How WaterAid is managed

1. How is WaterAid governed?
2. What is the relationship between WaterAid UK and WaterAid America?
3. Is WaterAid America independent?
4. How do you avoid duplication of effort with the other nonprofit organizations working internationally?
5. What is the difference between you and other organizations that provide water and sanitation?

1. How is WaterAid America governed?

WaterAid America is a US tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our Board of Directors, who serve on a voluntary basis, guide the mission and purpose of the organization, provide financial oversight, and ensure that WaterAid America is managed effectively and in compliance with legal and ethical standards. Day-to-day management is the responsibility of the President & Chief Executive Officer, who reports to the Board of Directors.

For copies of WaterAid America's other governing documents, such as our conflict of interest policy and by-laws, please write to Philip Perlah, Secretary, WaterAid America, 232 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10016, or email us.

Read biographies of WaterAid America’s Directors

2. What is relationship between WaterAid America and other international WaterAid offices?

WaterAid America is one of four global member offices: WaterAid operates in the UK, the US, Sweden and Australia. All global members share and support WaterAid's global mission and vision. WaterAid America is an independent, US tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with offices in New York City.

WaterAid America mobilizes financial and other resources in the US to support work undertaken in the field by WaterAid’s country program offices. WaterAid America also undertakes research, outreach, and public education activities throughout the USA to raise awareness about the global water and sanitation crisis and its solutions.

3. Is WaterAid America independent?

WaterAid America is an independent organization, not aligned with any individual denomination or government. We partner with and accept support from a range of organizations and governments who support our vision, mission, and approach and who share our values.

Read WaterAid’s mission and values statement.

4. How do you avoid duplication of effort with the other nonprofit organizations working internationally?

WaterAid specifically works to help people in developing countries in Africa and Asia gain access to clean water and sanitation and to improve their hygiene practices. However, the scale of the problem is vast and to achieve our vision of a world where everyone has access to these basic needs we continuously seek ways of collaborating with others so that our work has as much impact as possible.

We are increasingly conscious of the need to consider the potential for overlap and/or the risks of duplication of our efforts. This is why we work with local organizations in the countries where we work, through the structure put in place by the country governments. As the responsibility for water and sanitation increasingly falls on local governments, WaterAid works with them to develop their capacity to carry out their work effectively.

In many countries we are helping the local government to map the functionality and distribution of all existing water resources. This means any future work can be planned to mend broken facilities (which is cheaper than building new ones) and only build new ones where there are gaps in coverage.

We also work with other international NGOs on our campaigns, reports and advocacy work - both in the countries where we work and internationally. For example we are a founding member of End Water Poverty, a coalition of like minded organizations calling on water and sanitation for all.

5. What is the difference between you and other organizations that provide water and sanitation?

WaterAid focuses on water, sanitation and hygiene education as we believe that together these are the vital first steps to helping communities achieve a better future. As a large international non-profit organization that has worked exclusively on these issues since 1981 we have built up unparalleled experience and expertise in this area.

Rather than giving grants, we have a large network of specialist staff ourselves, the vast majority of whom are based on the ground in the countries where we work. Our presence alongside local communities is vital in ensuring we can work with them and our local partner organizations to devise solutions that are appropriate and sustainable in each unique circumstance.

Many of our country programs have a number of offices: regional offices that manage our fieldwork in different parts of the country, and a head office usually in the capital city, which gives our advocacy and policy staff good access to national decision-makers.

Many of the national governments of the countries where we work have asked for our assistance in drawing up national and water sanitation policies, reflecting our position as as the leading international charity dedicated to clean water and sanitation.

Our track record speaks for itself: to date we have directly helped 13.5 million people gain access to clean, safe water, while many more have benefited from policies we have helped to shape and assistance we have given other water organizations.

We have won prestigious awards such as the Stockholm Water Prize, sanitation awards from the government of Bangladesh and have been named Charity of the Year and Most Admired Charity in the UK.

Our work remains extremely cost effective with our interventions averaging just $30 per person for sustainable water supplies, sanitation and hygiene education.
High profile supporters who endorse our work include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Rotary International, the British Government, the European Community, and countless individuals like you.