Alfanar

Alfanar is the Arab region’s first venture philanthropy organisation providing capital as well as management support to promising social enterprises addressing critical issues in Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan. With a focus on refugee and other disadvantaged communities, Alfanar, which is headquartered in London but with regional offices, seeks to help businesses scale their impact and become financially sustainable. Education, youth employment, and women’s economic empowerment are key areas for the fund.

  • Organisation type Venture philanthropy organisation
  • Year founded 2004
  • Headquartered London
  • Registration United Kingdom · United States · Lebanon · Jordan · Egypt
  • Website https://www.alfanar.org

Focus areas

Focus sectors

  • Education
  • Human services
    • Youth development
    • Food aid
    • Thrift shops
    • Food banks
  • Community and economic development
    • Economic development
      • Community improvement
    • Sustainable developement
    • Business and industry
      • Entrepreneurship
  • Public affairs
    • Leadership development
  • Philanthropy and public policy
    • Venture philanthropy
    • Nonprofits

Focus populations

  • Women and girls
  • Refugees and displaced people
  • Low-income people
  • Working poor

Focus geographies

  • North Africa
    • Egypt
  • Middle East
    • Lebanon
    • Jordan
    • Palestine

Grantees

  • Natakallam
  • Life Vision for Development
  • Tabshoura
  • Bright Tomorrow for Child Protection (BTCP)
  • Takafoo
  • INAASH
  • Educate Me
  • Bridge. Outsource. Transform. (BOT)
  • SE Factory
  • FabricAID
  • Heya Masr
  • BEDCO
  • Future Eve Foundation
  • L'Artisan du Liban
View more View less

Programmes

  • Venture Philanthropy Fund
    Supporting ambitious social enterprises to develop sustainable revenue streams and breaking the cycle of donor dependency. Alfanar offers funding and management support to its investees.
  • Combat Crisis Campaign
    The mobilisation of funds to support vulnerable populations across the Middle East.
View more View less

Financials

Funding model

  • Private
  • Fundraising

Primary funders

  • Tarek Ben Halim
  • Lubna S Olayan

Types of funding and awards

  • Cash grants
  • Programme related investment
  • Pro bono services
    • Pro bono program design and analysis services

Operations

Key staff

  • Myrna Atalla, executive director
  • Michelle Mouracade, Lebanon country director
  • Fadel Zayan, investment director

Board members

  • Chair, Lubna S Olayan
  • Board member, Charlotte Boyle
  • Board member, Maysa Jalbout
  • Board member, Cynthia J. Oakes
  • Board member, Julia Middleton
  • Board member, Sherif Foda
  • Board member, Ajmad Bseisu
  • Board member, Samir Assaf
View more View less

Contact details

View more View less
Data has been collected directly from featured organisations, their websites, or from publicly available sources. To be considered for inclusion in the database, or to update or modify information about a featured profile, please get in touch at index@Circlemena.org