Reflecting the experience of our founder, our goal is to be an entrepreneurial foundation. As such, we embrace the following entrepreneurial traits which we hope make for strong grantmaking:

• Innovation: We are committed to pursuing innovative approaches to longstanding issues and problems.

• Synergy: Our grantmaking capabilities are limited and we understand that many of our grantees operate on very tight budgets. We look for opportunities to leverage the effectiveness of our grants through collaboration. We strive to build a community where we can learn from each others' successes and failures.

• Risk-taking: Pursuing innovative, unproven approaches increases the level of risk both for the foundation and its grantees. We believe such risks are worth taking.

• High performance: Small organizations with limited resources must make the most of what they have. We strive to be as efficient and effective as possible within our own foundation and look for the same from our grantees.

• Leadership: We believe that, to a large degree, an organization can only be as effective as its leaders. We support our grantees with resources to improve the quality of their leadership.

• Responsiveness: Now more than ever, responsiveness, flexibility and nimbleness characterize the best organizations. We strive to exhibit these qualities in our work and cultivate them in the organizatins we support.

• Humbleness: Grantmaking foundations, in general, are not known for their unassuming or modest natures. Thus, we strive to educate ourselve objectively, question our own assumptions, and listen to those who live and work in the landscapes we strive to protect.