NinthBridge grew out of the technology program of EngenderHealth, an international nonprofit with over 50 years of experience providing high-quality women’s health services in more than 30 countries. Recognizing that improved connectivity and knowledge-management systems were essential to the effectiveness of its international work, EngenderHealth made an outstanding commitment to building innovative and cost-effective informational systems and an infrastructure that could support collaborative communications and knowledge sharing between the agency’s corporate office, field offices, and traveling staff all over the world.

As the agency became a recognized leader in the design and deployment of innovative technology systems and solutions for nonprofits—particularly for those serving the developing world—EngenderHealth was increasingly sought out by other nonprofits seeking to draw on the agency’s technological expertise. In 2000, EngenderHealth responded to this growing demand for assistance by seeding the NinthBridge program.