In the news: In a recent The Times interview, Co-Impact’s Founder and CEO Olivia Leland reflected on how collaborative philanthropy can create lasting change. By connecting people, ideas, and resources, she explained, we can scale what works.
“Philanthropy needs to step up,” Leland said. She looked back on her journey from launching the Giving Pledge with Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates, and Warren Buffett to founding Co-Impact. “It’s often a case of shining a light on what is working, making it possible for donors to fund projects that make people’s lives better.”
Since its start, Co-Impact has united more than 60 funders, including Melinda French Gates, MacKenzie Scott, Rohini and Nandan Nilekani, and major foundations such as Rockefeller, Estée Lauder, Chanel, and Cartier. Together, Co-Impact have deployed over $800 million across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Leland highlighted that Co-Impact’s strength lies in local leadership and shared learning. By identifying initiatives that show meaningful progress, such as those improving education or expanding women’s economic participation, we can help scale proven solutions.
“One of the key things for me was to create a global community of funders, people who bring different perspectives, experiences, and expertise,” Leland explained. This approach, she added, is essential to achieving system-level change. “People don’t live single-issue lives. We can’t leave out girls and women.”
Read the full article in The Times: Olivia Leland on how billionaires can invest money responsibly.
