RETURN TO GLIMMER’S ROOTS:

A LETTER FROM OUR FOUNDERS

April 16, 2024

To Our Community, 

With our commitment to Ethiopia as strong as ever, we will begin to evolve our philanthropy to a more localized approach. In 2024, Glimmer will begin a transition from an international NGO to a direct grantmaker.       

SIMPLIFYING AND LOCALIZING OUR GIVING 

Over the course of 2024, we will begin a thoughtful wind-down of our operations in Austin and Addis Ababa. Projects will continue as planned this year and all donations received to date will go toward supporting this work. By the end of 2024, we will close our U.S. office and scale down our Ethiopia office.

Once we complete projects currently in process, we will begin investing in local initiatives through grants funded from Glimmer’s endowment, starting with an immediate focus on the humanitarian crisis in Tigray. This is a return to our roots—Glimmer was born out of a desire to relieve some of the pain and suffering on the planet, inspired by the famine in Ethiopia in the 1980s. Today, as the country continues to endure the ongoing impacts of war and drought, our new direction will allow more direct funding focused on Tigray. As we transition to direct grantmaking in Ethiopia, we will continue with our philanthropic work here in Austin, Texas.

MORE THAN TWO DECADES OF IMPACT 

Since our founding in 2000, Glimmer has invested $63 million in operations and grants from our endowment, which allowed us to leverage an additional $107 million in donations in support of our mission—impacting the lives of 5 million people in rural communities. Together, we reached the most remote areas with a unique approach to holistic development that has been life-changing. Thousands of wells now provide clean water close to home—giving the gift of health and time to women and girls. Schools with libraries and fully-equipped classrooms providing education for thousands of children. Women empowered with access to loans and trainings that allow them to support their families. Through the steadfast support of our donors and the commitment of our staff and partners, we lifted up families and entire communities that are now stable and thriving. We will build upon this progress and growth in Glimmer’s next chapter. 

GRATITUDE FOR OUR GLOBAL COMMUNITY

We are incredibly grateful for our staff, donors, and Ethiopian partners who joined alongside us in creating meaningful, lasting change. Thank you for your support, trust, and belief in our mission. We will be here for feedback and questions as we move through this next phase.   

With gratitude,  

Donna & Philip Berber 

Questions? Please see our FAQs page or send an email to info@glimmer.org.