Global Communities, PCI Complete Merger

Unified organization brings deeper expertise, broader reach to urgent development challenges
Silver Spring, Md. – On September 1, 2021, a significant merger in the international development sector was completed between Silver Spring, Md.-based Global Communities and San Diego, Ca.-based Project Concern International (PCI).

In April 2020, Global Communities and PCI announced their merger based on shared missions and complementary areas of technical expertise and geographic reach. The unified organization, known as Global Communities, has deep roots in more than 35 countries and the ability to reach millions of people with sustainable, impactful programs that improve lives and livelihoods.

Global Communities works at the nexus of humanitarian assistance, sustainable development and financial inclusion to save lives, advance equity and secure strong futures. In collaboration with a wide range of public and private sector partners, including communities directly affected by poverty, disasters and conflict, Global Communities delivers solutions to urgent crises while also working to build long-term resilience.

In less than 18 months, Global Communities and PCI executed a robust integration process, adopting shared systems, processes, and staffing structures. The unified organization will be guided by a new strategic plan and will focus on delivering emergency response and enhancing resilience through humanitarian assistance, advancing sustainable development and expanding opportunity through financial inclusion.

“Global Communities and PCI came to this merger from positions of strength, each seeking to expand our ability to support meaningful change and achieve our humanitarian and development mission,” said David Weiss, CEO of Global Communities. “In a matter of months, we have increased our impact, including by collaborating across borders to deliver innovative programs in the Northern Triangle of Central America and by expanding PCI’s Global Adolescent Girls Initiative into neighborhoods where Global Communities works in northeast Syria.”

“Mergers in the international development sector are an important tool for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of our life-saving work,” said Carrie Hessler-Radelet, President of Global Communities. “Stronger together was our motto throughout the merger, and as we have put our ideas into practice, we have seen first-hand the impact of combining the technical expertise and deep knowledge of two organizations with decades-long legacies of transformative impact.”

As a unified organization, Global Communities has nearly 2,000 experienced team members around the world and offices in Silver Spring, Md. and San Diego, Ca., which will serve as the hub for U.S.-based programming.

Global Communities has over 60 years of history and grew from an initial focus on cooperative housing in the United States to become global leaders in humanitarian assistance and sustainable development. In addition, Global Communities created the Vitas Group, which operates a network of microfinance companies that lends to small and medium sized enterprises and serves as a vehicle for impact investors. PCI was founded on the U.S.-Mexico border, and has well-recognized expertise in promoting health, reducing hunger, addressing hardship, and advancing women and girls.

To learn more, please visit www.globalcommunities.org.