Global Fund for Children UK Trust

Who we are

In the fight for children’s rights, Global Fund for Children champions bold ideas that would otherwise go unheard. We are the only global nonprofit dedicated to discovering, funding, and coaching truly community-based organizations that empower children and youth.

We take smart risks that others won’t, partnering with innovative organizations that are fighting the odds in places like slums, refugee camps, and rural villages. We provide a crucial link, connecting community leaders with the professional services and support they need to succeed.

By walking alongside our partners and helping them to develop and thrive, we are building a future where all children and youth are safe, strong, and valued.

Our culture and values

Our values shape our vision, guide our daily decision making, and signal to the world what to expect when you encounter Global Fund for Children. We hold ourselves to these values to best serve our local partners and the children and youth they support. 

Courage | Take risks for change
When there’s an opportunity to spark big change, we’re willing to take smart risks that others won’t. We recognize that social innovation requires thinking big and breaking down barriers, so we strive to be courageous but not single-minded, visionary but rooted in real progress.

Learning | Wonder, discover, reflect, and adapt
We approach work with childlike curiosity and enthusiasm for discovery, and we share our experiences and resources generously. We innovate by learning from success and failure, trying again, and encouraging others to do the same.

Partnership | Serve partners first
Our community-based partners develop solutions. We help. We amplify their ideas and voices and make choices that maximize their freedom to pursue their goals. Global questions demand local answers, and our partners are best positioned to find them.

Excellence | Take good to great
In our interactions as a team and with partners, donors, and other collaborators, we strive not just to meet commitments but to exceed expectations, making every GFC experience better than anticipated.

Passion | Embrace passion and kindness
We energize and inspire others by drawing on passion and kindness. In a world full of stress and difficulty, a culture of enthusiasm, empathy, and collaboration helps us thrive in our work.

Inclusion | Include intentionally
Innovation and brilliance exist at the margins, so we make space for diverse perspectives, and we amplify unheard voices. We recognize that intersections of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, ability, and other factors create inequalities, which we work to disrupt.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

Global Fund for Children is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility within our organization and we are committed to promoting greater diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility among the organizations and leaders we partner with.

Our human capital is the most valuable asset we have. The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, inventiveness, innovation, self-expression, unique capabilities, and talent that our team members invest in their work, represents a significant part of not only our culture but our reputation and achievements as well.

We embrace and encourage our team’s differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, youth status, and other characteristics that make our employees unique. GFC’s goal is to celebrate the differences.

As an organization we are committed to youth development and giving youth a voice in the work of GFC. We strive to demonstrate a trust and respect for the agency of young people and create meaningful youth participation that impacts and transforms our grantmaking work on multiple levels.

GFC’s diversity initiatives are applicable – but not limited – to our practices and policies on recruitment and selection; compensation and benefits; professional development and training; promotions; transfers; social and recreational programs; layoffs; terminations; and the ongoing development of a work environment built on the premise of equity that encourages and enforces:

• - Respectful communication and cooperation
• - Teamwork, accessibility, and inclusive participation, permitting the representation of all groups and perspectives
• - Work/life balance to accommodate varying needs and promote well-being
• - Contributions to the communities we serve to promote a greater understanding and respect for diversity

The Board of Directors has a critical role to play in the success of this policy. The Board of Directors will:

• - Dedicate time and resources to expand greater diversity within our board and leadership
• - Address systemic inequities that impact our work at the board level and address inequities according to policy and in accordance with GFC’s mission and values

All GFC team members have a responsibility to always treat others with dignity and respect. Team members are expected to exhibit conduct that reflects inclusion during work, at work functions, and at all other sponsored and participative events.

Any team member found to have exhibited any inappropriate conduct or behavior against others may be subject to disciplinary action.

Team members who believe they have been subjected to any kind of discrimination that conflicts with the diversity policy and initiatives should seek assistance from a supervisor or the designated human resources representative.