This list includes international development organisations who work across multiple countries, but this is not an exhaustive list of the not-for-profit organisations working in this space.  

 If you are interested in organisations working in a specific country, please contact Australian Philanthropic Services (APS). We have current lists for charities that work soley in Afghanistan, Cambodia, India, Nepal, Indonesia, PNG, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and others.  

While the entities listed below are all known to APS, we do not conduct a detailed analysis of their financial position and governance ahead of their inclusion in this list. All charities’ audited financials are available to view on the ACNC website. 

Disaster Relief

Organisations included  support in times of disaster, but also run long-term development programs.

Australian Red Cross

ABN 50 169 561 394
https://www.redcross.org.au/international-aid/

Australian Red Cross are part of the largest humanitarian network in the world, with a local presence in almost every country on earth. The goal is to create stronger and more resilient communities with increased capacity to prepare for, anticipate, respond to, and recover from disasters and crises.  They work in partnership with Red Cross Red Crescent national societies with volunteers operating in 193 countries, including the Asia-Pacific region, which is home to two-thirds of the world’s population and its most disaster-prone countries.  

The Australian Red Cross support their partners in four ways: 

• Core Funding – operating costs as part of a long-term approach to financial sustainability. 

• Institutional strengthening – organisational development focusing on ethics, partnership, resource mobilisation, financial management and women’s leadership. 

• Disaster risk management – technical assistance in the areas of protection, gender and inclusion, shelter and settlements, emergency health and water, sanitation and hygiene. 

• Influence and advocacy – creating strategic partnerships in areas such as anticipatory action, epidemic preparedness and early detection and response. 

A donation to support international disasters means that teams on the ground can be there before, during and after a disaster or crisis strikes to provide lifesaving support to impacted communities. 

Emergency Action Alliance (EAA)

ABN 52 646 274 348
https://emergencyaction.org.au/

Emergency Action Alliance was established in 2020 and is made up of 15 leading aid organisations, specialising in different areas of disaster response.  By working together, they can channel resources into a fast and effective response to international emergencies. The alliance acts as a single fundraising entity for large-scale disasters with the goal of making it easy for donors to navigate confusion around emergency funding. 

 In 2022 Emergency Action Alliance launched its first appeal, raising $4.5 million for its members responding to the Ukraine humanitarian emergency. This included a $2 million contribution from the Australian Government and $2.35 million from everyday Australians, confirming that there is widespread support for charities working together in this way.  

Funds raised were rapidly distributed to thirteen of EAA’s 15 members providing emergency resources and services in and around Ukraine. This included the provision of emergency food, water, shelter and longer-term accommodation, medical supplies and services, child protection and continued education, cash assistance and livelihood support.  

Emergency Action Alliance has now demonstrated the power of charities coming together when major emergencies take place around the world. EAA and its members stand ready to respond to the next major emergency, bringing together the resources and expertise of Australia’s leading humanitarian charities. 

Save the Children Australia

ABN 99 008 610 035
https://www.savethechildren.org.au/our-work/emergency-response

Save the Children Australia is a leading independent organisation for children. They are at the forefront of saving children’s lives when disasters strike, and creating lasting change for children and their families through our long-term education, health, child protection and climate change projects. They are one of 30 members of Save the Children International, a global child-focused, independent and secular development organisation working in more than 122 countries.

ShelterBox Australia

ABN 21 143 129 220
https://www.shelterboxaustralia.org.au/delivery-aid/

ShelterBox works with disaster-affected communities to provide emergency shelter, essential items and training needed to support families in the long process of rebuilding their lives. The emergency aid supplied comes in the form of ShelterBoxes and ShelterKits. ShelterBoxes contain family-sized tents specially designed to withstand the elements and provide people with temporary shelter until they can start the process of rebuilding a home. ShelterKits contain all the essential tools people need to start repairing and rebuilding homes straight away, whether affected by flood, drought, tropical storm or conflict & complex emergencies.   

UNHCR

ABN 35 092 843 322
https://www.unhcr.org/en-au/

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organisation, dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights, and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people. UNHCR works to ensure that everybody has the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge, having fled violence, persecution, war, or disaster at home. Since 1950, UNHCR has provided vital assistance to refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced and stateless people, many of whom have nobody left to turn to. They help to save lives and build better futures for millions forced from home.   

They are present in 136 countries and respond to crises all over the world, delivering relief items, deploying emergency response experts to provide food, cash assistance, shelter and address sexual exploitation.  UNHCR work with partners, authorities and local communities to provide emergency support as well as long-term assistance such as access to education and work.   

UNICEF

ABN 35 060 581 437
https://www.unicef.org.au/what-we-do/emergencies

UNICEF is the world’s largest organisation working for children in over 190 countries. UNICEF provides more children with clean water, life-saving food and vaccines, education, and protection from violence than any other humanitarian organisation. For 75 years, UNICEF has been working with families, local communities, organisations, and governments in more than 190 countries including Australia to help every child realise their full potential. 

World Vision

ABN 28 004 778 081
https://www.worldvision.com.au/

World Vision is an organisation dedicated to working with children around the world to live life to the fullest. Their work covers development, relief, and advocacy work. World Vision helps communities identify their unique needs, strengths, and plans. They provide support and guidance as they deliver grassroots projects.  Over time, children and families gain access to basics like water, education, healthcare, and food. Communities upskill, become self-sustaining and confidently continue the work World Vision started with them.   

World Vision Australia is part of the global World Vision Partnership working in 100 countries, their emergency response provides aid such as food, water, mental health support, disease prevention, child protection activities and shelter.  

Development

Caritas Australia

ABN 90 970 605 069
https://www.caritas.org.au/global-issues/

Caritas works alongside their partners to build on existing local strengths and resources, so that communities can drive their own development, working in Australia, Asia, the Pacific and Africa.   

Caritas is involved in global issues such as: 

• food and water insecurity 

• national disaster readiness 

• women’s rights 

• gender-based violence 

• disability support 
• health & education  

Global Development Group

ABN 57 102 400 993
https://globaldevelopmentgroup.org/au/

Global Development Group is a Non-Government Organisation [NGO] conducting humanitarian projects with approved partners and providing aid to relieve poverty. They partner with local, grassroots organisations across the spectrum of development areas including: Capacity-building, Child protection, Community development, Disability, Education & vocational training, Emergency relief & prevention, Environment, Gender equality & empowerment, Microenterprise, Social justice, Sustainability and WASH (Water, Sanitation and Health).   

 At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – in a global partnership. 

Partners for Equity

ABN 55 606 221 390
https://partnersforequity.org/

Partners for Equity’s purpose is to provide aid to communities that are disadvantaged or in poverty, mostly in developing countries.  They have several international partners who deliver aid to communities. Partners For Equity enter partnerships based on equality and mutual respect with non-government, community-based, local organisations to implement and sustain such aid. They provide grants for programs primarily in the health, education, and livelihoods sectors. 

 A cornerstone of their approach is ensuring their partners are integrated into the fabric of the communities they serve. Placing emphasis on community engagement and fostering meaningful connections with community members and involving them in decision making and programs. 

Sadaqa Welfare Fund

ABN 87 931 078 265
https://sadaqa.org.au/

Sadaqa Welfare Fund (SWF) works in 14 countries managing emergency aid appeals and development projects.  In addition to the emergency aid, Sadaqa Welfare provides support to orphanages and have a school building initiative working with communities in need.  They have a variety of projects including education, water, food relief, housing, orphan support, medical, empowerment and more.   

The Hunger Project

ABN 45 002 569 271
https://thp.org.au/

The Hunger Project’s approach is different. People living in hunger are seen as the solution, not the problem. The Hunger Project works with people and within communities, shifting the mindsets of women and men so they transform into leaders for the sustainable end of hunger. Then, through programs such as education, microfinance, agriculture and health, 

The Hunger Project empowers people with the skills, knowledge and resources they need to break the poverty cycle themselves. 

A global movement with 22 countries working together across Africa, India, Bangladesh and Mexico. THP address hunger through the prism of equality, education and empowerment. 

XSPI Limited

ABN 26 654 737 943
https://xspi.org/

XSPI has a collective approach focused on creating development impact across Asia Pacific among Australia’s business, government, NGO’s/NFP, academia/health/medical research and philanthropy/private capital stakeholder sectors contributing jointly with national partners to international development. 
 
All XSPI facilitated development projects are locally lead and own, aligning with host country SDGs and development plan priorities. 

Development focused on women and girls

Action Aid

ABN 87 001 251 930
https://actionaid.org.au/

ActionAid is a women’s rights organisation, tackling the statistic that women make up 70% of people living under the poverty line and face daily injustice. ActionAid partners with local women’s organisations in 45 countries to empower them to make the changes they seek in their communities – from providing women with the tools to campaign for safer cities, to building women’s capacity to respond to climate disasters. In Australia, the organisation campaigns to hold the Australian Government and corporations accountable for their impact on the rights of women living in poverty and exclusion around the world.

Adara Development

ABN 78 131 310 355
https://www.adaragroup.org/

Adara is focused on improving health and education for women, children and communities living in poverty with expertise in maternal, newborn and childhood health, and remote community development particularly in Nepal and Uganda. All operational costs of its programs are covered by the income generated by the corporate advisory activities of Adara Corporate Services (B-Corp), so 100% of donations are expended in program delivery. 

Care Australia

ABN 46 003 380 890
https://www.care.org.au/

Care Australia is an international aid organisation that works around the globe to save lives and defeat poverty. Care Australia supports women around the globe to save lives, defeat poverty and achieve social justice. They work with local communities to provide women with equal opportunities to earn an income, gain access to their fair share of resources, participate in decisions that affect their lives, and lead their communities through the increasing impacts of climate disasters and other crises.

Indigo Foundation

ABN 81 765 707 413
https://www.indigofoundation.org/

Indigo Foundation partners with local grassroots organisations around the world to empower women and girls, improve outcomes in education and health, defend human rights and build strong and resilient local organisations.  They currently support projects across seven countries -Afghanistan, India, Indonesia, Rwanda, Timor Leste, Kiribati and Bougainville. These projects are driven by the communities they work with and focus on improving education and health outcomes, empowering girls and women and strengthening local community organisations. 

International Women’s Development Agency

ABN 19 242 959 685
https://iwda.org.au/

The International Women’s Development Agency focuses on women and girls and on gender-based violence, recognising the links between health, education, social services, housing stability, economic justice, land ownership and cultural sources of violence against women. IWDA works in Australia and in regions such as Timor Leste, Vanuatu, PNG, Solomons, Fiji, Myanmar, and Cambodia.   

 IWDA has led the development of a gender-sensitive measure of poverty and inequality. This includes survey tools that ask individuals, rather than ‘heads of households’, questions about many aspects of their life to better understand their unique circumstances. This data shows how gender, age, disability, location and other factors shape experiences of poverty and inequality, helping to develop inclusive policies and solutions.  

Plan International

ABN 49 004 875 807
https://www.plan.org.au/

Plan International focuses on girls’ equality. They believe that education is the quickest path to achieving an equal world; one where all children can live happy and healthy lives, and where girls can take their rightful place as equals.  

 In 2020, the scale of global school closures was unprecedented. It is estimated that up to 20 million secondary school-aged girls were pushed out of school as a result of the pandemic. This threatens to undo the years of progress and hard-won gains that have been made for development and gender equality and it puts girls around the globe at a higher risk of forced marriage, early pregnancy and violence.  Plan International advocates for girls and young women’s education at a grassroots level and empowers girls to be leaders in their communities. They support families with food, scholarships and learning resources to help make sure all children can attend school. They work with parents and communities to raise awareness about the importance of girls’ education. They also address issues such as violence, child marriage and early pregnancy that can prevent girls from finishing their education. 

Development focused on economic empowerment

Good Return (World Education Australia)

ABN 39 106 279 225
https://goodreturn.org.au

Good Return works in several Southeast Asian countries to provide microfinance and skills development to empower people, especially women (98%), so they can break the cycle of poverty.  Their approach is to offer a hand up, not a handout. Providing people with access to financial and educational opportunities not only gives them the tools to get started but inspires them to believe that change is possible.

Opportunity International Australia

ABN 83 003 805 043
https://opportunity.org.au/

Opportunity International (OI) tackles the issue of poverty through a multi-faceted approach with solutions centred on four key aspects of the poverty cycle: microfinance, health, education, and safety. OI assists in a range of ways including helping:

• Families start their own businesses so they can earn sustainable incomes.
• Improve health, sanitation and nutrition so illness doesn’t stop families from running their own businesses or create greater burden.
• Support better education so that the next generation of children can have the chance to leave poverty behind.
• Provide domestic violence support and trafficking prevention training to help communities become—and remain—safe places for the next generation.

So They Can

ABN 91 138 063 475
https://www.sotheycan.org/

So They Can works with communities in need in Kenya and Tanzania; empowering people to become self-sufficient and meet their own needs via education and community and economic development.  They focus on providing quality education to children and adults, specifically women; to increase the number of students who graduate from high school and can seek further education or employment. This is designed to grow the economy and break the cycle of poverty.

They also support economic development in these communities by identifying social business opportunities, providing microfinance and skills development. These businesses have a dual purpose; benefiting the community by creating jobs and generating funds to support the work of So They Can.  Projects have included setting up a community health clinic, business farms, an animal feed business, women’s sowing business, and a bike shop, among others.

Surf Aid International Australia

ABN 31 111 343 287
https://surfaid.org/

SurfAid works to improve the health, well-being and resilience of remote communities connected through surfing.  Through active involvement SurfAid is committed to a ‘hand up, not a handout’ philosophy, and their focus is on empowering and supporting local communities to enrich their own lives and increase their choices and possibilities for realising their own potential.

With projects in Indonesia and Solomon Islands, they strive for lasting improvement in the health, well-being and resilience of remote communities by implementing community-led development programs that are clear in their goals, effective in their implementation and subject to continuous monitoring and evaluation.

Development focused on literacy

Atlassian Foundation International

ABN 92 616 103 103
https://www.atlassianfoundation.org/

The Atlassian Foundation International is helping to educate 10 million disadvantaged youth within 10 years – preparing them for the workforce of the future. They believe that education is key. They partner with innovators looking to accelerate learning for the world’s poorest young people to ensure everyone has the skills they need for a fast-changing world. They are focused on the United Nation’s fourth Global Goal to ensure quality education for all specifically to “substantially increase the number of youths who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship”.

Library for All

ABN 57 602 320 865
https://libraryforall.org/our-yarning/

Library For All is part of the of the Save the Children group.  They have built a digital library platform to address the lack of access to quality educational materials in developing countries. Their mission is to make knowledge accessible to every person on the planet, allowing individuals the opportunity to learn, dream, and aspire to lift themselves out of poverty.  The libraries have localised curated content and are accessible via mobile phones and tablets which are in widespread use in many developing countries.  Library for All works with technology and network providers who give free access to hardware and library downloads.  They operate in the Pacific, Asia, Africa and Ukraine along with Australia.

Room to Read

ABN 13 133 277 666
https://www.roomtoread.org/

Room to Read is working to reduce illiteracy and gender inequality, by helping children around the world in historically low-income communities develop literacy skills and a habit of reading.  They support girls as they build skills to succeed in secondary school and negotiate key life decisions. Room to Read collaborates with local communities, partner organisations and governments to test and implement innovative models that can be integrated into the education system to deliver positive outcomes for children at scale. 

 Their Girls’ Education Program, providing support from grades 6-12 includes 4 main components:  

• Life Skills Education 

• Community Engagement 

• Individual Mentorship 

• Material Support 

 To further impact gender equality, Room to Read offer gender-transformative life skills programs for boys. 

Justice

Amnesty International Australia

ABN 64 002 806 233
https://www.amnesty.org.au/

Amnesty International has a presence in over 150 countries around the world. Their global teams bring torturers to justice, change oppressive laws and free people jailed just for voicing their opinion.  Around the world they challenge injustice, stand with people and communities who come under attack, encourage governments and others to respect human rights and raise awareness of the international standards that protect us all. When a crisis occurs, their researchers can be on the ground within days, taking testimony and delivering firsthand reports. They gather the evidence as situations escalate and ensure supporters and the wider community are informed and ready to act.

Hagar Australia

ABN 20 159 198 535
https://hagar.org.au/

Hagar helps women and children who have experienced human trafficking, slavery, or severe abuse to heal from their trauma and rebuild their lives. The organisation also advocates for systemic changes to prevent these human rights violations and better protect those recovering from them.  Hagar Australia works as part of a global Hagar network and partners with offices in Cambodia, Afghanistan, Vietnam, and Thailand. 

International Justice Mission (IJM)

ABN 56 164 514 694
https://ijm.org.au/

IJMission is a global organisation that aims to eliminate the slave trade. They work with local justice officials, community partners and advocates to end slavery for good. They work by:

• Strengthening justice systems: they collaborate with justice system and community leaders to respond effectively to violence
• Rescuing and restoring victims: they partner with local authorities to rescue individual victims of violence and restore survivors to safety and stability
• Bringing criminals to justice: they work with justice system officials to ensure that criminals are held accountable, stopping the cycle of violence
• Scaling demand for protection: they equip champions to advocate for protection as an essential and tangible future for everyone.

Last updated 19 February 2025