We're an international think-and-do-tank working with governments, NGOs, entrepreneurs and people around the world. Together we find and implement long-term solutions to make access to safe water and sanitation available for everyone, for good. Our experience has taught us that this can be achieved by building resilient water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) systems – at district and national level. Systems are the networks of people, organisations, institutions and resources necessary to deliver services. Our strategy framework 2017-30 explains how we do this, and is guided by our theory of change.
Between now and 2030, we are committed to maintaining our long-term partnerships with selected districts in our focus countries. The aim is to ensure that at least one million people will have access to sustainable, safe and adequate WASH services by 2030.
'IRC' comes from International Reference Centre for Community Water Supply, which was our name from the founding of the organisation in 1968 (by the World Health Organization and Dutch government) to mid-1980s, when it changed into IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre. Since 2014 we are known as IRC, no acronym, just our name in capital letters. Occasionally with the additional strapline: supporting water sanitation and hygiene services for life.
Officially we are registered at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce as Stichting IRC, International Water and Sanitation Centre.
All our contact details are available from the contact us page on this site.
IRC is an independent, non-profit organisation. In 2020 our donor partners included: the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Department for International Development (DFID), European Union / European Commission (EU/EC), Netherlands Directorate-General of Development Cooperation (DGIS), Osprey Foundation, UNICEF and United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
