Our vision, mission and values

Our vision: Empowered and resilient communities, working in an inclusive manner, using asset mobilization to drive their own long-term development.

Our mission: To support a global movement of vibrant, resilient, and locally owned and directed community philanthropy organizations, mobilizing and channeling resources and influence for progressive social change.

Values and ways of working

Underpinning the vision and mission, are a number of core values that inform how the GFCF works and how it relates to others. These values and principles form the DNA of the GFCF, making it more than purely a transactional or contract-driven organization.

  • Respect for the knowledge, experience and commitment of locally-based community philanthropy organizations and an awareness of the context, specific challenges and opportunities that influence them.
  • Recognition of the centrality of community ownership and decision-making in community philanthropy, which promotes a sense of mutual accountability, transparency and trust-building and helps shift power closer to the ground.
  • Appreciation of the importance of hearing the views, hopes, fears and aspirations of local community-based philanthropic organizations, in an active and informed manner, while supporting and celebrating examples of local commitment to progressive social change.
  • Recognition of the value of grantmaking as an entry point in order to both respond to, and catalyze, community initiatives, thereby strengthening civil society, building greater peer learning and networking and engaging in the promotion of the role of community philanthropy.
  • Development of partnerships, working with both the community philanthropy field, but also with national and international philanthropic institutions, development aid agencies and international and national governmental institutions – and their various networks – where appropriate and relevant.
  • Valuing the importance of learning and knowledge exchange between stakeholders within both the community philanthropy field and those working on a global basis on the basis that local, grounded experience must inform advocacy messages that seek to influence global policies.

Whistleblower and Complaints Procedure

The GFCF aims to be a reliable and transparent organization and ally, maintaining high-quality relationships with our donors, partners, suppliers and other stakeholders. We welcome, and take seriously, feedback from anyone working with us and have in place a formal Whistleblower and Complaints Procedure.