Mission Statement
Disrupt Foundation is an independent family foundation, currently active in the UK and Israel/Palestine. Our mission is to promote a stronger, more connected and more impactful ecosystem of activists and groups, led by and for minoritised communities, in order to disrupt unjust systems, lever strategic long-term processes of change, and pursue social justice. Our mission is achieved by funding and strengthening our grantees: supporting their resilience and strategic development; cultivating links and networks; and amplifying their work through technology solutions.
OUR VALUES
We embrace liberatory methods of action, which involve challenging and transforming oppressive systems and structures rather than simply working within them. This approach acknowledges that true liberation requires long-term efforts, and often bold, imaginative, and unconventional strategies that disrupt the status quo.
We value initiatives that achieve high impact, and therefore have a special interest in exploring methods for leveraging, scaling, and amplifying change. We aspire for all of our grantees to bring about the desired change they are working towards, but we understand and value the significance of small wins over time.
We are committed to innovative and radical ideas while adhering to the principle of 'do no harm,' ensuring that our actions are grounded in ethical principles and mindful of their potential impacts.
Compassion and care underscore our commitment to nurturing relationships and prioritizing the well-being of our communities. We recognize that true care involves actively listening to and valuing the voices and experiences of minoritised groups, and ensuring that our actions respond to their needs and aspirations.
Solidarity is central to our work, as we believe that collective action and mutual support are essential for achieving lasting social change. We stand in solidarity with oppressed communities around the world, recognizing that our struggles are interconnected and that our fates are intertwined.
Accountability is fundamental to our approach, and we believe that we must answer to the communities we serve. We hold ourselves and our partners to high standards of integrity, continuously improving our practices through learning from feedback.
Disrupt employs a philanthropic approach centred on trust-based support and strategic partnership. We prioritise core funding for grantee organisations, providing them with flexibility and autonomy to pursue their mission. Additionally, we offer project funding and seed funds for new initiatives, sharing risks and ensuring accountability through collaborative partnerships.
Funder Plus
Alongside our grantmaking, we support our grantees through direct funding of strategic development processes, including organisational consulting, capacity building, external expert support and technology projects to amplify their impact and support their resilience.
We also facilitate networking opportunities and support infrastructures within and across communities, fostering collaboration and solidarity toward shared goals of social justice.
OUR CURRENT FOCUS AREAS
Our current focus is on grassroots organisations, initiatives and activists from marginalised communities, who employ an intersectional sociopolitical and gender approach.
In the UK, we currently support organisations that engage with:
Migrant Rights and Racial Justice
Social and Economic Rights
We believe that knowledge, links and successes gained from front-line and grassroots work can inform strategic long-term action for change, including partnerships with more established organisations and connections across ecosystems where relevant.
In Israel/Palestine, we currently support community organising initiatives. Disrupt Foundation is firmly opposed to the occupation of the Palestinian territories, to measures of apartheid, and to all human rights violations against Palestinians and other oppressed or marginalised communities.
We have a cross-sectional interest in technology solutions for social change, and work with grantees to develop their technology capabilities, in addition to initiating products that serve the field at large. Alongside those technology solutions, we also carefully weigh the ethical risks involved in working with technology at the intersection with social justice.
Disrupt Foundation is the Podjarny family foundation, established in 2021 and incorporated and registered in England and Wales with registered charity number 1198872, company number 13738626.
To get in touch, please email contact@disrupt.org.