The Frontlines Institute – Building peace and prosperity on the Frontlines

Working for peace and prosperity on the Frontlines

We align the best of business, nonprofit, and government in partnership with local communities to drive peace, stability, and opportunity in the world’s most complex environments.

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An economist considers conflict

By Dr. Viva Ona Bartkus / 2025.01.15

An economist considering areas most at risk for conflict would argue the most powerful way to end conflict is to develop partnerships with all organizations with a stake in peace to offer financial stability and economic opportunity to local community members.

A better way to nation build in Ukraine

By Dr. Viva Ona Bartkus / 2024.07.28

Standard approach to nation building over the last two decades: Take a war-torn country. Shovel in trillions of dollars. Send in Soldiers. Stir. Hope for the best. Petty princes and oligarchs love it. Economists and local communities do not. It is time for a better approach to nation building.

Engaging on the Frontlines

We embrace the principle that business can be a force for good in the world, particularly for those in difficult regions frequently bypassed by globalization and foreign direct investment. According to our research, these isolated, impoverished, and frequently lawless places (the Frontlines) account for over 1.4 billion people with approximately $20 trillion in annual economic activity (PPP), equivalent to the economy of the European Union.

Commitment to Partnership

The hard work of development must be done by those most impacted by it. We work only at the invitation of local partners and intentionally design solutions to engage the unique opportunities in each situation. Critical to our efforts are finding and developing trusted partners among those working on the Frontlines including government, NGOs, multi-national corporations, and entrepreneurs.

We combine business with governance and security initiatives to influence lower risk just enough to improve the risk-return calculation for business investment and to identify opportunities for business to thrive in challenging environments where perceived risk exceeds actual risk.