We believe community leaders are a direct line to real, lasting social change. The Foundation prides itself on being receptive to new ideas, wherever they come from. We are enthusiastic about amplifying the voices of leaders who have been underserved or overlooked by traditional models, and we are undaunted by projects that are still in their infancy—in fact, we believe that connecting with emerging voices early-on in their work is the best way to build a vibrant, thriving network of innovative ideas, fresh faces, and bold efforts that can go on to incubate tomorrow’s most exciting and influential social projects. 

In many ways, the leadership is the organization they represent—and this is a phenomenon we understand well from our own structure. When we are given an opportunity to support a new project or leader, we look for those who embody our guiding belief in following passion, not precedent. Armed with real credibility in the community and an ability to move between the worlds of grassroots organizations and established political spheres, these individuals distinguish themselves as future thought-leaders with whom we are proud to be early partners. Those are relationships we intend to foster and continue to feed for decades to come. 

The most innovative ideas often come in non-traditional packages. Because of this, a healthy appetite for risk is one of the qualities we value most. Our size gives us the freedom to follow our passion, invest in instinct, and champion even the most ambitious undertakings.  

This organizational structure allows us to be nimble, act quickly, and invest early—all of which is fundamental to our approach. We strongly believe that the first rounds of funding are the most crucial to the success of any project, in more ways than one. Beyond the financial realities, early-stage support is the foundation for long-term success. We believe in both “seeding and sustaining” in our support. We use our network of influence to catalyze a set of partners, vet the efficacy of the projects, and advise on next steps.

Of course, there is no change without risk. We appreciate opportunities to stray from the pack and invest in unexpected endeavors, even when those opportunities take us into uncharted waters. In these cases, our “return on investment” is often the way in which our experience shapes us—because every past project informs our future strategy. 

Our approach is rooted in the tangible. Whenever possible, we prioritize the immediate, the impactful, and the individual in the causes we take on. Our ability to offer realtime support is one of our greatest strengths, letting us affect substantive change when and where it is most needed. Our work is constantly in evolution, and more importantly, it’s in conversation with the organizations and communities around us. To guide our focus, we look to the areas where we can make our funds go the farthest; make our impact felt the fastest; and make sure the groundwork we lay is the strongest it can be. The communities we serve exist in the real world, not a theoretical one—and we serve them best when our work does the same.