The Hunger Project (THP), founded in 1977 with the stated goal of ending world hunger in 25 years, is an organization committed to the sustainable end of world hunger. It has ongoing programs in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, where it implements programs aimed at mobilizing rural grassroots communities to achieve sustainable progress in health, education, nutrition, and family income.^[1] THP is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization incorporated in the state of California.^[2]

As of 2024^[update], The Hunger Project is active in Africa (in Benin, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Senegal, Uganda, and Zambia); South Asia (Bangladesh and India), and Latin America (Mexico and Peru, where THP partners with the Center for Indigenous Peoples' Cultures of Peru or Chirapaq). It also had offices in Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, in addition to its global headquarters in the United States.^[3]

This section does not cite any sources. (November 2014)

In Africa, THP implements what it calls "the Epicenter Strategy", organizing clusters of 10 to 15 villages to construct community centers, partner with local government agencies and community-based organizations, and establish and manage their own programs for microfinance, improved agriculture, food-processing, income-generation, adult literacy, food security, and primary health-care (including the prevention of HIV/AIDS).^[4]

In India, THP facilitates the mobilization and training of elected women panchayat leaders. In Bangladesh, THP conducts trainings focused on gender issues and leadership for local leaders who then organize local meetings, lead workshops, and initiate campaigns against early marriage and dowry, malnutrition, maternal and child mortality, gender discrimination and inequality, illiteracy, and corruption. In Latin America, THP works with communities to overcome economic marginalization, particularly that of the indigenous women.

Dionne Warwick represented the charity on the US TV series The Celebrity Apprentice in Season 11 (which was aired in early 2011) and was fired before any money was made for donation. She left the show abruptly.

The Hunger Project raises funds, via contributions, in Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. According to its online report, retrieved February 2007, Charity Navigator reports that The Hunger Project's program costs in FY2005 were 80.2% of expenses, and administrative and fundraising costs were 19.8%.^[13] Give.org/Better Business Bureau reports that as of December 2006, the Project's program expenses were 77% of total, and administrative and fundraising costs 23% and meets all of its standards.^[2] Charity Navigator gives The Hunger Project four out of four stars,^[13] and the American Institute of Philanthropy gives it an A− rating.^[14]

The Hunger Project met the standards to be listed on the 2004 Combined Federal Campaign National List^[15] and the Commonwealth of Virginia 2005 Charity Application.^[16]

Kevin Salwen and his then 14-year-old daughter Hannah, authors of The Power of Half, describe in their 2010 book how their family sold their home and donated half the proceeds (about $800,000) to The Hunger Project.^[17][18][19] The family used the other half of the proceeds to buy a smaller, less expensive home.^[19] Their donation was earmarked to help 30,000 rural villagers in over 30 villages in Ghana.^[19][20]

The Hunger Project has been the object of criticism, focused on:

• the organization's original ties (severed in 1991) to Werner Erhard, Erhard Seminars Training, and their philosophies.^[21][22] The origin of the Hunger Project can be seen in the source document "The End of Starvation: Creating an Idea Whose Time Has Come", from 1977, written by Werner Erhard.^[23]
• the failure of the Hunger Project to reach its goal of "ending world hunger by 1997...";^[24]
• the focus of the Project (1977–1990) on public education and advocacy, rather than providing food and other direct action. On May 30, 1981, the board of directors of Oxfam Canada passed a resolution which stated they would not endorse any activities or programs sponsored by The Hunger Project, nor would they accept funds from the project.^[25]