About us

Organizational Profile: The Cooperative Agency for Research and Development (CARD) is a non-governmental, non-profit, and non-partisan development organization dedicated to empowering rural communities and improving the lives of marginalized and vulnerable populations across Ghana, with a strong focus on women, girls, youth, and underserved groups.

Founded in 2006 and legally registered in 2014 under the laws of Ghana, CARD has over a decade of demonstrated experience delivering community-driven, evidence-based, and results-oriented development interventions. The organization works through grassroots engagement, strategic partnerships, innovation, and strong accountability systems to address the structural causes of poverty, inequality, and vulnerability.

CARD implements transformative programs across the following thematic areas:

• Livelihoods and Economic Empowerment
• Climate Resilience and Environmental Sustainability
• Gender Equality and Social Protection
• Governance and Civic Engagement
• Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)
• Youth Development and Leadership
• Child Welfare and Career Development
• Community-Driven and Participatory Development

Over the years, CARD has built a strong reputation for professionalism, transparency, integrity, and innovation, working collaboratively with local communities, traditional authorities, government institutions, civil society organizations, and national and international development partners to deliver sustainable impact at the community level.

Vision: To achieve sustainable development and diversified livelihood opportunities for rural communities and marginalized populations by addressing the root causes of poverty and vulnerability.

Mission: To empower vulnerable communities in Ghana through innovative and inclusive programs in education, gender equality, social protection, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods, while fostering community ownership, accountability, and effective collaboration with government institutions and development partners.

Core Values

• Integrity and Transparency – Upholding honesty, accountability, and openness in all organizational and stakeholder engagements.
• Community-Centered Development – Designing and implementing programs that respond to the real needs, priorities, and capacities of local communities.
• Innovation and Learning – Applying evidence-based solutions, creativity, and continuous learning to enhance impact and effectiveness.
• Equity and Inclusion – Promoting the empowerment and meaningful participation of women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups.
• Sustainability and Resilience – Advancing environmentally responsible approaches and long-term, scalable development outcomes.
• Professionalism and Excellence – Maintaining high standards in governance, project management, safeguarding, and stakeholder engagement.

Transparency, Governance, and Accountability: To demonstrate its unwavering commitment to ethical conduct, safeguarding, and responsible resource management, CARD maintains a comprehensive suite of governance, operational, programmatic, safeguarding, and compliance policies that are publicly accessible to donors, partners, regulators, and the general public. These frameworks define CARD’s governance structure, leadership mandates, financial and risk management systems, accountability mechanisms, and safeguarding standards, and are regularly updated in line with national legislation, international development norms, and donor compliance requirements.

CARD firmly believes that open access to institutional frameworks strengthens trust, enhances partnership effectiveness, and ensures the responsible stewardship of donor and community resources.

All official organizational documents and policies are available for verification, partnership assessment, and due diligence through the link below:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19EbRXysTbdT_kOuILud35kZ6Mc3J4Wi9/view?usp=sharing