Being empathetic, respectful and open-minded:

  • We value the humility and generosity of our founder and her interest in providing a humane approach to the well-being of humans, animals and our environment.

  • We seek respectful, open, reciprocal relationships and recognize that our resources are enriched when guided by the knowledge and expertise of those with whom we work.

  • We recognize the connections between people, animals and the environment and we value the ethical, humane treatment of each in relationship to the other.

  • We value work that builds respect, dignity, fairness, caring, and sense of worth.

 

 

Supporting systems that work, changing systems that don’t:

  • We value systemic and structural change that reduces barriers and provides opportunities for all to have more choice and control over their lives resulting in improved individual health and well-being and contributing to strong and resilient communities.

  • We recognize that transformational change takes time.

  • We value learning from research and from practical experience of success and failure, and are committed to sharing what we learn with our grantees and others in philanthropy.

  • We value innovation, risk-taking and creativity.

 

 

Nurturing new ways of thinking and working:

  • We value the importance of building relationships, understanding and capacity among our grantees to nurture new ways of thinking; recognizing common goals and shared responsibilities; and building a community of practice.

  • We value leaders who have the ability to define and meet their own goals while also leaving the comfort of their known world to build bridges to others.

 

 

Supporting individuals and community empowerment:

  • We value the efforts of every community to identify and build the capacity to address their own needs.

  • We recognize that every community has inherent strengths and we value those who seek to understand and build upon the strengths of the communities they serve.

  • We value the wisdom of diverse voices and are committed to listening deeply to what we’re hearing, especially when it challenges who we are and how we think.