Conditions on the ground change. Borders close. Access shifts. When a restricted donation cannot be fulfilled within a reasonable period, we do not quietly repurpose your gift. We first assess whether the original intent can still be honored through a comparable option that serves the same purpose and values. If it cannot, we reach out to the donor with clear options. When donor contact is not feasible, we follow the donor’s original intent, our internal policies, and legal requirements to ensure funds are handled with the same integrity with which they were given. Your intent matters to us, and we do not treat restricted giving as a blank check.
Your Questions, Answered
As a nonprofit, we get a lot of questions. That is a good thing. Donors who ask questions are donors who care about accountability, about impact, and about making sure their generosity lands where it is supposed to. If you do not find what you are looking for here, reach out to us directly. We are always glad to hear from our community.
Who We Are
How is HDF different from other humanitarian organizations?
Most humanitarian organizations are built to respond. HDF is built to transform.
There is a meaningful difference between delivering aid and restoring dignity. We believe in both, but we never stop at the first.
وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ
“We have certainly honored the children of Adam.” (Al-Isra 17:70)
Every program we design starts from the belief that the people we serve are not recipients of charity, but holders of inherent worth and agency. That principle, karamah, means our work is never built around what people lack. It is built around what they are fully capable of becoming when given the right support and opportunity.
وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ
“And cooperate in righteousness and piety.” (Al-Maida 5:2)
Where other organizations sometimes compete for visibility or impact, we choose collaboration. Taawun is not merely a strategy for us. It is a directive. We work alongside local NGOs, clinics, universities, and faith-based networks to strengthen what communities have already built, not to replace it.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تُؤَدُّوا الْأَمَانَاتِ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا
“Indeed, Allah commands you to return trusts to their rightful owners.” (An-Nisa 4:58)
We hold ourselves to the standard of amanah, trustworthiness. Every resource, every platform, and every position we hold exists to serve people facing instability and injustice. That is why young Muslim professionals, entrepreneurs, and community organizers are not just participants in this work. They are leading it.
Our Cycle of Dignity reflects this commitment through three phases: Nurture and Protect, where we provide immediate humanitarian support and safety for those in crisis; Heal and Restore, where we rebuild stability through health care, psychosocial support, and community recovery; and Educate and Empower, where we invest in the education, skills, and leadership pathways that allow individuals to shape their own futures. HDF’s support does not stop at survival. It walks alongside families and communities until they reach self-reliance, strengthening the systems and leaders who will sustain that change long after aid is delivered.
We are equally committed to building the infrastructure needed to scale that work responsibly. Running effective humanitarian programs across 35+ countries requires field staff, monitoring systems, partner relationships, compliance frameworks, and regional infrastructure. As HDF has grown, we have worked deliberately to ensure our cost structure reflects best practices, not excess. We are stewards of donor funds, and we hold ourselves to a standard our donors can be proud of.
That commitment extends to how we build technology. When off-the-shelf solutions were not meeting the demands of our operational model, we built our own. Our in-house technology team developed a custom grant application platform and proprietary donor reporting tools that allow us to communicate program outcomes directly and meaningfully to the people who fund our work. These are purpose-built systems designed around our unique programs and the expectations of our donors and partners.
We have also invested in platforms that bring our donor community closer to the work itself. Our Giving Circle application enables donors to mobilize their personal networks, allowing friends and family to contribute collectively and expand our reach without the overhead of traditional campaigns. Our Quran app allows users to redeem digital rewards for meals delivered directly to beneficiaries, creating a meaningful connection between daily spiritual practice and humanitarian giving. In a digital world, genuine donor engagement and cost-conscious operations are not in tension. At HDF, they reinforce one another.
Your Donation
How much of my donation goes to overhead?
As a registered nonprofit, HDF allocates 9% of donations to essential administrative and operational expenses, including secure platform maintenance, compliance and reporting, fundraising, and the staff and systems required to deliver programs responsibly, professionally and at scale. The rest is directed entirely to mission work. Independently audited financial statements are available on our website, and we welcome every question about how funds are used.
Does HDF pay commission on donations raised by fundraisers or campaign speakers?
No. HDF does not pay anyone a percentage of the funds they raise.
Fundraising operates the same way it does in any credible nonprofit context: fair compensation for work performed, never a commission tied to donations. Fundraisers may be compensated through salaries, flat fees, or hourly rates based on their role and market rate. Speakers, scholars, and campaign partners receive agreed upon honorariums and reimbursable expenses when applicable, not a share of what supporters give. We adhere to the standards set forth by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, which prohibits such arrangements.
Donors give to the cause. Staff and contractors are paid for their labor. Those two things remain separate on purpose. Tying compensation to donation totals creates conflicts of interest, distorts incentives, and ultimately erodes the trust that makes this work possible.
HDF does not pay for endorsements. When scholars, community leaders, and creators speak about our mission, that support is genuine and uncompensated. Where we do compensate individuals, it is strictly for specific services such as speaking engagements, travel, and content creation, at agreed flat rates. The endorsement and the service are always kept separate.
How do I know my donation is going where you say it is?
Trust is a system, not a slogan.
Our annual reports, audited financial statements, and IRS Form 990s are published publicly so donors can review exactly how funds were allocated. We share consistent program updates and field media from the countries we serve so donors can see work in progress, not just year-end summaries. Internally, funds are tracked, reviewed, and reconciled through established finance processes with independent oversight through annual audits. If you ever have a question about where funds went, we will point you to the public reporting and help you locate the relevant documents.
What happens if I donate to a specific project that becomes impossible to complete?
What are in-kind donations, and does HDF accept them?
In-kind donations are non-monetary goods contributed to meet real program needs, such as medical equipment, school furniture, essential clothing, and emergency supplies. We treat them with the same seriousness as financial support. We only accept items that are specifically requested, appropriate for conditions on the ground, and genuinely deliverable. We accept corporate and brand new items only, donated directly to us. We do not accept used or unsolicited goods. When we accept in-kind donations, it fills immediate needs, reduces operational costs, and gives people a meaningful way to contribute beyond a financial gift.
How does HDF protect donations through compliance and partner vetting?
We do not operate on blind trust. We operate on standards.
Before any funds are deployed, we thoroughly vet the local partners, vendors, and institutions we work with, and we continue that review as partnerships develop. Agreements, scopes of work, and reporting expectations are clearly defined so every step is traceable from funding to delivery. Payments require careful review and approval before release. Compliance screening and internal checks help ensure funds do not support prohibited entities or activities, directly or indirectly. The goal is not simply to say we are compliant. The goal is to make it structurally difficult for donations to be mishandled. Maintaining these standards is not free. Rigorous compliance through vetting and ongoing oversight carry real financial costs. We absorb these costs intentionally because we refuse to compromise on the integrity of the process to save a dollar.
We also operate in a landscape that demands our full attention. Domestic and international legal requirements, anti-money laundering obligations, counter-terrorism financing regulations, and sanctions compliance are not bureaucratic inconveniences to us. They are central to why HDF exists. Donors trust us with their hard-earned money because they believe it will reach the right people, in the right place, in the right way. Honoring that trust means navigating a complex regulatory environment with care and rigor. There are real costs to doing this properly, and we accept them. At the same time, we are always looking for ways to operate more efficiently, minimize unnecessary expenses, and ensure that every dollar possible reaches the communities we serve.
Where can I find HDF’s annual reports and financial documents?
HDF publishes annual reporting and makes all key financial documents available for public review at hdfund.org, including our Annual Report, audited financial statements, and IRS Form 990s. We are always happy to help donors locate specific documentation.
Governance and Leadership
How is HDF governed?
HDF is led by an independent board of directors responsible for financial oversight, strategic direction, and organizational accountability. Our board operates separately from day-to-day management and exists to ensure the organization remains true to its mission, its donors, and the communities it serves. Board composition, meeting frequency, and governance policies are documented in our annual reports and Form 990s, all of which are available at hdfund.org
How can concerns about fund use or organizational conduct be reported?
HDF maintains a confidential reporting mechanism for staff, partners, and donors to raise concerns about how funds are used or how the organization conducts itself. Reports are reviewed independently and taken seriously. We believe accountability requires more than good intentions. It requires a structure where concerns can be raised safely and addressed honestly.
What kind of relief is most needed in Gaza?
Gaza is experiencing one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the world. A population of approximately 2.1 million people faces extreme hardship, with acute food insecurity affecting the vast majority of households. Roughly 1.6 million people, around 77% of the population, are living with high levels of food insecurity. Many families go days without adequate meals, with hundreds of thousands approaching famine-level conditions.
Health care access is extremely limited, with hospitals and clinics overwhelmed, understaffed, and under-resourced. Water, sanitation, shelter, and nutrition services are deeply strained, increasing the risk of disease and malnutrition among children and vulnerable groups. The most urgent needs for Gaza include: food assistance, safe drinking water, medical care and supplies, shelter support, and child protection services.
How does HDF operate on the ground in Gaza?
HDF maintains a field team of more than 90 staff members in Gaza conducting continuous needs assessments, community consultations, and direct surveys to identify urgent gaps in real time. These daily evaluations guide our interventions across food security, clean water access, hygiene supplies, sanitation, shelter, health care, and education. Based on assessments, we deliver food and hygiene kits, rehabilitate damaged schools, provide emergency shelter for displaced families, and operate mobile medical caravans in areas with limited clinic access. We also run hot-meal kitchen sites in displacement camps where families are unable to safely prepare food on their own.
How is HDF able to deliver aid every day, even when corridors are closed?
We maintain continuity through a dual-approach logistics strategy combining cross-border coordination with local procurement inside Gaza. When border access is available, supplies move through established land crossings supported by partner transport systems. When crossings close, we shift to pre-positioned inventory and in-country sourcing, purchasing food parcels, clean water, medicine, baby formula, clothing, winter supplies, and emergency shelter materials locally. These efforts sustain daily aid delivery while also supporting local vendors operating under severe strain. It is a deliberate design, not a workaround.
Why are prices so much higher in Gaza?
The primary driver is scarcity. Limited imports, disrupted trade routes, and damaged infrastructure sharply reduce the availability of everyday goods, fuel, and medical supplies. Before the war, Gaza reportedly received hundreds of supply trucks per day. During escalations and border closures, that number dropped dramatically, and when basic goods become scarce, prices rise regardless of their original cost. Baby formula that might normally cost a few dollars has at times climbed to several dozen dollars. Until supply chains and infrastructure are restored, this will remain the reality for families in Gaza.
How do people leave Gaza for medical treatment?
Medical transfers occur only in limited, highly urgent circumstances, typically involving children, severe injuries, or critical illnesses such as cancer. These evacuations are coordinated primarily through the Jordanian Ministry of Health, which identifies critical cases, reviews medical reports, and prioritizes patients based on urgency and available capacity. Sponsoring organizations and donors then coordinate directly with the Ministry to cover treatment and travel costs. Children transferred to Jordan are usually accompanied by a parent or immediate family member; when parents are unavailable, a designated caregiver takes responsibility for medical follow-up and eventual return. Due to constrained capacity, only the most severe and time-sensitive cases receive authorization, which is precisely why donor funding for individual medical cases remains so vital.
How is medical treatment paid for?
The majority of medical cases depend entirely on external donor funding and charitable sponsorship. After the Jordanian Ministry of Health identifies and prioritizes urgent cases, they are shared with sponsoring organizations and donors who determine which cases they are able to financially support. In a small number of highly specialized situations, a limited portion of costs may be covered through government assistance, but most patients rely on donations to receive the care they need.
Zakat and Islamic Giving
What is HDF’s Zakat policy?
All donations to HDF are treated as Zakat-eligible unless explicitly designated as Sadaqah. In the absence of a formal Bait al-Maal in the United States, HDF serves as a trusted proxy by maintaining a dedicated charitable mandate, collaborating with recognized Zakat institutions globally, and distributing funds in accordance with the eight eligible recipient categories outlined in the Quran. All core HDF programs are Zakat-eligible, including hunger relief, clean water access, medical assistance, shelter, and community development.
Our Zakat framework is scholar-vetted and follows established Islamic jurisprudence on eligible uses of Zakat funds. It is continuously reviewed by a qualified guidance board that includes Dr. Waleed Al-Maneese, Mufti Hussain Kamani, Shaykh Joe Bradford, and Shaykh AbdulNasir Jangda. Our guidance board members are selected based on scholarly credentials, independence, and alignment with HDF’s values. They review our Zakat framework regularly and operate independently of HDF’s fundraising and operations. For full details on how Zakat is collected, allocated, and distributed, please review our complete Zakat policy at hdfund.org
How does HDF ensure distributed water is clean and safe to drink?
HDF tailors water solutions to each well’s specific needs, integrating desalination where appropriate and solar-powered systems where possible. Upon completion, every well undergoes a water purification test to confirm it meets both Health and HDF standards before the community begins to depend on it. Since 2023, these efforts have brought reliable, dignified water access to families across more than 15 countries facing severe shortages.
What HDF Does Not Do
Sometimes clarity means being direct about what we will not do, not just what we will.
HDF has not and will not pay commissions on donations raised. HDF does not offer undisclosed compensation to anyone who promotes our work. HDF does not commingle restricted and unrestricted funds. HDF does not accept donations on behalf of programs we cannot deliver.
These are not policies we adopted because the moment called for them. They are standards we have held since our founding, because the people who give to this work deserve an organization that was built right from the beginning.
Still have questions?
Our complete financial documentation, including annual reports, audited statements, and Form 990s, is available at hdfund.org. Transparency is not a feature we switch on when it is convenient. It is a commitment we renew with every program we run, every report we publish, and every dollar we steward on behalf of this community.
We will continue to share more, report more, and open more doors into the work being done in your name. This community deserves nothing less, and we are always grateful for the trust you place in us. Reach out anytime. We are always glad to hear from you.