Who we are

WDF is a leading funder of diabetes prevention and care projects in low- and middle-income countries

The World Diabetes Foundation was founded in 2002 as an independent foundation by Novo Nordisk A/S, and today is a leading global funder of diabetes prevention and care projects in low- and middle-income countries.

Key facts

  • We aim to strengthen access to care, reduce prevalence and advance the NCD agenda
  • We work through the power of partnerships

  • We support people living in vulnerable situations
Our accumulated results from 2002 to 2024.

Since 2002, the World Diabetes Foundation has provided 223.5 million EUR in funding to 621 partnership projects in 120 countries. For every euro provided by WDF, project partners raise approximately 2 euros in cash or as in-kind donations from other sources.

Our vision

To enhance equity in access to diabetes care and prevention in low- and middle income countries.

Our mission

We work through the power of partnerships to strengthen access to care, reduce prevalence and advance the NCD agenda for people living in vulnerable situations.

Our core beliefs

To address the rising burden of diabetes and related NCDs in LMICs, we need to scale up our operating model and financing 

To reach more people and enhance efficiency of health services, we will pursue digital health solutions

To ensure sustainable impact, we need locally anchored, context specific interventions and partners

To enhance the effect of preventive measures, we take a life course approach focusing on windows of opportunity (childhood, adolescence, women's reproductive years)

To enable better health outcomes, we need resilient health systems emphasising integrated and people-centered care, especially at primary and community levels

To enhance equity in access to care and prevention, we must consider people living in vulnerable situations and gender dimensions

Our legal basis

The World Diabetes Foundation is an independent and non-profit foundation governed by the Danish Foundation Act. WDF is based in Denmark and supervised by the Civil Affairs Agency, Denmark's authority for non-commercial foundations. It is governed by an independent Board of Directors.

Our funding

The World Diabetes Foundation’s income derives primarily from a Donation Agreement with Novo Nordisk A/S. The Donation Agreement funds the core activities of the WDF. The most recent agreement covers the years 2020 - 2024. The maximum donation for the five years is DKK 460 million.

In addition, WDF has been successful in attracting funding via grant applications to the Novo Nordisk Foundation. In 2019, the Novo Nordisk Foundation approved the first grant to WDF to support a national NCD response in Tanzania. Since then, the Novo Nordisk Foundation has approved several applications from WDF, enabling WDF to scale up country-specific projects. Novo Nordisk Foundation grants to WDF are more than DKK 250 million, with projects running from 2020-2025.

Updated 22 April, 2022