How We Work

Mission

To improve the lives of women and girls from disadvantaged communities by providing support and creating lasting change in a transparent and dignified manner.

Vision

A world where women and girls have access to equal life chances and opportunities to lead secure lives and fulfil their potential.

 

Our Ethos

Our Ethos

Nisa Global Foundation (NGF) is guided by 8 values to provide trust and confidence in our work. These are accountability, transparency, efficiency, collaboration, respect and dignity, equality and non-discrimination, learning and long-term impact and sustainability. You can read more about these in 'Our Values' section. The work of NGF is driven by its mission and underpinned by the desire to make it's vision a reality.

 

Grant Making

Grant Making

NGF has adopted a grant making approach focussing on long term sustainable change rather than working directly on the ground or working on emergencies. This approach will mean that NGF can operate efficiently with lower overheads while also helping to capacity build local charitable groups, who are already working on the ground and who best understand their local context and the needs of women and girls. NGF will primarily work with women led organisations, which will be carefully selected. Initially projects will be identified by the trustees followed by a combination of selections via a grant application process and also trustees proactively seeking out initiatives.

 

Gender Equality

Gender Equality

NGF will work to help make progress towards all 17 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, with particular emphasis on Goal 5 (Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls). 'Grants provided will therefore focus on addressing four main areas: gender-based violence, health and wellbeing, education and livelihoods. You can find out more about these in 'Our Priorities' section.

 

Highlighting Grantees

Highlighting Grantees

NGF wants to use the grant making to shine a light on the important work that local organisations do, especially those run by women, by highlighting who they are, what they do and how they are making a difference. It is important that these organisations, which are often working in difficult contexts, are not taken for granted and are recognised. Too often we do not hear about them and we want to make them visible.

 

Advocacy and Campaigning

Advocacy and Campaigning

We will also work with organisations to tackle the structural causes of poverty and inequality by collaborating on influencing, advocacy and campaigning that lead to changes in policies, practices, attitudes, behaviours and social norms. This may includes being a joint signatury on letters and call for action.

 

Fund Raising

Fund Raising

NGF will fund the project work from individual donations and through grants provided by larger institutions. Initial donations have been provided by friends and family to get started. As we raise awareness of this initiative, we look forward to others supporting our endeavours and helping the NGF grow.

 

100% Zakat Policy

100% Zakat Policy

NGF will operate a 100% zakat policy. As '100% zakat' can be confusing and misunderstood, full details are therefore provided in NGF's 'Zakat Policy.' NGF will not use 'zakat' donations or 'sadaqah' donations for its own administrative costs. This point is being particularly clarified because some charities do not make this clear. This confusion may arise when a charity states a 100% 'zakat' policy on the home page of a website and elsewhere list the 'zakat' criteria mentioned in Quran 9:60, which does also include 'administrators of zakat.' Some charities will therefore use some of the 'zakat' for overheads while others will not. Charities should therefore be more transparent about their 'zakat policies' so donors can make more informed decisions.

 

Charity Operations and Overheads

Charity Operations and Overheads

The Trustees will operate NGF through their voluntary time until such time it can afford to employ staff, which may be through other unrestricted funds such as gift aid or funds specifically donated for this purpose or through grants awarded by larger foundations. Its operational and overhead costs will be much lower than traditional charities due to its grant giving model.

 

Feedback

Feedback

It is important that donors are not taken for granted and that charities are held to account. NGF therefore welcomes questions and / or suggestions because this will provide important learning during regular reviews, so improvements can be made where things can be done better.