Ethics & integrity
The rules we follow before we accept a gift, and how we keep donors, technology partners and our own interests away from the decisions that matter to the people we serve.
matters
Expertise is aid only if the businesses and Fellows we work with can trust it. That trust depends on how we are funded, so we publish our rules before anyone gives.
Independence
No gift buys influence over which businesses we serve, which Fellows are matched or which solutions are recommended.
Dignity
Businesses and Fellows are capable partners, never objects of pity. Their stories are published only with their written consent.
Transparency
Donors know who legally receives their gift, how funds are allocated and what the platform achieves, including what did not work.
accept gifts
Six rules we apply before accepting any gift.
Sanctions and international law. We decline gifts from anyone on EU, UN, UK and US sanctions lists, and from states, or those acting for states, that do not respect international law and the territorial integrity of countries.
No conditions on who we serve. We decline any gift that depends on accepting or rejecting businesses, placing specific Fellows, recommending products or receiving participant data.
Clear origin. Every gift above 1,000 EUR is checked against EU, UN, UK and US sanctions lists and the donor's identity is confirmed; we do not accept anonymous gifts above that amount. For gifts above 10,000 EUR we also check where the funds come from.
Sponsors choose a program, not people. A sponsor may fund a country program and a priority theme. It cannot decide who takes part, what is recommended or who is hired.
Most of every euro reaches programs. We aim for 80 to 85% of funds to go to programs. At launch our outreach costs are higher, and we say so in our reports.
We return what we should not have taken. If facts emerge that would have led us to decline a gift, we return the unspent part and disclose it in our next report.
Independence in practice
Three areas where conflicts of interest are most likely, and the rules that apply to each.
Capability, not influence
- No access to businesses as leads or contacts
- Fellows choose tools by the business's needs
- No single partner above 15% of our annual budget
- Partners and their contributions listed in our annual report
Interests declared and kept apart
- Ties to donors and partners declared in advance
- No one approves a gift or project they could benefit from
- No single donor above 25% of our budget after the founding year
- Co-Founders' compensation disclosed in our annual report
Data and dignity
- Stories published only with written consent
- Participant data never shared with donors or partners
- Results reported at platform and program level
- Donor data used only to manage gifts and report back
Speaking up
If something concerns you, from a donor relationship to how a project was handled, tell us. Every report is taken seriously.
Write to us
Use the misconduct reporting section on our Legal page or write to mgmt@braingain.expert.
We confirm receipt
We confirm that we have received your report within 7 days, and tell you what action we have taken within 3 months.
Review by someone not involved
Your report is reviewed by a person with no part in the matter. Once BrainGain.Expert has a board, serious cases go to the board.
No retaliation
No one who raises a concern in good faith is penalised for it, whether a Fellow, a business, a partner or a member of our team.
Gift Acceptance Policy
The full policy, with approval thresholds and rules for returning gifts, will be published in Reports & documentation by 15 November 2026. Until then, write to mgmt@braingain.expert for a copy.
Support the
Foundation
Individual donations
Whether you have worked in a fragile economy or simply believe expertise is aid, your gift helps a local business get the people it needs to start, recover or grow.
How we accept gifts →Make a donation
Sponsorship and partnership
Companies and foundations can support the BrainGain.Expert Foundation, sponsor a specific program and raise its priority, or contribute technology to the BrainGain.Expert Resource Pool. Let's build it together.
Learn more→