How we’re funded
Powered by donors, GFI is an international network of organizations working to transform how meat is made—satisfying rising food demand in ways that accelerate climate progress, protect animals and ecosystems, and strengthen public health.
Our work
As a nonprofit, we unlock the knowledge and resources needed to transform how meat is made—satisfying rising food demand in ways that accelerate climate progress, protect animals and ecosystems, and strengthen public health.
We are not a trade association or member-based organization; in a field dominated by private-sector activity, our nonprofit work is available to all.
We work in economies and regions with strong potential to advance alternative proteins: Asia Pacific, Brazil, Europe, India, Israel, Japan, and the United States. Gifts and grants power this work to help build a thriving world, fed sustainably. Explore our frequently asked questions below for more details.
Our funding
Our impact is funded by donors from all walks of life—from people making monthly gifts to large grantmaking foundations. We are supported by a global community of donors from more than 60 countries who are committed to accelerating climate progress, protecting animals and ecosystems, and strengthening public health.
GFI has earned top charity recommendations from independent evaluators such as Founders Pledge, Charity Navigator, and Giving Green—the latter naming GFI as a Top Nonprofit in both the Climate and Biodiversity categories. These evaluations include rigorous assessments of our financials, impact (across climate, biodiversity, animal welfare, and public health), strategy, leadership, and culture. GFI also earned Candid’s 2025 Platinum Seal of Transparency, which is obtained by less than one percent of nonprofits, reflecting our commitment to maximum impact, efficiency, and inclusion.
FAQs
Who funds GFI?
GFI’s impact across our seven organizations is funded by a diverse community of donors. Roughly 80 percent of GFI’s donors give between $1 and $1,000 each year. Between 2022 and 2024, 52 percent of donations came from individuals, 46 percent from foundations, one percent from corporations, and less than one percent from non-U.S. government grants. Some of our most generous donors include individual philanthropists and institutional funders, such as Coefficient Giving.
Donations of all sizes are vital to GFI’s mission, and we are deeply grateful for every gift and grant.
In alignment with best practices for donor privacy, we do not share the names of our donors unless they expressly provide permission for us to do so. See our privacy policy.
Is GFI a trade association or membership-based organization?
No. As a nonprofit, our work serves the public good—specifically to protect nature, strengthen public health, accelerate climate progress, and satisfy rising food demand by unlocking the knowledge, tools, and resources to transform how meat is made. We help create the conditions for a thriving alternative protein sector, but we are not a for-profit company nor an industry trade group.
What kinds of gifts does GFI accept?
GFI focuses on the highest-impact activities, sustainable growth, and responsible stewardship of donor funds. We do not accept gifts that may compromise our independence or integrity, or that may create a conflict of interest.
We accept credit card gifts, checks, publicly traded securities, cryptocurrency, and bequests (writing GFI into your will). Examples of gifts we do NOT accept include cash, gifts that threaten our nonprofit legal status, or gifts that may harm our reputation. Gifts such as real estate and tangible personal property are subject to review. See our gift acceptance policy for more information.
Does GFI take funding from alternative protein companies?
GFI does not accept gifts from companies that fund, research, develop, manufacture, or sell traditional or alternative protein products as a part of their business model unless those gifts are restricted to funding open-access research or research grants, or specific events that are open to the general public. In all cases, funded research and events will be clearly identified as such and made available to the general public. Funding companies are not allowed to influence grant-making decisions or final outputs. Less than one percent of funding comes from companies—and the vast majority of that is from non-food companies and workplace giving programs.
For more information, please see our gift acceptance policy.
How do you ensure independence?
GFI accepts gifts that align with our mission, values, and organizational priorities for impact and growth. We are dedicated to advancing foundational, open-access research and are committed to independent scholarship led by our team of scientific experts. Our research and findings are strictly independent of any financial contributions or considerations, instead focusing on identifying the most pressing technological bottlenecks and prioritizing the most promising solutions and pathways to accelerate the field.
We may also decline gifts when there is the appearance or existence of a conflict of interest, such as if a donor requests to fund research projects for which they have a vested interest in a particular outcome. See our gift acceptance policy for what gifts we accept, flag for review, or decline.
Where can I learn more about GFI’s finances?
Check out our IRS Form 990s page. GFI is a registered 501(c)(3) U.S. nonprofit organization (Tax ID # 81-0840578), and we are registered as a charitable organization in all U.S. states where required.
Where can I learn more about GFI’s work?
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