WEAVE

CONTEXT

This research is for you if you work on complex social or environmental issues, if you manage money or if you receive it, if you are an entrepreneur or change agent trying to make a difference but feeling constrained by standard funding arrangements, or if you are a program officer in a foundation trying to get more effective or more transformative outcomes. Our findings are not just about funders changing a single approach or change-agents pitching more clearly; instead, it’s a matter of everyone across the spectrum working together to create new dynamics that enable more effective funding patterns.

Each of us has been asking this question in our work for years, whether through designing and convening systemic change initiatives, leading impact networks, or managing foundations. What we found, unsurprisingly, was a messy set of nested and interconnected issues. This report and website is an early attempt to structure them and propose some next steps.

While we don't see this work as definitive, our sample of interviewees was diverse, and the research helps reveal a host of patterns and opportunities that are present in the field. We hope you enjoy!

who are we?

We are a small team of philanthropic leaders, consultants, entrepreneurs and facilitators.
We are not a consultancy, although we are available as advisors.

Please see the About page for more.

Why This Research? Why Now?

At this time, there is a wave of energy pouring into the “systems change” space. Across foundations, government, non-profits, and entrepreneurs there is an increasing awareness that the scale of problems we face are too large and interconnected to continue only to tackle them separately and in silos. As part of this moment in time, we came together to support the increased understanding and adoption of these kinds of system-oriented approaches to making a change. We aimed to highlight practices that require people to discover the needs of a community or issue deeply and operate in high uncertainty as they test different approaches over time.

we’d love to hear your feedback

Thank you for engaging with our work. We’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch.