Oak Foundation Grants

Oak Foundation is a philanthropic foundation based in Geneva, Switzerland. It makes grants to not-for-profit organisations that help build a safer, fairer and more sustainable world, most often as multi-year grants. The listing is active in the sense that the online letter of enquiry form is open all year, but Oak says plainly that it has no open calls for proposals at this time and approves only a few unsolicited letters each year.

This is for non-profits, not for startups or individuals. There are two ways in: an invitation from an Oak programme officer, or an unsolicited letter of enquiry. Oak generally does not make programme grants below US$25,000 (about ₹23.75 lakh), so it suits established organisations with larger, well-planned work.

What the program offers

Oak gives three kinds of support. Core support is multi-year, unrestricted funding. Project support is flexible funding that fits a programme strategy, and Oak encourages applicants to ask for the true cost of the work, including overheads. Discretionary grants are general operating support started by a trustee, adviser or staff member for registered non-profits whose work fits Oak's values. You cannot apply for those directly.

Except in special circumstances, Oak does not usually make programme grants under US$25,000 (about ₹23.75 lakh). It generally funds no more than half of a project's budget or a fifth of an organisation's budget, so it expects co-funding, though higher requests can be discussed with the programme officer. The source does not give an upper limit.

Who can apply

Only not-for-profit organisations can receive grants. Oak does not support individuals, scholarships or tuition for university study, religious organisations for religious purposes, or election campaigns and political parties. It looks for work that tackles root causes, can be copied elsewhere, plans for long-term sustainability including co-funding, works with like-minded organisations, shows good financial and organisational management, and involves the people and communities it affects.

The letter of enquiry form asks you to choose one programme: Environment (Nature and People, Regenerative Landscapes, Marine Food and Livelihoods), Global Climate Initiatives, International Human Rights, Issues Affecting Women, Learning Differences, Prevent Child Sexual Abuse, Special Interest or Zimbabwe. Oak's site also lists Housing and Homelessness and Oak Foundation Denmark. The source does not list eligible countries, so Indian non-profits should read the strategy of their chosen programme before writing.

How to apply

Read the strategy page of the programme that best matches your mission, because misaligned letters are not considered. Then fill in Oak's online form once. It asks for your organisation's name and website, contact details, the amount requested and total project cost in US dollars, co-funding that is committed or possible, the programme, project location, the purpose, the part of the programme strategy you address, and a short proposal. You get an on-screen confirmation and then an email copy. Email, phone calls and visits to staff are not answered, and Oak asks you not to contact staff directly. A practical tip: check your spam folder if the confirmation email does not arrive.

How applications are judged and what happens next

Oak reviews each letter against its programme strategies and its budget, which is allocated about a year ahead. If it needs more information, or wants a formal proposal, it replies within two months. The letter of enquiry itself is not part of the formal grant process. If you are invited, you submit a full application, followed by due diligence that can include talks with staff, a review of financial information and site visits, and then a decision. Oak can decline at any point, and an invitation does not guarantee a grant. Its step estimates add up to roughly 8 to 12 months overall.

About Oak Foundation

Oak Foundation describes its mission as contributing to a safer, fairer and more sustainable world through grant-making, and says it backs civil society as a pillar of democracy. It makes more than 350 grants a year, most of them multi-year.

Things to check before you apply

• With no open call, a letter may get no reply; apply only if your work clearly fits a programme strategy.
• The whole process can take most of a year, so plan cash flow without it.
• Indian non-profits receiving foreign money should check FCRA, FEMA and tax treatment with an adviser before applying.
• Budget in US dollars, as the form asks.