We invest in strategies and interventions that have a particularly high return on investment (100x North Star ROI). These strategies currently include creating opportunities for individuals, improving labor market efficiency, and strengthening collective action among key stakeholders. More about our definition of return on investment can be found here.
We assess grants using an impact modeling approach, seeking investment opportunities with a high potential to increase lifetime earnings for individuals supported by our grantee partners. This may include technology infrastructure or platforms that improve access and reduce the cost of service delivery, data systems that enhance practice and outcomes, expanding proven solutions to underserved markets, or testing new intervention models that promote economic mobility and opportunity.
GitLab Foundation operates on an invite-only basis, and does not accept unsolicited proposals.
Taking a Thesis-Driven Approach: To maximize cycles of learning that improve our strategy and outcomes, we have developed an initial investment “thesis” structure. We believe that by concentrating our grantmaking around certain areas of inquiry, or theses, we will learn more and become more effective over time.
Our initial theses include two geographic focuses (i.e., locations where, due to economic, social, and political factors, we feel we have the potential to deliver outsized North Star outcomes) and two thematic areas of interest. In the future we may also develop population-specific theses.
The GitLab Foundation supports evidence-building activities in two ways, which we will begin piloting in late FY24:
Learn more about our approach to evidence building here.
We will conduct research and seek out grantees across these strategic areas; in some cases, we may issue requests for proposals (RFPs) in these areas of interest.
You can click here to learn more about the GitLab Foundation’s grantmaking process, cycle and requirements.
Issuing requests for proposals (RFPs) can be a highly efficient way for us to gain exposure to numerous organizations and ideas around a specific grantmaking thesis, outcome area, or learning question.
Periodically, GitLab Foundation will announce an open solicitation for grant proposals related to a specific thesis or problem statement. Other than specific requests for proposals, the GitLab Foundation will not accept unsolicited proposals.
As part of our Emerging Talent Demand portfolio, the GitLab Foundation is launching a $3M nationwide Green Jobs for Economic Opportunity Fund to support organizations and multisectoral partnerships in exploring or developing early-stage initiatives to improve economic mobility. Learn more about this opportunity on our website!
Green Jobs for Economic Opportunity
In July of 2023, we issued a new RFP focused on supporting Artificial Intelligence (AI) that positively impacted economic opportunity.
The GitLab Foundation believes that an important role of philanthropy is to make bets on transformative, catalytic and sometimes high-risk opportunities for outsized impact, particularly where other stakeholders (e.g., governments, private sector investors) are disincentivized to invest.
To advance this, we have adopted a risk-tolerant approach, believing that the long-term upsides of risk will be additive across a portfolio of investments. Even while we seek outsized returns, we are developing processes to assess, model, mitigate, and carefully manage risk across our portfolio.
Our Philosophy on Risk: Accept Risk, Seek Outsized Returns
Risk Assessment and Management
The Nonprofit Sector and Risk Considerations
Organizational Capacity & Program Assessment
Learn more about our investments and grantees on our website!