The Power of Giving for Systems Change

Philanthropic capital, when deployed in a strategic manner, has the potential to create transformational social change. Non-profits typically address issues of a highly complex nature that cannot be reduced to a simple chain of cause and effect. Identifying and tackling the root cause of these issues is at the heart of systems change – a deep dive into dismantling the systems that enable issues to continue to exist and grow as opposed to the band-aid approach, which results in temporary solutions.

This session, facilitated by Dina Sherif, Executive Director at the Legatum Centre for Development and Entrepreneurship at MIT will unpack how strategic philanthropic investments can catalyse positive, impactful change, tackle complex social issues, and fund sustainable solutions that address root causes to enable systems change in action.

Panel speakers Nick Grono, CEO of The Freedom Fund and Ellen Agler, CEO of The End Fund will explore how each of their organisations takes a systems-level approach towards achieving their distinct missions by leveraging philanthropic resources to address root causes, challenge existing paradigms, and foster long-term solutions. Speakers will also share insights and examples from their respective fields of work into how giving can be a powerful force for shaping equitable and resilient systems across various sectors, as well as the important role of scalability and collaboration in creating meaningful and lasting impact in society.

Kindly note that this is a closed event for Circle network members. If you are either an individual or institutional philanthropic donor and are interested in being a Circle member and/or joining the event, please contact us at snair@pearlinitiative.org. Visit the Circle site to learn more about the network.