ABOUT US
We believe that strong, values-aligned partnerships between funders and grantees are essential. That’s why we provide the practical tools, resources, and a vibrant community of practice to support this transformation.
- Our Mission
Better Funding’s mission is to transform the philanthropic landscape by promoting equitable, trust-based funding practices that empower grassroots organisations and foster sustainable community-led change.
Our Values
TRUST & EQUITY
We promote equitable funding practices built on trust, mutual respect, and transparency, actively challenging power imbalances within the philanthropic sector.
SUSTAINABILITY & LONG TERM IMPACT
We prioritize funding models that support the long-term sustainability and well-being of grassroots organizations, ensuring lasting positive change within communities.
CIRCULAR LEARNING
We foster a reciprocal exchange of knowledge and experiences, promoting mutual benefit and continuous learning between funders and grantees.
NON-EXTRACTIVE COLLABORATION
We prioritize authentic storytelling and knowledge sharing, amplifying the lived experiences of grassroots communities without imposing external narratives.
SIMPLIFICATION
We strive to make complex funding processes and concepts more accessible and straightforward, empowering both funders and grassroots organizations.
INTERSECTIONALITY
We value diverse perspectives and experiences, recognizing that unique positionalities and lived realities shape our understanding of equitable funding practices.
RADICAL OPENNESS & HONESTY
We embrace transparency, openly sharing both successes and challenges to build trust and foster genuine learning within the sector.
EMPOWERMENT & WELL-BEING
We prioritize the well-being of grassroots leaders and communities, recognizing that empowered individuals and organizations are better equipped to create lasting positive change.
Our Team
Bio:
Emily is an experienced, relationship-based grantmaker and non-profit leader, passionate about supporting non-profit organizations to effect change at the local and global levels.
Most recently, she worked for GoPhilanthropic Foundation for over eight years, joining as one of the first staff members, and helped establish more formal grant-making systems to enable the growth of the organization.
Bio:
Mae brings multifaceted experience in community-driven development, social entrepreneurship, and grant-making with a strong emphasis on driving innovation in funding practices that empower grassroots organizations and uphold trust-based philanthropy principles.
She has +12 years of experience working with grassroots organizations in Latin America, supporting teams to build sustainability.
Our Origin Story
Better Funding was born from practical experience — shaped by years of listening, learning, and working alongside grassroots leaders across Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
Our journey began in the heart of community-based work, where we witnessed a shared challenge echoed across countries and contexts: traditional funding models — shaped by colonial power dynamics, rigid requirements, and transactional relationships — were not only limiting, but actively undermining sustainability. Too often, these models created barriers instead of building trust.
In 2019, our paths converged at GoPhilanthropic Foundation, a pioneer in trust-based grantmaking since 2011. It wasn’t just the mission that drew us there, it was the possibility of doing things differently. As former grantee partners ourselves, having worked for local organizations in India and Guatemala, we had seen firsthand what a values-aligned partnership could make possible.
At GoPhilanthropic, we stepped into roles that allowed us to listen deeply, challenge the norm, and co-create alternatives. Together with our partners, we reduced reporting burdens, reimagined how decisions were made, and expanded support beyond the financial, offering tailored capacity-building and facilitating learning networks across Asia and Latin America. These changes weren’t just operational tweaks, they had a tangible impact on the sustainability of organizations and the well-being of their leaders.
When GoPhilanthropic made the decision to close its doors, we were given a rare opportunity: to design a wind-down plan rooted in trust, where partners were centered, supported, and strengthened through the transition.
But that wasn’t the end of the story. In many ways, it was the beginning. As global funding landscapes shifted — with cuts in international aid, increased volatility, and widening inequities — we heard the call for systemic change grow louder. And we knew we had something meaningful to offer.
Better Funding emerged not just from our own convictions, but from the encouragement of our partners, those who told us:
“We need more funders who work like this.”
“Please don’t let this way of working disappear.”
This project is our response and our invitation.
Through Better Funding, we are building a living, collaborative resource to amplify what works in equitable philanthropy. We are partnering with funders and grassroots leaders to share stories, co-develop tools, and pilot new ways of giving that are more aligned, more human, and more sustainable.
This isn’t just about fixing a broken system. It’s about reshaping it, together. We believe that any funder, anywhere, can embrace these principles, and we are here to help make that journey clear, courageous, and collaborative.