Founded in 2003 by Morgan Keay and Liliana Goldman, The Itgel Foundation was established in response to direct requests for assistance expressed by Mongolian individuals. During their initial time living and studying in Mongolia in 2002, Keay and Goldman learned of the many difficulties that exist in this time of change and development in Mongolia. Having recently transitioned from a socialist state to the free-market democracy it is today, the nation’s landscape, both literal and metaphorical, is changing at a rapid pace. Struggling to balance tradition with modernity, many individuals express concern over finding sustainable solutions that honor Mongolia’s unique cultural legacy. These concerns were voiced to Keay and Goldman when they first lived with Mongolian families and learned the Mongolian language, and it is what inspired the two to form Itgel.

Since its establishment, The Itgel Foundation has developed and implemented grassroots projects in conjunction with Mongolian individuals in response to current challenges. Activities include community-based economic development, artistic preservation efforts, agricultural sustainability projects, and health-related initiatives. All of Itgel’s projects are supported by private donors, in-kind contributions from organizational partners, as well as grant support, and involve close collaboration with the Mongolian people.

The organization is jointly based in Boulder, Colorado and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and is a fully tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit. We have no paid employees, but rather a team of volunteers and partners who make our projects function as they do. We believe big things can happen with little resources when action occurs at the grassroots level. We also believe that positive global change must begin at the interpersonal level, and that small, narrow-focused projects can mean big things to individuals in need. In keeping with this philosophy, our organization bares the name "Itgel", which means hope in Mongolian.