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Global Forum On Human Settlements Inc
New York, NY · EIN 753267881 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE B90 · Education · Small ($100K-$1M) · gfhsforum.org
revenue
$260K
expenses
$153K
net assets
$218K
employees
0
program ratio
100%
mission · from form 990

GFHS was organized for the purpose of educating the general public on the efforts of the United Nations and its member countries in improving the ecological environment and human settlements in various parts of the world.

profile · synthesized from sources

Global Forum on Human Settlements (GFHS) is a New York-based nonprofit organization in special consultative status with the United Nations ECOSOC. It aims to educate the public and global leaders on sustainable human settlements and environmental improvement efforts led by the United Nations. The organization convenes international conferences, conducts research, and presents awards to recognize achievements in sustainable urban development.

named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Climate & Environment Theater
Educational program using theater to raise awareness about climate change and environmental sustainability
Global Forum on Human Settlements Annual Meeting
Annual international conference convening stakeholders to discuss sustainable urban development, human settlements, and environmental issues
Global Human Settlements Awards
Recognition program honoring governments, communities, businesses, and individuals for significant contributions to sustainable human settlements and environmental protection
IGMC Initiative
International Green Model City initiative promoting standards and practices for sustainable urban development
Training Programs
Educational and capacity-building initiatives for professionals and leaders in sustainable urban development
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Urban Resilience Planning & Advocacy 3 activities
    • Develop and disseminate sustainable urban planning standards and research
      Created and released the International Green Model City (IGMC) Standards 3.0 during Habitat III in 2016 as a planning and assessment tool calibrated to UN-Habitat, UNEP, and GEF benchmarks, featuring approximately 100 indicators to support implementation of the 2030 Agenda and New Urban Agenda. Publishes research outputs including The Global Forum on Human Settlements Collection, a 3.3-million-word bilingual academic compilation acquired by over 30 major university libraries worldwide.
    • Implement pilot projects and advisory services for green urban development
      Leads the International Green Model City (IGMC) Initiative, launched in 2011 at UN Headquarters, which includes a network of over 40 participating cities and businesses and a pilot project implemented in Liuyang, China in 2017. Provides technical advisory and planning services for eco-adventure tourism projects such as ziplines, canopies, and climate theaters through partnerships, and collaborates with organizations like NOAA, NASA, and UNEP on urban climate solutions.
    • Provide capacity-building programs in sustainable urban development
      Organizes training courses and facilitates knowledge exchange on green, low-carbon urban planning, including a program in Shenzhen that enabled sharing of over 100 domestic and international best practices in sustainable urban development.
  • Professional Excellence Awards Programs 1 activity
    • Administer international awards program for sustainable cities and human settlements
      Operates the Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements Awards (SCAHSA), rebranded in 2024 as the New Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements Awards (New SCAHSA), an annual international program with 10 categories that recognizes governments, cities, businesses, and organizations for achievements in sustainable urban development and human settlements. The program has received over 400 applications globally, selected 36 finalists in 2025, and awarded 19 top honors, with prize money and enhanced recognition introduced in 2024 to expand global influence.
  • Global Sustainability Convenings & Forums 1 activity
    • Convene annual Global Forum on Human Settlements
      Organizes an annual global forum on human settlements that brings together representatives from governments, NGOs, academia, and the private sector to advance dialogue and collaboration on sustainable urban development and climate resilience. The forum has been held for over 20 consecutive years since 2005, with recent sessions hosted at the United Nations, COP28, and the World Meteorological Organization in Geneva, attracting over 323,700 participants across continents.
  • Onsite & Outreach Environmental Education Programs 1 activity
    • Educate public on global human settlements and environmental efforts
      Engages in public education about United Nations and member country initiatives to improve ecological environments and human settlements worldwide, including through science education theaters and publications.
  • Academic Research Dissemination 1 activity
    • Publish and disseminate knowledge on human settlements and urban sustainability
      Produces and publishes books, periodicals, and annual reports documenting award-winning innovations and best practices in sustainable cities and human settlements for global dissemination, including recognition through media publicity and preferential hosting opportunities for award recipients.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$260K
Contributions & grants$260K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$153K
Program expenses100%
Admin / overhead0%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$50K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$218K
Cash$218K
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$218K
Liquid reserves17.1 mo
1 years on record · 2024–2024
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 3
  • Anwarul Chowdhury — Chairman
  • Haifeng Lyu — Secretary General
  • Taj Hamad — Vice Chairman
relationships · 109

Who they work with

  • Asian Development Bank Partner — Collaborates with GFHS on regional cooperation and sustainable urban development projects.
  • Asian Development Bank (ADB) Government — Collaborates with ADB on sustainable infrastructure and urban projects.
  • Barcelona Metropolitan Partner — Recognized as a green city within GFHS initiatives.
  • Canopy Tours Inc. Partner — Collaborates on eco-adventure tourism planning, construction, and technical advisory services, including zipline and canopy tour development.
  • Canopy Tours Inc. Partner — Collaborates on eco-adventure tourism planning, construction, and technical advisory services.
  • Changjiang New Town Partner — Partnered with GFHS on sustainable urban development initiatives.
  • Changshan County Partner — Partnered with GFHS on sustainable urban development initiatives.
  • Chaoyang District, Beijing Partner — Recognized as a green city within GFHS initiatives.
  • China Railway Real Estate Partner — Works with China Railway Real Estate on urban development initiatives.
  • City of Braga Partner — Recognized as a green city within GFHS initiatives.
  • City of Budapest Partner — Recognized as a green city within GFHS initiatives.
  • City of Changsha Partner — Recognized as a green city within GFHS initiatives.
  • City of Cuenca Partner — Recognized as a green city within GFHS initiatives.
  • City of Curitiba Partner — Collaborates with the City of Curitiba on innovative urban solutions.
  • City of Curitiba Partner — Recognized as a green city within GFHS initiatives.
  • City of Dali Partner — Recognized as a green city within GFHS initiatives.
  • City of Dublin Partner — Recognized as a green city within GFHS initiatives.
  • City of Duyun Partner — Recognized as a green city within GFHS initiatives.
  • City of Glasgow Partner — Recognized as a green city within GFHS initiatives.
  • City of Greensburg Partner — Recognized as a green city within GFHS initiatives.
  • City of Heidelberg Partner — Recognized as a green city within GFHS initiatives.
  • City of Hua Hin Partner — Recognized as a green city within GFHS initiatives.
  • City of Jiangshan Partner — Recognized as a green city within GFHS initiatives.
  • City of Lijiang Partner — Recognized as a green city within GFHS initiatives.
  • City of Los Angeles Partner — Recognized as a green city within GFHS initiatives.
  • City of Mannheim Partner — Recognized as a green city within GFHS initiatives.
  • City of Nantes Partner — Recognized as a green city within GFHS initiatives.
  • City of Oakland Partner — Recognized as a green city within GFHS initiatives.
  • City of Oeiras Partner — Recognized as a green city within GFHS initiatives.
  • City of Port Vila Partner — Recognized as a green city within GFHS initiatives.
+ 79 more
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Expert-Led Review and Global Recognition to Incentivize Innovation
    methodology: expert_review_panel
    By convening expert review panels and administering a global awards program, the organization promotes leadership and innovation in sustainable urban development because authoritative validation and public recognition motivate governments and practitioners to adopt and scale best practices.
  • Immersive Education for Environmental Engagement
    methodology: experiential_education
    By using interactive theaters, eco-adventures, and simulated green cities, the organization fosters long-term environmental awareness and creativity because immersive, experiential learning creates emotional resonance and behavioral inspiration that traditional education cannot.
  • Local-International Co-Creation for Scalable Urban Solutions
    methodology: local-international_partnership
    By combining local innovation with international cooperation, the organization advances sustainable urban development because locally grounded solutions gain scalability and legitimacy through global knowledge exchange and partnership.
  • Multiplicative Efficiency in Urban Systems Design
    methodology: multiplicative_efficiency
    By prioritizing spatial planning, urban form, and transportation to reduce energy demand at scale, and layering improvements in buildings and systems, the organization achieves compounded sustainability gains because mutually reinforcing interventions create cascading efficiencies across urban systems.
  • Standards-Based Urban Assessment and Capacity Building
    methodology: standards-based_urban_assessment
    By applying the International Green Model City (IGMC) 3.0 Standards as a comprehensive evaluation framework across spatial planning, environment, economy, and social dimensions, the organization advances sustainable urban development because standardized, evidence-based assessment enables targeted improvements in resilience, inclusiveness, and low-carbon planning.