TechnoServe Celebrates $5 Million Gift from Tierney Family
Country projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America to benefit from revitalized TechnoServe Tierney Fellows Program
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TechnoServe announced a landmark $5 million gift from Paul and Susan Tierney’s family foundation —the biggest gift of its kind in the organization’s history—to benefit the newly renamed TechnoServe Tierney Fellows Program.
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TechnoServe CEO Will Warshauer (left) and former Board Chair Paul Tierney (right) speak at an event celebrating the 30th anniversary of TechnoServe’s flagship pro bono advisory initiative and announcing a landmark $5M commitment from Paul and Susan Tierney’s family foundation to benefit the newly renamed TechnoServe Tierney Fellows Program. (Photo: TechnoServe)
“This gift is an investment in the futures of hardworking smallholder farmers and entrepreneurs in Africa, Asia and Latin America who deserve the opportunity to change their lives and communities for the better,” said Paul Tierney. “My family is proud to fund the TechnoServe Tierney Fellows Program, an initiative that began with my son, Matt Tierney, and Eric Sillman thirty years ago, which continues to deliver real impact today.”
Matt Tierney and Eric Sillman were TechnoServe’s first Fellows, travelling to Peru in 1996 to help implement a monitoring and evaluation framework. Paul Tierney’s leadership over nearly three decades as Chair of TechnoServe’s Board of Directors helped scale the initiative from a local pilot into a global talent engine.
In the past 30 years, more than 1,300 TechnoServe Tierney Fellows have completed over 1,600 strategic advisory projects, contributing donated expert services valued at nearly $2 million in 2025 alone.
Tierney Fellows serve as a pro bono advisory pipeline of top management consultants and corporate strategists who work as volunteers alongside TechnoServe country teams. They undertake three- to 12-month advisory assignments conducting market systems analysis, supply chain evaluation, and growth strategy.
“The highly selective TechnoServe Tierney Fellows Program has always been about bringing extraordinary people into the work of ending poverty,” said Will Warshauer, TechnoServe’s CEO. “Paul and his family have been part of that story since the very beginning. Renaming the program in their honor is a small way of recognizing the extraordinary contribution that he has made in bringing business skills to bear on fighting poverty around the world.”
These analytical engagements directly inform core TechnoServe initiatives, including entrepreneurship programs that generate over $10 in local economic benefit for every $1 invested.
The Tierney family’s $5 million commitment provides critical funding that ensures that the TechnoServe Tierney Fellows Program can continue to grow and be a source of top tier talent for years to come.
Today, many program alumni hold leadership roles across business, philanthropy, and international development, with several serving on TechnoServe’s senior management team.
Notes to Editor:
- Will Warshauer and Paul Tierney are available for comment.
- High-resolution photos are accessible here.
About Tierney Family Foundation
The Tierney Family Foundation (TFF) was established in 1989. Its purpose is primarily to assist entrepreneurs in art and education through grants and technical assistance. Grants are made to institutions that work with the change makers or directly with the entrepreneurs. While many of the recipients have been located in Africa, there is no limitation on residency. TFF assists outstanding innovators who can benefit from its resources and network.
About TechnoServe
Founded in 1968, TechnoServe is a leading nonprofit that helps people lift themselves out of poverty for good by harnessing the power of the private sector. We work with people in over 30 countries to build a better future through regenerative farms, businesses, and markets that increase incomes. Our vision is a sustainable world where all people in low-income communities have the opportunity to prosper.
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