New research maps how philanthropic, corporate, and public capital is moving in the Kingdom, as Vision 2030 drives a 73% rise in non-profit sector activity
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 30 JUNE 2026 – AVPN, Asia’s largest social investment network, today released The Landscape of Impact Capital in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a year-long study examining how Saudi Arabia’s impact ecosystem is evolving. The report reflects AVPN’s commitment to deepening local expertise and building lasting relationships within the Kingdom’s social impact ecosystem and was developed with Tasamy For Impact as a local partner.
Based on a year of research and in-depth interviews with philanthropic foundations, government bodies, intermediaries, and private sector leaders across the Kingdom, the report serves as a practical tool for philanthropic foundations, corporate and family offices, public-sector entities, and international partners seeking to better understand, navigate, and collaborate within Saudi Arabia’s evolving impact ecosystem. Tasamy For Impact’s extensive on-the-ground network was instrumental in connecting the AVPN research team with diverse stakeholders interviewed for the study.
The report finds that Saudi Arabia’s impact ecosystem is rapidly maturing and gaining structure. Driven by Vision 2030’s ambition for the non-profit sector to contribute 5% of GDP, the sector has expanded significantly in recent years, supported by increasingly sophisticated digital infrastructure. Platforms like Ehsan and the modernisation of awqaf structures are channelling billions of USD towards social outcomes and bringing greater transparency and accountability to how capital moves across the Kingdom.
The report also charts how corporate and institutional capital is becoming more strategic. Rather than ad-hoc giving, leading Saudi companies and government-backed institutions are adopting structured, catalytic approaches to social impact, from micro-industry programmes supporting farming and agricultural communities, to catalytic financing tools designed to mobilise and leverage private capital at scale.
Family foundations are playing a part too: the Al Muhaidib Social Foundation’s ‘We Play Together’ initiative, which has created inclusive public play spaces for children of all abilities, reflects a broader shift among family foundations towards collaborative, outcomes-led philanthropy. At the same time, Saudi Arabia’s Green Financing Framework, published by the Ministry of Finance in March 2024, is enabling the issuance of green sukuk, Shariah-compliant instruments mobilising capital for sustainability projects under Vision 2030.
Naina Subberwal Batra, Chief Executive Officer at AVPN, said: “The stories of innovation and collaboration taking shape across Saudi Arabia’s public, private, and philanthropic sectors are not just an invitation to observe, they are a call to engage. What’s striking is not only the scale of capital being mobilised domestically, but the role Saudi Arabia already plays in the global impact story, through decades of international assistance and a fast-maturing investment landscape. Our goal with this research is not simply to observe that progress, it’s to help capital here work harder. Our work with Tasamy For Impact gave us a depth of access and insight that simply wouldn’t have been possible otherwise, and this report is a strong example of the kind of grounded, locally rooted research AVPN produces. We believe it gives Saudi investors a clearer sense of where they fit in this broader ecosystem, and where the opportunities for deeper collaboration lie.”
The report argues that Saudi Arabia is not a newcomer to the global impact ecosystem and is now positioned to lead the next phase of collaboration. Since 1975, the Kingdom has provided more than USD 130 billion in humanitarian and development assistance to 169 countries, with initiatives such as the Lives and Livelihoods Fund showing how Saudi Arabia is increasingly helping to shape, not just support, cross-border partnerships. For international partners, the report sets out practical pathways for engagement, from aligning with Vision 2030’s Realisation Programmes to building relationships with institutions such as MISA (Ministry of Investment) and NCNP (National Center for Non-Profit Sector).
Looking ahead, the report points to clear growth areas for social impact. Saudi Arabia faces a projected 88% increase in agricultural drought frequency by 2050, creating demand for climate adaptation and sustainable livelihoods solutions. With 84% of the population concentrated in cities like Riyadh and Jeddah, and urban property prices up 25% since 2021, affordable and inclusive urban development is a growing priority. And with around 70% of the population under 25, the report highlights significant opportunities for workforce development, entrepreneurship, and youth-led solutions in emerging areas such as AI.
Lujain Al Ubaid, Co-founder and CEO at Tasamy For Impact, said: “For more than a decade, we have believed that impact is not a slogan — it is a discipline. That building a sector is slower, and harder, than funding a moment. We did not produce this research to add a document to a shelf — but to put a tool in your hands, and to keep faith with a promise we made long ago: that we would walk beside this sector, not ahead of it, until investment for social and environmental outcomes in our country comes fully into its own.”
The report is one example of the kind of research and insight AVPN facilitates to deepen local expertise and build a stronger, more connected social impact ecosystem across the region. This report’s findings have already been tested. An exclusive pre-launch session with Tasamy For Impact brought together impact leaders from philanthropy, investment, and the corporate sector to engage directly with the research, debate its implications, and reveal the collaboration pathways reflected in the report’s recommendations.
That conversation continues at the AVPN Global Conference 2026 in New Delhi, India, from 25 to 27 August, Asia’s largest gathering of social investors and the natural next stop for anyone serious about deploying capital for impact across the region, bringing together philanthropic foundations, family offices, institutional investors, and policymakers from across Asia and the Gulf. For Saudi investors, it is a direct route into the networks, expertise, and capital flows shaping the future of impact investing across the region, and a chance to position the Kingdom’s ecosystem at the centre of that conversation.
The full report, The Landscape of Impact Capital in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, can be downloaded for free here. More information on the AVPN Global Conference 2026 is available here.
About AVPN
AVPN is the largest network of social investors in Asia, comprising over 700 members across 43 markets. Its mission is to increase the flow and effectiveness of financial, human, and intellectual capital across Asia – enabling members to direct resources towards measurable impact. AVPN works across key issue areas, including health, climate, gender, and education, bringing together local knowledge, regional expertise, and policy insight to support the development of stronger, more effective philanthropic and social investment sectors across the region.
For more information, visit avpn.asia and AVPN Annual Review 2024/25
About Tasamy For Impact
Tasamy is a leading impact advisory and capacity-building company dedicated to helping organizations create, strengthen, and scale sustainable impact. Through a diverse range of innovative services, Tasamy empowers institutions to enhance their effectiveness, accelerate growth, and achieve meaningful, measurable outcomes.
Tasamy believes that lasting impact begins with empowered organisations. By combining strategic expertise, innovation, and collaboration, Tasamy helps their partners transform their vision into sustainable change.
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