Our values
Help people and communities to thrive
We are dedicated to supporting organisations to help people and communities thrive in just societies, where everyone is safe and has the opportunity to succeed. This also includes safeguarding our natural environment for future generations. We trust our partners and understand that positive change requires time and sustained effort.
Respect and acknowledge the contribution of others
As a grant maker, we are but a small part of the changes we seek. Our role is to support others to make the world a safer, fairer, and more sustainable place to live. We take pride in our partners’ achievements and are honoured to support their efforts.
Achieve high impact
We support civil society as a pilar of democracy and believe in the power of collective action in achieving ambitious goals. We believe the best grant-making reflects both careful due diligence and a willingness to take risk. We support our partner’s capacity to assess and measure progress. We invest in visionary leadership and provide resources to strengthen civil society organisations.
Learn continuously from both success and failure
We seek to build honest relationships with partners in which both success and failure offer opportunities for learning. We strive to be respectful listeners and responsive to change, unexpected consequences, and external developments that require shifts in strategy and expectations. We welcome feedback and believe learning should improve grant-making in real time.
Be authentic
We strive to stay true to our values and our mission in all that we do. We support, learn from, and appreciate what each person brings to our work. We are a united team – across programmes, functions, and offices – together contributing to our common goals.
Our mission
Through our grant-making, we contribute to a safer, fairer, and more sustainable world.
Our history
The resources of Oak Foundation originated from an interest in the Duty Free Shoppers business which Alan Parker helped to build. Today, the Foundation comprises a group of philanthropic organisations based in various countries around the world.
Oak Foundation was formally established in 1983. Early grants were made in Denmark to organisations supporting single mothers and torture victims (1983) and in Zimbabwe to groups supporting vulnerable children and families, primarily at community levels (1984). Grants continued to be made annually in several countries until a new phase for Oak Foundation began in the early 1990s, when annual grant-making increased and staff were hired to run substantive programmes.
Since then we have been growing steadily and today we have seven global and four country programmes, through which we have made more than 6,300 grants to organisations around the world. Our seven programmes are: Environment, Prevent Child Sexual Abuse, Housing and Homelessness, International Human Rights, Issues Affecting Women, Learning Differences, and the Special Interest Programme. Our four national programmes are located in Brazil, Denmark, India, and Zimbabwe.
Oak Foundation has its main administrative office in Geneva, Switzerland and a presence in five other countries: Denmark, India, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Zimbabwe.
Why are we called Oak Foundation
The Trustees named the foundation after the oak tree because the tree embodies strength, resilience, longevity, and protection. The hope is that the foundation will flourish from generation to generation, reflecting the interests of those generations.
Our commitment to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.
At Oak Foundation, we believe that justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion are essential for building strong, thriving communities where everyone can reach their full potential. We are committed to these principles in our internal operations, in our grant-making, and in our relationships.
Our understanding of diversity
We recognise that there are many definitions of diversity. At Oak, we are committed to embracing diversity in all its forms (e.g., ethnicity, race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, tribe, caste, socio-economic status, age, among others) and respect different ideas, approaches, and views. We are committed to understanding and acting on diversity in many ways, including internally and within our grant-making strategies.
Our commitment: internal operations
We strive to recruit a diverse roster of candidates and consultants for positions at Oak Foundation. We work to foster an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. We celebrate each person for who they are and what they bring to their roles at Oak. We believe that great ideas can come from anyone at any level of the organisation. We believe that innovation, creativity, and growth best take place in an environment that promotes healthy debate. We value different learning styles and are mindful of our power and biases within Oak and with our grantee partners. All employment decisions are made in accord with local law.
Our commitment: grant-making
We are dedicated to supporting organisations to help people and communities thrive in just societies, where everyone is safe and has the opportunity to succeed. This includes supporting organisations that represent a diversity of expertise, ideas, experiences, and cultures, especially those furthest from opportunity. We aim to support organisations and initiatives that empower individuals and communities, create opportunities, and build better systems and structures that are just, which benefits all people. We strive to have grant-making programmes, capacity strengthening work, and internal policies and practices that are based on the principles of equity and inclusion. This means identifying and removing barriers for our partners and staff, and providing support to those who need it most.
Our commitment: learning practices
We understand that achieving these goals requires ongoing education, reflection, and action. Therefore, we commit to continually examining our own practices and policies to ensure that they align with our values and to learning from the diverse perspectives and experiences of our partners and those we serve.