International Relief and Development (IRD) is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to improving lives and building livelihoods among people in the most economically deprived parts of the world. IRD’s mission is to reduce the suffering of the world’s most vulnerable groups and provide the tools and resources needed to increase their self-sufficiency

IRD works in collaboration with a wide range of organizations, including U.S. and foreign government agencies, bilateral and international donor organizations, international finance organizations, faith-based organizations, advocacy groups, international and local NGOs, corporations and members of U.S. Congress, to implement targeted, cost-effective relief and development programs. Founded in 1998 by Dr. Arthur B. Keys, Jr., IRD provides more than $85 million annually in humanitarian assistance. IRD is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

Where does IRD work?

IRD works in 18 countries around the world, including Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Chad, Georgia, Indonesia, Iraq, Montenegro, Mozambique, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Ukraine and the United States. For a complete list of countries where IRD has projects, please see our annual report.

How many people work at IRD?

IRD employs approximately 1000 people around the world, including 45 staff in its headquarters.

What are IRD’s areas of expertise?

Within each country, IRD has developed an expertise to fulfill its mission – to reduce the suffering of the world's most vulnerable groups by providing them with the tools and resources needed to become self-sufficient. These expertise areas include:
• Conflict Mitigation
• Democracy, Grassroots and Coalition Building
• Economic Revitalization
• Education
• Emergency Relief
• Health Care
• Infrastructure rebuilding
• Micro-lending
• NGO Capacity Building
• Project Oversight
• Repatriation and Reintegration
• Water and sanitation projects

How is IRD organized?

IRD is involved in six core program areas:
• Civil Society
• Economic Development
• Food Security
• Health
• Relief
• Infrastructure

Civil Society: IRD organizes and facilitates democratic action through the formation of community action committees comprising representatives from a cross-section of the community who have the skills to assess, design, implement, and monitor development initiatives.
Economic Development: IRD works to provide new economic program initiatives, provide technical support to field office programs, develop staff training and technical support programs and materials, and maintain and track achievements on economic program initiatives.
Food Security: IRD works to provide greater food security for the world’s most vulnerable groups. IRD is a leader in using food commodities to develop and support production and distribution of fortified, soy-enriched foods, thereby contributing to increased food availability.
Health: Two great challenges – poor health and lack of accessible health care – afflict the world’s most vulnerable people. To address these challenges, IRD provides community-based primary health care, health ducation, reproductive health services, HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention, water and sanitation assistance, infectious disease control, and nutrition.
Infrastructure: IRD recognizes that for any program initiative to become truly sustainable, it must be tailored to fit local environments and involve active participation of local stakeholders. IRD infrastructure programs work directly with the host communities and local governments to identify, develop, rehabilitate, and maintain key infrastructure necessary for the growth and development of local communities.
Relief: IRD implements programs that offer immediate humanitarian assistance and that improve the quality of life for displaced persons, refugees, and other vulnerable groups. IRD provides targeted community-based assistance, essential commodities, and income generation grants to meet immediate needs of affected populations.

Does IRD do any other kind of work?

Yes. IRD does program oversight for various donors. For example, IRD recently was awarded a five-year, $58 million contract to provide a broad range of services to help design, monitor, guide, and support activities of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded contracts in Afghanistan.

Who funds IRD?

Within the U.S. Government, IRD’s donors include USAID, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. IRD also receives grants from international organizations including the United Nations Development Program and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. For a full list of donors in 2005, please see our annual report. Water tank installation at the Bung Cala camp following the tsunami, Indonesia.

Does IRD receive in-kind contributions as well as grants and contracts?

Yes. IRD receives up to $30 million annually in commodities, pharmaceuticals and other medical supplies which IRD distributes to needy communities throughout the world. Organizations that make in-kind contributions include Latter Day Saints and Seventh Day Adventists. For a full list of in-kind contributions in 2005, please see our annual report.