1. Introduction to HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation
New York, July 2014
Gisela Keller
US Representative
gisela.keller@helvetas.org
+1 646 643 0390

2. Who We Are
• Founded in 1955 in Zurich: Largest
Swiss iNGO
• Largest recipient of funding from Swiss
Agency for Development and
Cooperation (SDC)
• Special SDC technical assistance
assignments
• Organizational growth and 2011 merger;
around 1,500 staff (15% Swiss &
international experts)
• US presence since 2012
• Fiscal sponsorship – 2014: 501(c)(3)
• Strong partnerships with local
actors: Long-term presence (12+
years)
• Strong M&E: 11 completed impact
assessments in 2009-2011 and 18
planned for 2013-2016
• Learning & evaluation
• Low overhead: 10-15%
• Focus on rural and peri-urban areas
• South-south collaboration
• Cross-sector approach
• Triple Commitment: Implementation, +
Advocacy + Advisory Services

3. Our Programs
Rural Economy Environment &
Climate Change
Water &
Infrastructure
Skills
Development and
Education
Governance and
Peace
• Safe
drinking
water &
sanitation
• Irrigation &
efficient use
of water
• Bridges,
roads &
trails for
access to
ideas,
services
and
markets
Advisory Services
• Private-sector
& labor
market
oriented
training
• Linkages:
basic
education &
youth skills
development
• Mobile
trainings
• Life skills
• Tracer study
toolkit
• Citizen
engagement &
participation
• Political
accountability
• Civil peace
building &
conflict
sensitivity
• Artistic
expressions for
an open
society
• South-south
labor migration
• Sustainable
agriculture
systems
• Agriculture
extension
• Organic
farming &
fair trade
• Value
chains
• Climate
protection
and
conservation
of resources
(land, water,
forests).
• Risk
reduction
and
adaptation
Cross-cutting:
Gender & social equity
Learning & innovation
Cross-cutting:
Gender & social equity
Learning & innovation

4. Strategy 2013 - 2017

5. Where We Work
33 partner
countries
CRITERIA
•High level of
poverty
•High potential for
impact
•Government
collaboration
•Relevance of our
programs
•Civil society or
government as
partners to
collaborate
•Donor interest

6. Past & Current U.S. Partners
• IDB
• US State Department
• USDA
• World Bank & World Bank Institute
Member: WB Global Partnership for
Social Accountability
• USAID
• CARE
• Chemonics
• EDC
• Mercy Corps
• RTI
• Winrock
• United Nations
• UNCTAD
• UNDP
• UN Forum on Forests
• UNICEF
• UNIDO
Foundations
•Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (water study)
•Blue Moon Foundation (renewable energy)
•Ellysium Foundation (Bhutan)
•Ford Foundation (CATIE)
•Global Environment and Technology Foundation/
Coca-Cola Foundation
•Hilton Foundation/Millennium Water Alliance
•McKnight Foundation (rural economy)
•Open Society Foundations (governance)
•Peru Opportunity Fund
NGOs
•Bridges to Prosperity (trail bridges)
•KickStart International (water pumps)
•Rights & Resources Institute (forests/rights)
•Partnership for Transparency Fund
•The Nature Conservancy (forests)
•Women World Banking
•Wildlife Conservation Society
•World Resources Institute

7. International Associations
Rural Economy
•Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
•DCED
•ICAC
•IFOAM (Organic Agriculture)
•FLO (Fairtrade Label Organisation)
•ISEAL
•Textile Exchange
Skills Development and Education
•Centre International d’Etudes Agricoles
Microfinance
•CGAP
•Social Performance Task Force
Democracy & Peace
• CIVICUS (World Alliance for Citizen
Participation)
• INTRAC (International NGO Training and
Research Centre)
Water
• End Water Poverty (UK): Member
Executive Committee
• Global Water Challenge
• Millennium Water Alliance
• World Water Council (France)
• Water Integrity Network
• Rural Water Supply Network
• WHO – International Network on
Household Water Treatment and Safe
Storage
Roads & Bridges
• International Forum for Rural Transport
and Development
Climate Change & Adaptation
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
change (IPCC) (HSI = lead author)
• International Tropical Timber
Organization (ITTO)
• Global Environment Facility (GEF)
• Rights and Resources Initiative

8. Financial Data 2013
Use of Funds by Continent %
Asia 43.3
Africa 28.4
Latin America 17.4
Eastern Europe, Caucasus &
10.8
Central Asia
Total (Swiss Francs 117.4 M /
$132M)
100
Income: Sources %
Swiss Development Corporation 55.0
Private 21.4
Other Official Development Aid 18.1
Advisory Services 2.4
Other 3.1
Total (Swiss Francs:134.1M 100
Funds by Program Area %
Rural Economy 30.8
Water & Infrastructure 22.7
Skills Development & Education 18.9
Governance & Peace 16.8
Environment & Climate 10.8
Total 100
Donors: SDC, DFID, GIZ, AusAid,
EuropeAid, USAID, State Department,
KfW, LED. World Bank, UN
Private: Medicor Foundation, Foundation
Mercator Switzerland, Jacobs, Happel,
Esperanza, Coop, Swiss Re, SIGE,
Canton of Zürich / Bern, City of Zürich,
Fedevaco, FGC, Münsingen …
Donors: SDC, DFID, GIZ, AusAid,
EuropeAid, USAID, State Department,
KfW, LED. World Bank, UN
Private: Medicor Foundation, Foundation
Mercator Switzerland, Jacobs, Happel,
Esperanza, Coop, Swiss Re, SIGE,
Canton of Zürich / Bern, City of Zürich,
Fedevaco, FGC, Münsingen …