how-we-work

how we work

At freeee foundation, we are inspired by passion and compassion for the well-being of people. Our focus areas define our goals and objectives for which we take initiatves to accomplish them. Long before we undertake a project or make any grant, we listen and learn about problems that cause inequity. Whether the challenge is education, development, good health or environment conservation, we begin by immersing ourselves in understanding the problems that cause great harm and get far too little attention. As we learn about an issue, we ask whether we can make a difference with our influence and investment. We get involved only if we believe we can make a unique contribution.

We focus on big problems where we can make the greatest impact. To bring about the kind of change that provides the beneficiaries an opportunity to live healthy and productive lives, our programs and projects investments are highly strategic and focused on results. We take risks, we push for new solutions, and we believe in the transformative power of science and technology.

We start by defining our major focus areas and what we want to accomplish for people. Then we identify a path to get there and determine how we will execute to achieve those goals. This helps us get clarity on what projects we choose to fund in and why, and how we can partner with others to maximize impact and resulting benefits.

We pursue issues related to education, development, good health and environment. Although these problems are wildly disparate, they all share the characteristics of being deeply rooted, dynamic, and complex. None will be solved easily, none will be solved tomorrow, and none will be solved by us alone.

we cannot do it alone

Our partners and the organization whom we support are at the center of our work. To create solutions with impact, we seek mutual understanding and collaborative partnerships. We engage with them in a spirit of trust, candid communication, and complete transparency.

The problems we seek to solve demand the coordination and focus of contributors, private sector resources, communities, and individuals. We believe in the power of partnership. We work with the best and brightest people to envision change and build the path to get there. Together, we can build brighter tomorrow and work for a world where all can thrive.

developing strategy

Strategy is ultimately about the tradeoffs and choices we face as a foundation. Strategies are the building blocks and primary task of the foundation. They guide the selection of our partners and organizations whom we support and the allocation of financial, human, and leadership resources. Our methods are based on logic, and are driven by rigor and results. Strategy development is a process of analysis and planning which requires:

Thinking through the problem and context to define what has to be done.
Identifying the options and making choices to define what the foundation will do.
Planning resources required to execute given our priorities and constraints we face.
Understanding the expertise of our partners to identify a path to impact.
Defining an ambitious goal and specific results so we can measure progress and adjust our plans along the way.

measuring success

We measure the results of our work to improve what we do, and ultimately, to impact more people’s lives. That’s why we align our programs and projects with what progress is expected, how it will be measured, and what results will be reported. We also collect rigorous evidence on what works and what doesn’t, and help guide the investments, policies and practices. With these signals of progress, we have actionable information to make adjustments and decisions that bring us closer to accomplish our goals.

The methodology adopted to measure success is outlined below:

Track our Progress:

We hold ourselves accountable for what we do and how we do it by measuring inputs, activities, and outputs of our own work and the work of our partners and organizations that we support.

Reconcile Information:

We test our assumptions and track achievements by measuring outcomes and impacts, and by understanding how and why we have succeeded or failed. Outcomes are the intermediate, intended or achieved changes in technologies, systems, populations or behaviors; impacts are the ultimate, sustainable changes we seek.

Re-align Gaps:

We contribute to accomplishing shared goals by making sure information is appropriately timed to inform strategy and collective efforts in the field. We work closely with our grantees and partners to understand whether joint efforts have resulted in positive changes for the populations we serve, and how these changes have been achieved.

continual improvement

We follow a rigorous approach to evaluation, including the way we make decisions about when to evaluate and how. We seek to measure, to learn, and to improve at every step along the way. We are disciplined, because we want to maximize the effectiveness of our efforts, and learn from the results.

The collection and analysis of data and experience are critical first steps toward informed action and decision making. But these alone are not sufficient for action. Measuring progress and impact is only useful if you’re willing to act on the results. Our philosophy and approach emphasize measurement for a specific purpose or action. We recognize that the most elegant evaluation is only meaningful if its findings are used to inform decisions and strengthen our work to improve people’s lives.