Global Road Safety Partnership: Advancing Road Safety Worldwide

Introduction

The Global Road Safety Partnership is an international nonprofit organization that works to reduce road-crash deaths and injuries, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Known as GRSP, the organization develops partnerships among governments, civil society, businesses and development agencies. It supports evidence-based road-safety policies, advocacy, traffic-law enforcement, professional training, grants and practical interventions that protect road users.

History and Background

The Global Road Safety Partnership was established in 1999 in response to growing recognition of road traffic deaths and injuries as a major global public-health and humanitarian crisis.

In its 1998 World Disasters Report, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies described road-crash deaths and injuries as a serious human-made humanitarian disaster.

Following the report, the IFRC, the World Bank and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development worked together to establish GRSP. The objective was to create a partnership that brought government, business and civil-society organizations together to address road safety more effectively.

Initial funding came from the World Bank, the United Kingdom’s development department and early GRSP members. The IFRC provided the institutional hosting arrangement.

GRSP was established on the principle that no single government or organization could solve the road-safety crisis independently. Sustainable progress required coordinated action, shared expertise, strong institutions and long-term collaboration.

Important milestones include:

• Establishment of the first National Road Safety Partnership in Ghana in 2000.
• Launch of safer-city road projects in Brazil, Thailand and India during the early 2000s.
• Introduction of the Global Road Safety Initiative in 2005.
• Publication of road-safety good-practice manuals with international partners.
• Launch of regional road-safety events in Asia and Africa.
• Participation in the first phase of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ global road-safety programme in 2010.
• Expansion of road-safety grants, leadership development and police-capacity programmes.
• Completion of 25 years of operations in 2024.

Mission and Purpose

GRSP’s vision is a world free from road-crash death and injury.

Its mission is to achieve a sustainable reduction in road-crash deaths and injuries in low- and middle-income countries.

The organization responds to a major global challenge. Approximately 1.19 million people die in road crashes each year, and road traffic injuries are a leading cause of death among children and young adults aged 5–29. GRSP reports that approximately 92% of global road deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.

Its principal objectives include:

• Promoting evidence-based road-safety policies and legislation.
• Improving implementation and enforcement of traffic laws.
• Strengthening the capacity of road-policing agencies.
• Supporting civil-society road-safety advocacy.
• Developing the leadership skills of road-safety professionals.
• Encouraging safer roads, vehicles, speeds and road-user behaviour.
• Protecting children, pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users.
• Building partnerships among governments, communities and businesses.
• Sharing road-safety research, tools and good practices.

Governance and Structure

GRSP is hosted by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and is based in Geneva, Switzerland.

The organization is governed under a constitution approved by a Steering Committee comprising its members. Its activities are guided by the GRSP Strategic Plan 2022–2030.

GRSP members include:

• Multilateral and bilateral development agencies.
• National and local governments.
• Private-sector businesses.
• Civil-society organizations.
• Road-safety institutions and professional bodies.

The Steering Committee meets annually to elect Executive Committee members, approve accounts and provide feedback on upcoming activities.

The Executive Committee is elected from GRSP’s membership sectors. It selects a chair and vice-chair for two-year terms and normally meets three times each year.

Its responsibilities include:

• Setting the organization’s overall policy.
• Approving new membership applications.
• Selecting priority countries.
• Approving annual budgets and operational plans.
• Appointing the chief executive officer.

The chief executive officer has overall responsibility for GRSP’s operations. A management team works with the CEO to plan and deliver programmes.

GRSP personnel provide expertise in:

• Road policing.
• Project design and management.
• Advocacy and communications.
• Education and professional training.
• Grant management.
• Applied research.
• International road-safety policy.

Funding and Grants

GRSP’s work is financed through partnerships with philanthropic organizations, development agencies, governments, businesses and institutional members.

Funding mechanisms may include:

• Donor-supported international programmes.
• Membership contributions.
• Philanthropic grants.
• Development-agency funding.
• Government partnerships.
• Corporate participation and sponsorship.
• Programme-management agreements.

GRSP uses these resources to administer grant programmes, conduct training, provide technical assistance, support advocacy and implement road-safety projects.

Road Safety Grants Programme

The Road Safety Grants Programme is managed by GRSP as part of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety.

The programme supports high-impact, evidence-based projects designed to strengthen road-safety policies, legislation and implementation.

Historically, grants have focused on behavioural risk factors and vehicle safety. In 2026, the programme expanded to include policy and regulatory reforms aligned with the Safe System approach.

Priority subjects include:

• Safe road users.
• Safer vehicles.
• Safe roads and infrastructure.
• Safe speeds.
• Motorcycle-helmet use and standards.
• Seatbelt use.
• Child-restraint systems.
• Drink-driving prevention.
• Improved implementation of road-safety laws.
• Safe infrastructure policy and regulation.

The Bloomberg initiative focuses on 15 low- and middle-income countries:

• Argentina.
• Bangladesh.
• Brazil.
• China.
• Colombia.
• Dominican Republic.
• Ecuador.
• Ethiopia.
• India.
• Kenya.
• Malaysia.
• Mexico.
• South Africa.
• Uganda.
• Vietnam.

The programme has also expanded eligibility to a limited number of organizations from other low- and middle-income countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America where strong opportunities exist for policy change or improved implementation.

GRSP reports that its advocacy and grants work has supported 271 grants involving 161 civil-society organizations across 21 countries.

How Grant Funding Works

GRSP grant opportunities are generally issued through competitive calls for proposals. Eligibility, geographic coverage, grant amounts and application requirements vary between funding rounds.

Supported organizations are typically expected to:

• Be legally registered nonprofit or civil-society organizations.
• Operate in an eligible country or location.
• Demonstrate experience in advocacy, public health or road safety.
• Propose an evidence-based intervention.
• Identify a realistic policy or implementation objective.
• Present measurable activities and outcomes.
• Demonstrate financial and organizational capacity.
• Follow monitoring, reporting and grant-management requirements.

Funding is intended to advance public-interest road-safety outcomes rather than finance general organizational

Global Road Safety Partnership: Advancing Road Safety Worldwide

Introduction

The Global Road Safety Partnership is an international nonprofit organization working to reduce road-crash deaths and injuries, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Known as GRSP, the organization brings together governments, civil society organizations, businesses, development agencies and road-safety professionals to strengthen laws, improve enforcement, build institutional capacity and implement evidence-based road-safety interventions.

GRSP is hosted by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

History and Background

The Global Road Safety Partnership was established in 1999 in response to growing recognition of road-traffic injuries as a preventable global health and humanitarian crisis.

In its 1998 World Disasters Report, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies described road deaths and injuries as a severe human-made humanitarian disaster.

Following the report, the IFRC, the World Bank and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development helped create GRSP. The organization was established as a partnership between government, civil society and the private sector.

Its founders recognized that individual governments or organizations could not address the global road-safety crisis alone. Sustainable progress required coordinated action, long-term financing, technical knowledge and cooperation among different sectors.

Initial funding came from the World Bank, the UK Department for International Development and early GRSP members. The IFRC provided the hosting arrangement.

Important developments in GRSP’s history include:

• Ghana established the first National Road Safety Partnership in 2000.
• GRSP launched early safer-city projects in Brazil, India and Thailand.
• The Global Road Safety Initiative began in 2005 and supported activities in ten countries.
• GRSP joined the Bloomberg-funded RS10 road-safety programme in 2010.
• Regional road-safety events were established in Asia-Pacific and Africa.
• The Safe to School–Safe to Home initiative began in 2013.
• GRSP expanded its road-policing, advocacy, grant-making and leadership-development activities.

The organization marked 25 years of work in 2024. Its 25-Year Timeline documents its development from a partnership initiative into an international road-safety organization.

Mission and Purpose

GRSP’s vision is a world free from road-crash death and injury.

Its mission is to achieve a sustainable reduction in road-crash deaths and injuries in low- and middle-income countries.

The organization works toward this mission by:

• Advocating for evidence-based road-safety legislation.
• Supporting stronger implementation of traffic laws.
• Improving road-policing knowledge and capacity.
• Developing road-safety leaders.
• Providing grants to civil society organizations.
• Supporting safer vehicles, roads, speeds and road users.
• Designing evidence-based road-safety projects.
• Providing technical advice on policy and programme development.
• Building partnerships among governments, businesses and civil society.
• Sharing research, data, tools and good practices.

GRSP prioritizes major road-safety risk factors such as speeding, drink-driving, motorcycle helmet use, seat-belt use, child restraints and unsafe road infrastructure.

Governance and Structure

GRSP is hosted by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Its work is guided by the humanitarian values and ethical principles of the IFRC.

The organization operates under a constitution approved by a Steering Committee representing GRSP members. Its activities are also guided by the GRSP Strategic Plan 2022–2030.

Steering Committee

The Steering Committee consists of all GRSP members. It meets annually to:

• Elect members of the Executive Committee.
• Approve organizational accounts.
• Review planned activities.
• Provide strategic guidance.
• Consider the organization’s future priorities.

Executive Committee

The Steering Committee elects the Executive Committee from the subscribing sectors represented within the partnership.

The Executive Committee elects a chair and vice-chair for two-year terms and normally meets three times annually.

Its responsibilities include:

• Setting the organization’s overall policy.
• Endorsing new membership applications.
• Approving focus countries.
• Approving annual plans and budgets.
• Appointing the chief executive officer.
• Overseeing the GRSP Secretariat.

Secretariat and Management

The GRSP Secretariat manages programmes, partnerships, grants, training and technical support.

A chief executive officer has overall responsibility for operations. The CEO works with a management team and specialists in:

• Road policing.
• Grant management.
• Advocacy and communications.
• Project design and management.
• Training and education.
• Applied research.
• Partnership development.
• Road-safety policy.

GRSP’s members include multilateral and bilateral development agencies, governments, businesses and civil society organizations. This multi-sector model allows the organization to combine policy authority, technical knowledge, community engagement and financial resources.

Funding and Grants

GRSP’s activities are financed through member contributions, philanthropic funding, development partnerships and resources allocated to specific road-safety programmes.

Major funding partners have included Bloomberg Philanthropies, Fondation Botnar, international development agencies and GRSP member organizations.

The organization does not operate as a general-purpose foundation. Its grants are normally offered through structured programmes focused on particular countries, risk factors and policy objectives.

Road Safety Grants Programme

The Road Safety Grants Programme is managed by GRSP as part of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety.

The programme supports civil society projects that develop and deliver evidence-based interventions to strengthen road-safety legislation and its implementation.

Its focus areas include:

• Safer road users.
• Safe speeds.
• Safe vehicles.
• Safe roads and infrastructure.
• Stronger road-safety laws and regulations.
• Effective implementation and enforcement.
• Advocacy for policy change.
• Public accountability.
• Coalition and network development.

In 2026, the programme expanded its scope to include Safe System-aligned infrastructure policy and regulatory reform, in addition to behavioural risk factors and vehicle safety.

The programme primarily operates in 15 Bloomberg Initiative focus countries:

• Argentina.
• Bangladesh.
• Brazil.
• China.
• Colombia.
• Dominican Republic.
• Ecuador.
• Ethiopia.
• India.
• Kenya.
• Malaysia.
• Mexico.
• South Africa.
• Uganda.
• Vietnam.

Limited applications may also be considered from other low- and middle-income countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America where there is strong potential to achieve policy change or improve policy implementation.

Grant Selection and Support

Funding rounds have their own eligibility requirements, application procedures and deadlines.

Potential applicants generally need to demonstrate:

• Legal nonprofit or civil society status.
• Experience relevant to road safety, public health or advocacy.
• A clear understanding of the policy environment.
• Evidence-based objectives.
• Realistic activities and measurable results.
• Capacity to manage grant funds.
• Potential to influence road-safety legislation or implementation.

GRSP provides more than financial assistance. Grantees may receive technical support, training and access to tools through the organization’s Advocacy Resource Centre.

Major Programs and Initiatives

Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety

The Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety is a multi-country programme addressing road-traffic deaths and injuries.

GRSP contributes through:

• Civil society grant-making.
• Road-policing capacity building.
• Road-safety leadership courses.
• Technical assistance.
• Policy advocacy.
• Partnership development.

The programme focuses on evidence-based action and measurable changes in policies, enforcement and road-user behaviour.

Road Policing Capacity Building Programme

The Road Policing Capacity Building Programme strengthens the ability of traffic-policing agencies to enforce road-safety laws.

It addresses four major behavioural risks:

• Speeding.
• Drink-driving.
• Failure to use motorcycle helmets correctly.
• Failure to use seat belts and child restraints correctly.

Target participants include frontline road-policing officers, senior officers, supervisors and internal police trainers.

Activities include:

• Intelligence-led enforcement training.
• Roadside checkpoint procedures.
• Risk-factor enforcement training.
• Training-of-trainers programmes.
• Coaching and mentoring.
• Strategic communications training.
• Leadership and management development.
• Development of standard operating procedures.
• Practical and theoretical road-policing instruction.

Training is adapted to the laws, institutions and road-safety conditions of each participating city or country.

Global Road Safety Leadership Courses

The Global Road Safety Leadership Courses are developed and delivered by GRSP in partnership with the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, with support from Bloomberg Philanthropies.

The courses build the capacity of participants to design, advocate for and implement effective road-safety policies and programmes.

The course portfolio includes:

• Global Road Safety Leadership Course.
• Road Safety Executive Leadership Course.
• Initiative Partners Leadership Course.
• Road Policing Executive Leadership Course.
• Alumni Fellowship Programme.

Participants include representatives of government agencies, civil society organizations, road-policing bodies, partner institutions and Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies.

Courses are delivered through in-person programmes, webinars and online learning modules.

Global Road Policing Network

The Global Road Policing Network connects road-policing professionals and other stakeholders working to reduce road trauma.

It contributes to the international knowledge base on effective enforcement and promotes collaboration, learning and professional development among policing agencies.

Botnar Child Road Safety Challenge

The Botnar Child Road Safety Challenge was funded by Fondation Botnar and managed by GRSP.

It supported practical, locally relevant and evidence-based projects addressing road-safety risks affecting children in small and medium-sized cities.

Supported interventions included:

• Safer school zones.
• Infrastructure improvements.
• Speed reduction.
• Road-safety education.
• Improved road-policing practices.
• Better road-crash data management.
• Safer and more sustainable urban mobility.

The initiative operated across 13 cities in seven countries and represented an investment of approximately USD 18 million.

Safe to School–Safe to Home

Safe to School–Safe to Home is a child-focused road-safety initiative designed to improve safety around schools.

Activities have included:

• Assessing traffic risks near schools.
• Implementing low-cost engineering improvements.
• Educating children, parents and communities.
• Improving helmet-use enforcement.
• Enforcing parking restrictions and speed limits.
• Strengthening cooperation among schools, authorities and communities.

The initiative has operated in countries including China, South Africa and Vietnam.

Road Safety Capacity Building Programme

GRSP delivers education and technical training for road-safety practitioners, government personnel and partner organizations.

The programme helps participants develop skills in:

• Road-safety strategy.
• Project design and implementation.
• Monitoring and evaluation.
• Advocacy.
• Enforcement.
• Leadership.
• Safe System principles.
• Evidence-based decision-making.

National Road Safety Partnerships

GRSP supports national and local partnerships that bring together government agencies, businesses and civil society organizations.

These partnerships create platforms for coordination, joint planning and locally relevant road-safety interventions.

The first National Road Safety Partnership was established in Ghana in 2000.

Advocacy Resource Centre

The Advocacy Resource Centre provides road-safety advocates with guidance, examples and practical tools.

Its resources cover key stages of advocacy, including:

• Identifying a policy issue.
• Analysing stakeholders.
• Developing advocacy objectives.
• Building coalitions.
• Preparing messages.
• Engaging decision-makers.
• Working with the media.
• Monitoring progress.
• Evaluating policy influence.

The centre supports GRSP grantees, members and other stakeholders working to strengthen road-safety policies.

Impact and Examples of Work Funded

GRSP reports that the Road Safety Grants Programme has delivered:

• 271 grants.
• Support to 161 civil society organizations.
• Activities across 21 countries.

These grants have helped civil society organizations advocate for stronger road-safety laws, regulations, standards and enforcement practices.

The Global Road Safety Leadership Courses have recorded:

• 1,068 participants.
• 19 course deliveries.
• Representation from 71 countries.

The Botnar Child Road Safety Challenge supported interventions in 13 cities across seven countries with approximately USD 18 million in programme funding.

GRSP’s wider impact includes:

• Stronger road-safety legislation.
• Improved enforcement of traffic laws.
• Better training for road-policing agencies.
• Increased civil society participation in policymaking.
• Safer school environments.
• Stronger leadership among road-safety professionals.
• Wider use of evidence-based road-safety practices.
• Improved collaboration among governments, businesses and communities.
• Greater access to technical road-safety guidance.

Examples of activities supported through GRSP programmes include:

• Advocacy for motorcycle helmet standards.
• Campaigns promoting seat-belt and child-restraint laws.
• Support for lower and safer speed limits.
• Drink-driving policy and enforcement initiatives.
• Road-police training and mentoring.
• School-zone infrastructure improvements.
• Safe System-aligned policy reform.
• Development of enforcement procedures.
• Collection and use of road-crash data.
• Public education and community mobilization.

GRSP’s work contributes to the global goal of reducing road-traffic deaths and injuries and supports the road-safety targets included in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Conclusion

The Global Road Safety Partnership is a major international organization working to prevent road-crash deaths and injuries through grants, advocacy, training, enforcement support and multi-sector partnerships.

Since its establishment in 1999, GRSP has connected governments, civil society, businesses and development institutions to address road safety as a public-health and humanitarian priority.

Its Road Safety Grants Programme, leadership courses, road-policing initiatives and child-safety projects support practical and evidence-based solutions, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

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