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Investors in Change: A Funder Learning Journey

Convening people working in philanthropy and impact investing in systems change modules to accelerate learning across changemaking.

Introduction

We believe that those working in philanthropy and impact investors have been looking to shift their ways of working to meet the complexity of global challenges and accelerate learning across the sector to drive innovation and impact.

In 2021, the School of System Change, alongside co-initiating partners at Forum for the Future, Ashoka, Catalyst 2030, Garfield Foundation and Lankelly Chase, designed three learning modules and a curriculum for philanthropic funders and impact investors to explore systems change. Each module introduces multiple frameworks and methodologies, through personal anecdotes and reflections, case studies and stories, and practical ‘how-to’s from individuals and panels of experienced system change practitioners.

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"I appreciated listening to the course panelists and their individual and organisational experiences with systems change. It was quite beautiful to see such a group of smart people being passionate and highly motivated bringing about systems change: the entire conversation radiated energy and a feeling of companionship ('we’re figuring this out together')."
Investors in Change 2021 participant

Insights and learnings

Following our pilot, we reflected on the learning journey we designed for funders, investors, philanthropic and impact investing professionals. We examined what resonated and what insights came out from the pilot that we still want to explore (and still relevant today at the time of writing in 2024).

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Graphic recording by Investors in Change facilitator Abdul Dube

Hosting team

Abdul Dube

Graphic recorder/Facilitator at Visual Confidence
Contributor
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Louise Armstrong

Process doula, freelance systems change designer, facilitator and coach
Facilitator
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Laura Winn

Facilitator at the School of System Change
Facilitator, Contributor
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Sarena Chan

Partnerships Lead at the School of System Change
Enabling Team
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Contributors

Gurpreet Singh

Senior Program Manager at Roddenberry Foundation
Contributor
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Phumlani Nkontwana

Founder & CEO at Fuata Africa; Founding Director at Centre for Africa Entrepreneurship
Contributor
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Rodrigo Bautista

Design and Innovation Lead at Forum for the Future
Facilitator
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Dominic Hofstetter

Director of Capital & Investments at Climate-KIC
Contributor
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Louisa Hooper

Director at Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation UK
Contributor
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Yulye Jessica Romo Ramos

Founding Director, Nexus Evaluation LTD
Contributor
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Anna-Marie Harling

Director and Lead, Philanthropic Collaboration at Co-Impact
Contributor
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Robert Ricigliano

Systems & Complexity Coach at The Omidyar Group
Contributor
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Rinku Sen

Executive Director at Narrative Initiative
Contributor
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Orit Gal

Founder at Urbaniser; Senior Lecturer for Strategy and Complexity at Regents University London
Contributor
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Odin Mühlenbein

Partner at Ashoka Germany; Lead of Systems Unit at Ashoka Globalizer
Contributor
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Also: Mary Tangelder, Mastercard Foundation; Alice Evans, Cultivating Leadership and formerly Lankelly Chase; Ruth Rominger, Rominger Design and formerly Garfield Foundation; Cassie Robinson, formerly National Lottery Community Fund; Olga Shirobokova, Ashoka; Glenn Page, Blue Marble Evaluation; Jenny North, Dartington Service Design Lab; Chene Swart, Transformations; and Noura Kamel, Mastercard Foundation.

Co-initiating partners

Thank you to our co-initiating partners on Investors in Change: Forum for the Future, Ashoka, Catalyst 2030 and Lankelly Chase.

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Get in touch

If you have any questions about the Investors in Change series, contact the School team at [email protected].

If you would like to discuss a bespoke partnership to support and accelerate learning at your funding organisation, get in touch with Sean Andrew, our Learning and Practice Partner Lead, at [email protected].

Sean Andrew

Learning and Practice Partner Lead at the School of System Change
Facilitator, Enabling Team
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