Our application process

Oak Foundation has an invitation-only application process and we fund on a rolling basis. Grant applications are initiated in three ways:

Our application timeline

When we formally invite an organisation to apply for a grant, we discuss the size of the grant and whether it will be project support or core support (i.e., flexible and unrestricted funding). We work with organisations to develop the application in partnership, ensuring we communicate consistently about when and who will make the decision on a grant, how the application process works, and how long it will take. We also discuss the possibilities of renewal well in advance of the end of a grant. We consider all renewals as distinct and separate grants. The below timeline is an approximate timeline.

For more information about the different steps in the grant-making process, please see our Grant application process and timeline guidelines.

Notes: At any stage, a grant may be declined. If this happens, we will inform the applicant as soon as possible. An invitation to submit a summary or full application materials does not guarantee that a grant will be awarded.

Our funding principles

In all of our work, we are committed to social justice. To this end, we pursue rights-based approaches, gender equality, and partnership with the organisations we fund. We seek to support innovation, visionary leaders and organisations. We seek to be inclusive, flexible, and to learn from different points of view. We believe that the best grant-making reflects both careful due diligence and the willingness to take risks.

We encourage our partners to work together – we believe that together we are stronger. We fund initiatives that:

• target the root causes of problems;
• are replicable either within a sector or across geographical locations;
• include plans for long-term sustainability, such as co-funding;
• strive to collaborate with like-minded organisations;
• demonstrate good financial and organisational management; and
• value the participation of people (including children) and communities.

Creating long-lasting change

We believe in providing long-term support to our partners to help create long-lasting change. We also believe that our partners benefit from having diverse funding sources to promote resiliency and to achieve the impact they desire. Therefore, we generally fund no more than 50 per cent of any project budget or 20 per cent of organisational budgets. Requests to fund higher levels should be discussed with the programme officer.

We do not provide support for:

• individuals
• scholarships or tuition assistance for undergraduate or postgraduate studies
• religious organisations for religious purposes
• election campaigns, political parties or activities affiliated with political parties
• except in special circumstances, we generally do not provide programme grants under USD 25,000

Additional grant-making