Near East Foundation (NEF)

Helping build more sustainable, prosperous, and inclusive communities in the Middle East and Africa through education, community organizing, and economic development

The Near East Foundation helps build more sustainable, prosperous, and inclusive communities in the Middle East and Africa through education, community organizing, and economic development.

For nearly 100 years, the Near East Foundation has pioneered innovative solutions to social and economic development challenges impacting communities throughout the Middle East and Africa.

Headquartered in Syracuse, NY, and engaged in a strategic partnership with Syracuse University, NEF is an operational non-governmental organization (NGO) with current programs in nine countries: Armenia, Jordan, Lebanon, Mali, Morocco, Palestine, Senegal,  Sudan, and Syria.

In these countries and throughout the region, we work with local partners to directly improve the lives of tens of thousands of vulnerable people each year through initiatives in sustainable agriculture, microenterprise development, women’s empowerment, civic education, and peacebuilding.

Latest news and articles

Where innovation meets inclusion: Meet the finalists of the RISE Urban Innovation Challenge

15 initiatives advancing inclusive, climate-resilient urban futures through innovation, collaboration, and community-led solutions.

Testing the Resilience Science Must-Knows with inclusive climate finance experts

Reflections from the Resilience Science Must-Knows workshop in Amsterdam.

RAIN 3 winners: 10 initiatives transforming agriculture in East Africa

Learn more about the RAIN 3 shortlisted candidates; innovative agricultural solutions across East Africa advancing resilience, sustainability, and community impact.

RAIN 3 Leadership Academy: 19 bold innovations advancing resilience across East Africa

The RAIN Leadership Academy in Nairobi brought together the 19 shortlisted candidates for three days of activities, introspection, and unpacking the role leadership plays in their work.

From insights to impact: Shaping science-based action on resilience

At a high-level workshop in Washington, DC, leaders in finance, policy, science and other sectors came together to refine the Resilience Science Must-Knows, a set of insights drawn from the latest resilience research, and shape a shared path toward science-based action.