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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

Abdul Dube is the co-founder of Visual Confidence, where two visual worlds come togethe...

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Louise Armstrong

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

Louise enables and supports those committed to living change. She plays multiple roles:...

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Laura Winn

Facilitator at the School of System Change
Facilitator, Contributor

Laura is a systems change learning facilitator and regenerative practitioner. She suppo...

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Sarena Chan

Partnership and Programs Lead at the School of System Change
Enabling Team

Sarena leads on partnership and program development at the School of the System Change ...

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Contributors

Gurpreet Singh

Senior Program Manager at Roddenberry Foundation
Contributor

As a Senior Program Manager at the Roddenberry Foundation, Gurpreet contributes to the ...

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Phumlani Nkontwana

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

Phumlani is an adjunct lecturer with the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Bus...

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Rodrigo Bautista

Design and Innovation Lead at Forum for the Future
Facilitator

Rodrigo Bautista is an award-winning designer from ICSID and AIGA and founder of 21st C...

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Dominic Hofstetter

Director of Capital & Investments at Climate-KIC
Contributor

Dominic Hofstetter is the Space Building Lead of the TransCap Initiative. He initiated ...

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Louisa Hooper

Director at Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation UK
Contributor

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is an international charitable foundation with cultu...

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Yulye Jessica Romo Ramos

Founding Director, Nexus Evaluation LTD
Contributor

Jessica is originally from Mexico and has been a British citizen for over a decade. She...

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Anna-Marie Harling

Director and Lead, Philanthropic Collaboration at Co-Impact
Contributor

Anna-Marie combines practical experience and academic rigor in her work with philanthro...

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Robert Ricigliano

Systems & Complexity Coach at The Omidyar Group
Contributor

As Systems & Complexity coach at The Omidyar Group, Rob supports teams as they engage w...

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Rinku Sen

Executive Director at Narrative Initiative
Contributor

Rinku Sen, Executive Director of Narrative Initiative, is a social justice strategist a...

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Orit Gal

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

Founder at Urbaniser, and a Senior Lecturer for Strategy and Complexity at Regent’s Uni...

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Odin Mühlenbein

Partner at Ashoka Germany; Lead of Systems Unit at Ashoka Globalizer
Contributor

Odin Mühlenbein is a Partner at Ashoka Germany and Co-Lead of the Systems Unit at Ashok...

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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

Sean is brought into his work through the potential of dialogue to unearth ways of bein...

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