Investing in FSC
Our INVEST members play an important role in our mission to create safer organisational cultures and practices around the world.
The generosity of our INVEST members funds research and pilot projects to generate new knowledge and strengthen the evidence base on what works to keep people and communities safe.
Our current funders
"At Porticus, safeguarding is central to our approach to funding. Being part of FSC allows us to share knowledge, develop best practices, and champion higher standards for the entire sector. We are proud to support FSC’s mission to ensure that every organisation has the tools and guidance needed to create safer organisational practices and cultures which benefit everyone."
Diederik Slot, Global Designated Safeguarding Officer
Porticus: Evidence-based practice standards
Porticus is a philanthropic organisation that aims to create a just and sustainable future where human dignity flourishes. Safeguarding vulnerable individuals is an inherent part of their work.
Porticus was a founding member of the FSC network and has been a proactive contributor to our work, sharing their own research and learnings with other network members and helping to guide the strategic direction of FSC via membership of our steering committee.
As an INVEST member, Porticus is helping to fund a two-year project to develop evidence-based practice standards for funders, covering all stages of the grant cycle.
Funders have an important role to play in motivating action and ensuring accountability for safeguarding, in their own organisations and in the organisations they fund. At present, however, very little is known about the most effective ways for philanthropy to promote safer practice. The creation of the standards is one of the ways FSC is seeking to address this challenge and, once developed, the safeguarding practice standards will be integrated into all aspects of FSC’s work to ensure a lasting impact.
“At CIFF, we’re proud to support FSC’s work to strengthen networks of safeguarding experts and connect funders with trusted, high-quality service providers across regions. This collaboration is solving a real challenge for funders—helping them support their partners more effectively and foster safer practices wherever they work.”
Angela Albornoz, Global Compliance Director
CIFF and Laudes Foundation: Investing in a Global Network of Safeguarding Experts
As INVEST members, CIFF and Laudes Foundation supported FSC to establish local networks of safeguarding experts, known as Communities of Practice, in eight countries across Africa and Asia (Bangladesh; Cambodia; Ethiopia; India; Indonesia; Kenya; Nigeria; Pakistan).
Funders increasingly recognise the importance of safeguarding and place requirements on grantees to protect the people and communities they serve. Yet, many grantees need tailored support to meet these expectations effectively. While some funders offer safeguarding assistance, they often struggle to identify consultants with the right mix of contextual understanding, technical expertise, and credibility to work alongside their grantee partners. Through the Communities of Practice, FSC brought together safeguarding consultants for a year-long programme of peer capacity building, mentoring, and quality assurance. This investment strengthened local expertise and built relations between consultants and funders.
To make these experts more accessible, FSC has co-developed a quality-assured directory of consultants, hosted on a bespoke platform developed with Nonprofit Builder. This tool helps funders easily identify and connect with trusted safeguarding specialists who understand their partners’ local realities. With this foundation in place, FSC is now working to replicate the Communities of Practice model in new regions, ensuring that more funders and their grantees can access the expert advice they need to build safer organisations and communities.
Join Us
FSC is seeking partners to help replicate the Communities of Practice model in additional countries, expanding access to locally grounded safeguarding expertise for funders and their grantees. If you are a funder interested in strengthening safeguarding capacity across your portfolio—or in supporting the next phase of this collaborative model—we’d welcome a conversation. Together, we can make it easier for funders everywhere to connect with the expertise needed to keep people safe.
"Funders can play a crucial role in improving standards across the sector, and Laudes Foundation is committed to ensuring the safety and dignity of all individuals, with a zero-tolerance approach to harm, abuse, or exploitation. Laudes is delighted to contribute to this initiative, which makes high-quality safeguarding expertise more accessible to funders and their partners worldwide.”
Stephen Birtwhistle, Organisational Development and Inclusion Manager