Trust for Voluntary Organization

The Trust for Voluntary Organizations (TVO) was created as an indigenous grantmaking organization in 1990 following an agreement between the governments of Pakistan and the United States of America to establish a Special Development Fund (SDF). TVO was set up to tap the potential of non-government organizations (NGOs). The purpose was to aid them in the development process and develop a mechanism for strengthening the contribution of NGOs towards a broader goal of improving the quality of life of the neglected segments of the Pakistani population. The bottom-up working of NGOs meant that they could reach the people who most needed help, and the funds would reach those who needed them the most. TVO was constituted as the agency to carry out the objectives of the SDF through the provision of grants, technical assistance, and training for NGOs. The Trust became fully functional in 1992.

Partnerships are the foundation of TVO’s work. By working with locally based groups (CSOs & NGOs & CBOs), we develop a deeper understanding of the context and build local capacity and ownership. So far TVO has disbursed grants over 2.98 billion rupees by funding 1,422 projects to 1,204 NGOs—CBOs in rural or semi-urban areas of Pakistan.