

Durable Organizations, Lasting Systems Change
In a sector that rewards novelty and speed, real systems change comes from years of iteration, partnership, and sustained investment.
This interactive session explores what it takes to fuel organizational growth and translate community-rooted work into durable, system-level change. Drawing on the experiences of Lwala Community Alliance, We Care Solar, and Nyaka Global—with a funder perspective from Rippleworks—the conversation will focus on the real decisions and trade-offs that shape long-term trajectories.
Together, we will examine how organizations grow into system actors: building and sustaining government partnerships, navigating political and funding disruption, determining what scales across contexts, and maintaining momentum through setbacks.
Designed to be highly interactive, this session will engage participants in reflection and discussion to surface challenges, test assumptions, and apply lessons to their own work.
For funders, practitioners, and advocates committed to long-term change, this is a candid look at what it actually takes to build and sustain impact at scale.