Values & ethos

Constant values

What we stand for - our values & ethos

Since 2005, the Stone Family Foundation has taken a long-term, thoughtful approach to philanthropy. We back people and organisations with bold ideas, strong leadership and the potential to create lasting change.

While our international and UK strategies are different, our values remain constant.

We are fast-moving and customer focused
We are impatient for progress and believe change can and should happen quicker. We aim to understand and improve the lives of people who we consider as customers not beneficiaries.

We are entrepreneurial, supporting scalable change
We look for entrepreneurial, bold and creative models that can grow and have impact beyond the local communities they serve — whether that is market-based enterprises providing piped water in Africa or grassroots charities supporting young people in the UK.

We believe in empathetic, trust-based relationships
We understand where our partners work and the challenges they face to succeed. We aim to be a collaborative and supportive funder. That means:

• Multi-year, mostly unrestricted grants in the UK.
• Long-term partnerships and co-investments internationally.

We fund carefully
We are not public-facing and do not seek the spotlight. Our role is to provide the risk capital and support others need to deliver impact.

We stay curious and open, championing evidence and learning
From the beginning, our approach has been rooted in exploration. We seek to learn and work with others to build our expertise and share it with others. We continue to stay engaged through site visits, conversations and research — always looking for new ways to make a difference.

Together, these values guide how we work across both portfolios, united by a single aim: helping others reach their full potential, whether through access to safe water or opportunities for young people.

Our case studies show how strategies work on the ground both in the UK and Internationally