The chapter delves into the crucial need for social entrepreneurs and donors to comprehend systems change in philanthropy. It emphasizes advocating for long-term, unrestricted funding and strategic coherence to drive impactful outcomes in areas like education and healthcare. The discussion also highlights the importance of collaborative efforts among foundations and organizations to promote shared understanding and support for systems change initiatives.
Silvia Bastante de Unverhau is a leading expert in philanthropy, with over 20 years of experience working across the international development, non-profit, business, and government sectors. She is currently the Chief Philanthropy Officer at Co-Impact, a collaboration between donors that pledged 500 million dollars for systems changing initiatives.
In the interview, Silvia talks about the principles of funding systems change work, how it differs from traditional funding practices, and how foundations can adopt this new mindset. She also has tips for social entrepreneurs who are looking for funding for systems change work from a donor's perspective.
Key questions: How is funding systems change different? How should foundations support systems change?