Balay Mindanaw Foundation (BMFI) is a Filipino Mindanao-based non-profit organisation which works to transform the poorest and most conflict-torn of the country's region into a 'balay' - a true home for its peoples; Christians, Muslims, and Lumads (Balay is a Cebuano word that means 'home'). It promotes equality-based development and sustainable peace, and was registered on May 8 1996.

BMFI's mission is to help build empowered sustainable communities and peace in Mindanao as it pursues a vision of equality, development, and peace for Mindanao, for the Philippines and for the world.

BMFI's activities

The organisation carries out peacebuilding and development work in the rural areas of Mindanao through principled partnership with people's organisations, non-governmental organisations, local government units, government agencies and other sectors. For the past fifteen years, BMFI's work in Mindanao has been carried out at various levels of intervention; barangay, municipal, provincial, subregional (Northern Mindanao), regional (Mindanao) and international levels.

BMFI acts as the Mediator and Independent Secretariat of the Peace Process between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa sa Mindanao (RPM-M), a Mindanao-based revolutionary group called the Revolutionary Workers’ Party in Mindanao. This peace process covers the poorest communities in the whole of Mindanao.

BMFI's scope of operations and activities are diverse. It pursues its vision for Mindanao through peacebuilding and sustainable integration area development (SIAD) by promoting democratic participation in local governance and agrarian reform. This entails much work in community organising, networking, partnership building, education, research, publication and advocacy.