Governance and Leadership

Andrew Weiss - Co-founder and Director: Ph.D. economist trained at Stanford University who taught at Columbia University and Boston University. Founder of Weiss Asset Management, a successful investment fund.

Bonnie Weiss - Co-founder, President, and Director: Responsible for identifying effective local implementers not yet receiving funding from major donors. Co-founded the foundation in 2006 with her husband Andrew.

Kara Weiss - Executive Director, Program Director, Clerk, and Director: Daughter of co-founders Andrew and Bonnie Weiss. Oversees CRI's Health and Research programs and works with the Directors to establish CRI's strategy. Advocate for community-driven development approaches.

Xiao Yu Wang - Chief Economist: Leads economic analysis and research strategy.

Rashmi Menon - Senior Program Manager: Manages grant programs and partner relationships.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. CRI Foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds or proposals.

Grants are awarded through:

  • Proactive identification by foundation leadership (particularly Bonnie Weiss, known for identifying effective local implementers)
  • Relationships developed through the Big Bang Philanthropy network
  • Organizations recommended by existing partners or collaborative funders
  • Board and staff discretion based on ongoing sector monitoring

For Weiss Fund Research Grants: Eligible students and faculty at the 11 participating universities can apply directly through their institution's Weiss Fund portal. Applications for larger grants (>$25k) are reviewed twice yearly in Spring and Fall. Smaller grants are reviewed on a rolling basis. Contact: weiss_fund@fas.harvard.edu

Decision Timeline

  • For organizational grants: No standard timeline as applications are not accepted
  • For Weiss Fund research grants: Spring and Fall review cycles for larger grants; rolling basis for smaller grants
  • Semi-annual reporting and evaluation for existing grantees
  • Robust renewal review process at end of each grant cycle

Application Success Factors

Since CRI Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, the following factors have characterized their successful partnerships:

For Early-Stage Organizations:

  • High-potential for big impact
  • Either evidence-based programs OR evidence-generating with a clear and compelling theory of change
  • Demonstrated drive to test and iterate on the model
  • High-quality management
  • Ability to scale-up or become a model for others
  • Clear milestones with identified potential failure points and mitigation strategies

For Established Organizations:

  • Record of exceptional cost-effective impact
  • "Game-changing wins" such as:
    • Government adoption of high-impact protocols
    • Attributable influence on peer organizations/institutions

General Selection Criteria: The foundation emphasizes: "CRI looks for organizations with evidence-based programs, who are data-driven, and data-hungry, and will only consider cost-effective, catalytic opportunities."

Key philosophy statement: "It's not our money. Our job is to spend it responsibly."

Community-Driven Development: Executive Director Kara Weiss advocates for approaches that put decision-making power directly in the hands of communities, emphasizing that "all people are inherently capable and should be treated as such."

Reporting and Accountability: Semi-annual reports that objectively assess performance against mutually agreed-upon milestones. The foundation expects continuous improvement, not perfection.

Long-Term Partnership: CRI aims to be a long-term funder but takes renewal seriously. They provide advance notice if an organization no longer fits their funding strategy and invite suitable organizations to apply for renewal.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No unsolicited applications accepted: CRI Foundation only funds preselected organizations identified through their networks, partnerships, and proactive research. Focus on building visibility in the global health and development sector rather than direct application.

  • Evidence is paramount: Organizations must be either evidence-based or evidence-generating with rigorous evaluation frameworks. Data-driven approaches and willingness to test and iterate are essential.

  • Cost-effectiveness matters: The foundation emphasizes "cost-effective, catalytic opportunities" and asks organizations to establish clear metrics of success that can be projected in advance.

  • Network connections: As a member of Big Bang Philanthropy and active in collaborative funding mechanisms (Risk Pool Fund, USAID DIV partnership), visibility among peer funders and collaborative networks increases chances of being noticed.

  • Scale and systems change: Whether early-stage or established, CRI seeks organizations that can scale up, become models for others, or achieve game-changing wins like government adoption of protocols.

  • Africa-focused health interventions: Geographic and thematic focus is clear and consistent—health outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa with emphasis on child/newborn health, mental health, and primary care.

  • Long-term relationship potential: The foundation values sustained partnerships with frequent communication beyond semi-annual reports, suggesting they invest deeply in a smaller portfolio of high-impact organizations rather than making many small grants.

References

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