History and Background
The GitLab Foundation was officially launched in September 2022 following GitLab Inc.’s initial public offering. As part of GitLab’s commitment to social impact, the company dedicated 1% of its shares to establish the Foundation, inspired by the global Pledge 1% movement. The Foundation also receives support from GitLab co-founder and CEO Sytse “Sid” Sijbrandij through the Sijbrandij Foundation.
Although the Foundation is associated with GitLab Inc., it is an independent private foundation with autonomous governance and operations. It functions separately from the company’s commercial activities while pursuing its own charitable mission.
Today, the Foundation operates as a fully remote global organization, partnering with nonprofits, educational institutions, employers, and philanthropic organizations to expand economic opportunities worldwide.
Mission and Purpose
Mission
The GitLab Foundation’s mission is to improve lifetime earnings through access to opportunities by investing in programs that help people develop skills, secure quality employment, and achieve long-term economic mobility.
Vision
The Foundation envisions a world in which one million more people can afford a better life by increasing access to education, workforce training, and sustainable employment opportunities.
Core Objectives
The Foundation works to:
- Increase lifetime earnings for underserved populations.
- Expand access to education and workforce training.
- Support innovative employment pathways.
- Improve labor market systems.
- Promote economic mobility.
- Foster strategic partnerships.
- Use data and evidence to maximize philanthropic impact.
- Advance scalable solutions that improve employment outcomes.
Governance and Structure
The GitLab Foundation is governed independently from GitLab Inc. and is led by an executive leadership team with expertise in philanthropy, workforce development, nonprofit management, and impact investing.
Leadership
The Foundation is led by President and CEO Ellie Bertani, supported by senior executives overseeing grantmaking, partnerships, operations, and organizational strategy.
Organizational Structure
As a fully remote organization, the Foundation emphasizes:
- Transparent governance
- Data-driven decision-making
- Global collaboration
- Results-based philanthropy
- Open organizational practices
The Foundation also maintains a publicly accessible organizational handbook reflecting GitLab’s culture of transparency.
Funding and Grants
Funding Sources
The GitLab Foundation is financed through:
- GitLab Inc.’s philanthropic commitment
- Support from the Sijbrandij Foundation
- Strategic philanthropic partnerships
- Collaborative funding initiatives
Although linked to GitLab Inc., the Foundation is not an enterprise foundation that manages company operations or ownership. Instead, it functions as an independent charitable organization focused on grantmaking and social impact.
Grantmaking Strategy
The Foundation supports organizations working in areas such as:
- Workforce development
- Job placement
- Skills training
- Economic mobility
- Education
- Employment innovation
- Systems change
Unlike organizations dedicated primarily to basic research funding, the GitLab Foundation generally does not award traditional scientific research grants. Instead, it invests in practical, evidence-based programs that improve employment outcomes and long-term earnings.
Grant proposals are evaluated based on measurable impact, scalability, innovation, and the potential to improve lifetime earnings.
Major Programs and Initiatives
Powering Economic Opportunity Fund
The Powering Economic Opportunity Fund, launched in partnership with the Families and Workers Fund, supports workforce initiatives that connect workers to high-demand careers in sectors such as renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, infrastructure, and skilled trades.
AI for Economic Opportunity Fund
The Foundation invests in responsible applications of artificial intelligence that improve workforce development, employment services, and economic mobility.
Learning for Action Fund
This initiative supports organizations testing innovative approaches to workforce development and generating practical evidence that can improve employment systems.
Strategic Partnerships
The Foundation collaborates with nonprofits, employers, governments, educational institutions, and philanthropic organizations to develop scalable solutions that increase access to quality employment.
Impact and Examples of Work Funded
The GitLab Foundation measures success through improvements in lifetime earnings and economic mobility rather than simply tracking grant expenditures.
Examples of its impact include:
Workforce Development
Funding supports organizations that provide job training, career coaching, employer partnerships, and employment placement services.
Skills Development
Investments help individuals acquire industry-recognized credentials and workforce skills that lead to sustainable careers.
Economic Mobility
Programs focus on helping low- and moderate-income individuals secure living-wage employment and improve long-term financial stability.
Systems Change
The Foundation funds collaborative initiatives that strengthen labor market systems, improve workforce policies, and encourage innovation across employment ecosystems.
The Foundation has adopted an ambitious impact target of generating at least $100 in lifetime earnings for every $1 invested, reflecting its emphasis on measurable and scalable outcomes.
Conclusion
The GitLab Foundation is a forward-looking philanthropic organization dedicated to improving economic opportunity through strategic investments in workforce development, education, and employment innovation. By supporting organizations that help people build sustainable careers and increase lifetime earnings, the Foundation seeks to create lasting social and economic impact.
Although it is associated with GitLab Inc., the GitLab Foundation operates independently and is not a Danish foundation, not an enterprise foundation managing corporate ownership, and not a traditional provider of basic research funding or scientific research grants. Instead, its philanthropic activities focus on measurable, evidence-based solutions that expand economic mobility and improve lives around the world.
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