"Crisis creates clarity, and philanthropic funding is the best risk capital we have." That's how Hala Hanna reads the moment we're in, and as Executive Director of MIT Solve, she has the data to back it up.
MIT Solve has spent a decade brokering the relationship between companies, funders, and the early-stage innovators closing equity gaps in health, learning, climate, and economic opportunity. Their 460 solvers are reaching 430 million lives, have mobilized $87 million in direct funding, and have collectively raised $1.4 billion. And Hala has a front-row seat to the fundamental shift happening in how money moves toward mission.
In this episode, you'll hear:
- Why the most forward-thinking funders are moving from rewarding proximity to power to rewarding proximity to the problem, and what that means for your mission
- What corporate partners actually need from nonprofit partnerships right now, and how to position your org to meet them there
- Why pairing measurable outcomes with storytelling is the real fundraising unlock, and the one question every nonprofit leader needs to answer before walking into a funder conversation
You'll walk away with a sharper read on where philanthropy is heading and a concrete playbook for becoming the partner funders are actually looking for. 🩵
Episode Highlights:
- Meet Hala Hanna (01:44)
- What MIT Solve actually does — and the numbers behind it (03:13)
- From proximity to power to proximity to the problem (03:37)
- Why corporate donors are raising the bar (HP & Amazon) (06:59)
- The full accordion: rethinking philanthropic capital (10:48)
- Where nonprofits start: data, storytelling, and trust (13:30)
- Fighting the "single story" of AI (17:23)
- Amini: building sovereign AI in the Global South (18:02)
- A moment of generosity: Carrie Morgridge (20:53)
- One good thing: do today, not someday (22:42)
- The Solve Effect podcast (24:31)
- Where to connect (25:23)
Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/717
ImpactUp: Pause 2026
Join us at ImpactUp: Pause, a global gathering for the We Are For Good Community. Powered by Givebutter, Whiteboard, Jitasa, and GivingTuesday.
Make More Possible This GivingTuesday
GivingTuesday is December 1st, and our friends at Givebutter want to help your mission go further. They’re matching 1% of eligible GivingTuesday donations, so you raise it, they match it. Learn more here! Terms apply. 💛
//
Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.
Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.com
Say hi đź‘‹
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter
