This included significant new commitments for SRHR, with key successes such as the launch of SEMA, a new partnership designed to build more resilient SRH markets, and the production of the Africa Young Women Beijing +25 Manifesto, led by CIFF’s
partner Nala Feminist Collective, which had 8 of its 10 policy demands integrated into the official GEF Action Coalition blueprints.
During the summit our partners and the wider climate community demanded that world leaders agree to new targets and new actions to keep the 1.5°C goal alive. Countries left having agreed a new ratchet mechanism to increase the ambition of pledges every
year but were found wanting when it came to finance for developing and climate-vulnerable countries.
In this first-of-its-kind bond, the impact will be measured not by the inputs (how many women and girls receive skilling) but by the ultimate results (how many become engaged in long-term employment). This was led by the British Asian Trust and in collaboration with India’s National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), with CIFF as an outcome funder.
In 2021, 22 countries that are part of the Global Action Plan on Wasting and have the highest burden of wasting developed roadmaps to bring together prevention, early detection and treatment. CIFF and UNICEF’s Match Fund allows these countries to unlock funding support – for every dollar, naira or shilling each country invests in nutrition, the fund will match it.
CIFF responded to the unprecedented shortfall in funding for SRHR and NTDs, due to shrinking commitments from donors. To protect those in urgent need, CIFF partnered with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, ELMA and other philanthropies, to make an emergency commitment of $130 million to stabilise activities, ensure progress is not lost, and mobilise additional domestic and international funding.
At a Glance:
Highlights of 2021
The landmark Generation Equality Forum (GEF) secured a total of $40 billion in commitments to drive progress on gender equality
This included significant new commitments for SRHR, with key successes such as the launch of SEMA, a new partnership designed to build more resilient SRH markets, and the production of the Africa Young Women Beijing +25 Manifesto, led by CIFF’s
partner Nala Feminist Collective, which had 8 of its 10 policy demands integrated into the official GEF Action Coalition blueprints.
COP26 marked the culmination of several years’ work for many of our partners, who turned out in force in Glasgow
During the summit our partners and the wider climate community demanded that world leaders agree to new targets and new actions to keep the 1.5°C goal alive. Countries left having agreed a new ratchet mechanism to increase the ambition of pledges every
year but were found wanting when it came to finance for developing and climate-vulnerable countries.
Our partners rolled out India’s first and largest skilling and employment impact bond
In this first-of-its-kind bond, the impact will be measured not by the inputs (how many women and girls receive skilling) but by the ultimate results (how many become engaged in long-term employment). This was led by the British Asian Trust and in collaboration with India’s National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), with CIFF as an outcome funder.
CIFF and UNICEF together launched a $100 million partnership to End Child Wasting
In 2021, 22 countries that are part of the Global Action Plan on Wasting and have the highest burden of wasting developed roadmaps to bring together prevention, early detection and treatment. CIFF and UNICEF’s Match Fund allows these countries to unlock funding support – for every dollar, naira or shilling each country invests in nutrition, the fund will match it.
CIFF made an emergency commitment of $130 million to sustain essential health programmes
CIFF responded to the unprecedented shortfall in funding for SRHR and NTDs, due to shrinking commitments from donors. To protect those in urgent need, CIFF partnered with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, ELMA and other philanthropies, to make an emergency commitment of $130 million to stabilise activities, ensure progress is not lost, and mobilise additional domestic and international funding.
None of our impact to-date would be possible without the commitment of CIFF’s trustees, advisors, staff and co-funders, as well as our grantees and partners, over the past 20 years – I welcome the continued opportunity to work together over the next 20 years.
– Sir Christopher Hohn, Founder and Chairman
At a Glance:
Financial Highlights
$772m Charitable Investments Approved
2021 marked CIFF's highest ever level of grant-making, with an increase of 100% from 2020 on our multi-year commitments.
$468m Grant Disbursements
Grant disbursements in 2021 increased by $124 million compared to 2020.
8% Operating Expense
CIFF’s disbursements increased at a higher rate compared to operating expenditure in 2021, bringing the ratio of these costs down to 8%.
$5.9bn Endowment
Investment returns and income from our endowment assets remained strong in 2021, however expenditure slightly outweighed income resulting in a marginal reduction of the endowment to $5.9 billion.
The size of the original endowment and the excellent investment returns achieved over the years gives us the financial strength and stability to make substantial long-term commitments to the work of our grantees.
At a Glance:
Financial Highlights
$772m Charitable Investments Approved
2021 marked CIFF's highest ever level of grant-making, with an increase of 100% from 2020 on our multi-year commitments.
$468m Grant Disbursements
Grant disbursements in 2021 increased by $124 million compared to 2020.
8% Operating Expense
CIFF’s disbursements increased at a higher rate compared to operating expenditure in 2021, bringing the ratio of these costs down to 8%.
$5.9bn Endowment
Investment returns and income from our endowment assets remained strong in 2021, however expenditure slightly outweighed income resulting in a marginal reduction of the endowment to $5.9 billion.
The size of the original endowment and the excellent investment returns achieved over the years gives us the financial strength and stability to make substantial long-term commitments to the work of our grantees.
CIFF
PSI's RISE programme combines access to SRHR with an economic empowerment approach. Health Extension Workers are trained to encourage the use of contraception using financial planning as an entry point.
Impact
Despite disruption in Ethiopia during 2021, the programme is on track to hit its target of reaching 500,000 adolescents.
Photo credit: PSI
CIFF
Triggerise's In Their Hands programme uses technology to connect pharmacies, retailers and clinics to improve sexual and reproductive health care.
Impact
The In Their Hands impact bond has allowed this programme to scale, reaching 320,000 adolescents in 2021, 130% of its target.
Photo credit: Oldenburg
CIFF
RWE’s Hambach Mine in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The German government is now aiming for a 2030 coal phase-out, but the lignite mines of North Rhine-Westphalia will continue to be operational for the foreseeable future.
Impact
In 2021 our partners advocated for an increase in ambition under Germany's climate law and the government responded by bringing its net-zero target forward to 2045.
Photo credit: Client Earth
CIFF
Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) meetings such as this one in Jharkhand, India have been shown to improve newborn, infant and maternal mortality rates.
Impact
Ekjut's progamme received a huge push from the government of India, in 2021, with a $1.2 million commitment towards replicating the PLA model in four other states: Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Meghalaya.
Photo credit: Ekjut
Grant payments in our priority regions
Sub-Saharan Africa
CIFF's work in Sub-Saharan Africa is led by our teams based in Nairobi and Addis Ababa.
South Asia
Our work in South Asia is primarily in India, led by our team in Delhi.
China & South East Asia
CIFF’s work in China and South East Asia is focused exclusively on climate.
Europe
CIFF's grant-making in Europe is led by our team in London and focuses primarily on climate.
In 2021, we had the privilege of continuing to work with extraordinary partners to fulfil our charitable objectives. Despite significant headwinds throughout the year, the successes achieved with these partners at COP, at GEF and across all our programmatic work are evident throughout this Annual Report. Partnership has always been key to our approach, but moving forwards we will do even more to put strategic relationships at the centre of our efforts to solve problems, whether aligning around a practical common purpose or combining voices on the urgent challenges we face as a human family. We continue to enable more locally-led grant-making, with strategy increasingly being led from our offices in Addis Ababa, Beijing, Delhi and Nairobi, and strive with determination for greater diversity, equity and inclusion in our all aspects of our work.
I hope that through meaningful collaboration, we will be able to have a positive impact on the lives of children and young people in 2022 and create a better future for the generations of children to come.
