Leaning on Our Values: Our Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

In hindsight, the COVID-19 pandemic was both an adaptive and transformative challenge for which no playbook existed to guide the best decisions. We did not set out with a planned, strategic response to the pandemic. In the face of great uncertainty regarding how the spread and impacts of COVID-19 would play out globally, we embraced an adaptive approach. The diverse types of responses that we supported evolved with continuous consultation with our grantee-partners and local team regarding what was needed to protect lives and secure the dignity and well-being of their constituents and communities at different phases of the pandemic. 

Additionally, turning to our core values of Trust, Building community, Boldness, Fighting for fairness, and Learning and innovating with our partners as a North Star enabled us to overcome our initial paralysis. We realized that rather than slowing down to get it right—this was time to act with urgency in ways that felt right.