When the System Breaks: What Comes Next for Development and Philanthropy
Event Description
The systems that have shaped global development and philanthropy are under strain. Aid budgets are shrinking, public trust is declining, and many long-standing assumptions about how change happens are being challenged. Yet even in the face of disruption, much of the sector continues to operate in familiar ways, often doing more of the same with fewer resources.
This discussion asks a harder question: what happens when the system itself is no longer fit for purpose? Who is shaping what comes next, and whose voices are being left out?
We will explore how social innovators, particularly in the Global South, are navigating funding volatility, political contraction, and institutional fragility, while being expected to deliver meaningful change. The conversation will examine the structural inefficiencies of current funding models, the need to move toward more trust-based and locally driven approaches, and the growing gap between the challenges we face and the tools available to address them.
This is a space for an honest reckoning with the limits of the current system, and for exploring what it would take to rebuild development and philanthropy in ways that are more effective, equitable, and fit for the future.
Speakers
Fabian Pfortmüller is CEO and Co-Founder of the Together Institute, supporting purpose-driven communities and ecosystems to thrive.
Georgina Domberger is Board Director at Maliasili, advancing community-led conservation through long-term partnerships.
Sandeep Mishra is Founder & CEO of Catalytic Corps, enabling institutions to scale social impact through systems change.
Shannon Farley is Co-Founder & Executive Director of Fast Forward, advancing tech-driven solutions to global challenges.
Discussion Questions
What is breaking in the current development and philanthropy system, and why?
Who is shaping the next phase of the system, and who needs to be more central to that process?
How can funding models evolve to be more efficient, trust-based, and responsive to real-world needs?
What would it take to equip organizations and communities with the tools and infrastructure needed for the challenges ahead?