Care Economy Evidence Synthesis and Community-Based Care Landscaping and Acceleration Programme
The care economy is a critical, yet often underfunded and undervalued, sector that encompasses paid and unpaid care work. It includes activities related to caregiving for children, the elderly, and people with disabilities, as well as domestic work.
Our previous project highlighted the importance of recognizing, rewarding, and redistributing care work to promote women's economic empowerment and achieve broader social and economic goals. Kore Global has recently received a new grant from Canada’s International Development Research Centre for a project to bridge knowledge gaps, support innovative care business models, and mobilize investment in the care economy.
From July 2024 - December 2025, Kore Global will lead a multifaceted project that includes evidence synthesis, meta-analysis, knowledge production, and the implementation of action research and acceleration programs. By collaborating with key stakeholders such as investors, policymakers, research partners, and grassroots organizations, Kore Global aims to catalyze systemic change and enhance the sustainability and impact of care economy initiatives. The project’s overall goal is to generate and disseminate new evidence on care businesses and community-based care cooperatives. This will mobilize action by public policymakers, funders, and investors.
The project is split into two workstreams.
Workstream 1 will deliver three knowledge products:
Investing in the Care Economy: A Gender and Climate Win - this think piece will provide guidance on integrating a care lens into climate-smart investments, offering suggestions for investors and stakeholders to support the virtuous circle of women’s economic empowerment, care, and clean energy.
Pathways to Impact: Transforming Women's Lives - this paper will propose simple indicators for impact monitoring, offering actionable insights for care economy businesses and investors to enhance their impact measurement and support normative change.
What Works: Business Models in the Care Economy - this research will highlight successful business models, providing live examples and exploring questions such as the potential for impact across different business categories. The findings will help businesses learn from successful models, guide investors in targeting support effectively, and contribute to the evidence base on care work and social norms.
Workstream 2 will have two main outputs:
Community-Based Care Landscaping - we will work with a research partner in Latin America to identify and profile community-based care organizations in three countries (Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay). This landscaping will provide vital insights and collect key data on operational models, needs, and impact areas.
Community Care Accelerator Pilot - we will co-design an accelerator with an implementing partner in Colombia. The accelerator will provide financial, mentoring, and capacity strengthening support to selected community-based care organizations. Key components will include an initial bootcamp, flexible seed grants, mentoring from regional specialists, and participation in key events. This program aims to enhance the sustainability and scalability of these organizations, promoting innovative and sustainable care solutions.
By producing and disseminating new evidence, supporting innovative care business models, and mobilizing investment, we aim to contribute to the creation of a more equitable and sustainable care economy. Through our comprehensive approach, we will support care businesses and community-based organizations in their efforts to tackle care economy challenges and contribute to women's economic empowerment and broader social, economic, and climate justice.
