Our Beginnings

The Golden Bridges Foundation was founded in December 2007 to bridge the cultural gaps between China and the West through meaningful nonprofit and educational exchanges. We began with a simple idea to facilitate and place helpful international volunteers with Chinese NGOs. The 2008 Sichuan Earthquake opened our eyes to the great complexities and enormous needs of China’s nonprofit world. After the earthquake, our commitment to serve Chinese charities turned into a quest to strengthen the nonprofit field.

Today, we are a leading bridge-builder for many core philanthropic practitioners in China. We have a strong pulse on the frontlines of nonprofit developments, and hold a unique track record of breakthrough projects, having worked with over 100 nonprofits in China as an international facilitator and hands-on implementer.


Highlighted Accomplishments

  • Mobilizing the first major Chinese youth delegation to a UN climate conference

  • Launching the China Foundation Center to catalyze philanthropic transparency in China

  • Facilitating 300 simultaneous grassroots events in a single day to raise awareness of climate change across China

  • Building ProjectPengyou.org, the alumni network of President Obama's 100,000 Strong Initiative, and the first online social network to strengthen US-China relations

  • Developing the “Five Bucket” model to create a simplified mapping of China’s nonprofit landscape

Golden Bridges operates in Beijing through a locally-owned consultant company, and is registered as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity in San Francisco, CA.