Search
Close this search box.

Our Approach

At the ERDI Foundation, we consider ourselves to be funders AND partners with our grantees. 

We fund, mentor and provide a sounding board for new ideas and challenges.

Our values shape the way we approach our decision making. In considering grant applications we consider:

Outcome & Impact

We value both outcomes and impact. We understand that systemic change often consists of many small steps taken over an extended period of time. Where appropriate, we will consider multi-year grants.

We acknowledge that outcomes and impact measurement can be challenging; we will work together with our grantees to assist in this important task.

Collaboration

“Collaboration divides the task and multiplies the success.”  Source unknown

Collaboration between grantees

We will inquire about whether our grantees’ work is part of a collaborative and cooperative effort and if it is not, we will question whether it could be now or in the future. 

We will seek to understand whether collaboration and cooperation will lead to greater efficiencies. Consideration will be given to assess whether our philanthropy can be used to help answer these questions and effect potential change.

We encourage opportunities for our grantees to share learnings and resources developed as a result of our philanthropy.

Collaboration with other funders

We lead, participate in and welcome conversations with other foundations and individual funders which facilitate shared knowledge and collective philanthropy.

Optimism & Hope

“Optimism is a passive virtue, hope is an active one. It needs no courage, only a certain naivete, to be an optimist. It needs a great deal of courage to have hope.

…hope has the power to transform the world.” Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z’l 

Through our philanthropy, we will positively and actively embrace our grantees’ visions of what’s possible.  In doing so, we will become partners with our grantees in being entrepreneurial, bold, facing challenges, assuming risk and learning powerful lessons along the way to ensure that together, we all become successful agents of hope who are able to transform the world.

We will listen to our grantees as they are the subject area experts. We will determine our funding around the strategic imperatives identified and formulated by the relevant professionals.

Where appropriate, we may offer mentorship, coaching, expertise, board service and network assistance.

Transparency

We have an open and honest dialogue with our grantees. We believe in building relationships of trust.

We want to know when challenges are encountered such as programs cancelled, projects stalled.

Real time communication provides increased opportunity for assistance with problem rectification and/or funding reallocation.