Oak Foundation grant

About this grant

Oak Foundation is a grant-making foundation that makes grants to not-for-profit organisations contributing to a safer, fairer, and more sustainable world. Recipients determine their own priorities and conduct their work in line with the relevant laws of the countries where they operate. Oak matches its resources to organisations whose existing goals and strategies align with its programme priorities, and it evaluates eligibility, conducts due diligence, and maintains discussions with grantees throughout the life of each grant. The foundation makes more than 350 grants per year, most of them multi-year. The average grant is around USD 900,000, and Oak generally does not fund awards below USD 25,000. It provides mainly multi-year core (unrestricted) support, as well as flexible project grants aligned with its programme strategies. Applicants are encouraged to request true project costs including overheads. The funding principles emphasise addressing root causes of problems, replicability, long-term sustainability including co-funding, collaboration with like-minded organisations, sound financial and organisational management, and the participation of people and communities. Oak generally funds no more than 50 per cent of any project budget or 20 per cent of an organisation's budget. Entry to the grant process is either by direct invitation from a programme officer or through an unsolicited Letter of Enquiry. Invited organisations proceed through an idea exchange, concept note, application development, review, decision, and notification and payment, with an approximate total timeline of several months. Oak also makes discretionary grants initiated by Trustees, Advisors or staff, which provide general operating support.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants are not-for-profit organisations whose existing goals and strategies align with Oak Foundation's programme priorities. Entry is by programme-officer invitation or by submitting an unsolicited Letter of Enquiry, and only a few enquiries are approved each year. Oak does not support individuals, scholarships or tuition assistance, religious organisations for religious purposes, or election campaigns and political parties except in special circumstances. Programme grants under USD 25,000 are generally not made. Funding is generally capped at 50 per cent of a project budget or 20 per cent of organisational budget, with higher levels subject to discussion with the programme officer. Geographic and sector restrictions are set by individual programme strategies, which the page does not enumerate.

How it's scored

Applications are assessed through eligibility screening, alignment with Oak's programme priorities and funding principles, a concept note and summary stage, full application review, and a due diligence phase that may include staff discussions, review of financial information, and site visits where appropriate. Decisions are made by Oak's programme staff and leadership, with timelines agreed during the process. The page does not publish numerical scoring or weightings, nor describe panel composition.

Key requirements

• ✓Organization must align with Oak Foundation's overall mission and one of its strategic programmes
• ✓Must meet programme-specific funding criteria and geographic scope requirements
• ✓Applicants should engage with dedicated programme staff with field expertise and networks

Frequently asked questions

How much funding does Oak Foundation offer?

Oak Foundation grant offers $25K.

Who can apply for Oak Foundation grant?

Eligibility covers organisations in GLOBAL; nonprofit, charity, social-enterprise, community-group. See the eligibility criteria above for the full conditions.

Relevant sectors

About this sector

Biodiversity funding backs habitat restoration, species protection, protected areas and nature-positive business. It comes from environment agencies, multilateral nature funds and conservation philanthropy, often through competitive calls with defined regions. Applicants are usually asked for baseline surveys, local partners and indicators that show ecological change.