Our
approach
Supporting systems change
At Co-Impact, we believe that transforming lives at scale requires shifting systems.
How we do this
Our approach to systems change tackles the root causes of inequality. We seek to realign how power, policies, institutions, and norms operate to advance gender equality and social inclusion.
Our extraordinary program partners choose and design their own specific strategies for systems change. They use bold, evidence-based approaches that they know will work, drawing on knowledge and experience of their local systems and political economy.
A transformative idea
We offer flexible funding and strategic support to locally-rooted organizations so they can tackle entrenched problems with bold, evidence-informed strategies that can shift systems and institutions at scale.
Focus on key levers and institutionalize change
Systems are complex, and trying to fix everything at once is hard. Our partners focus on high-impact levers: public policy reform, financial resources, accountability mechanisms, and legal frameworks. They embed politically and economically resilient systems change through laws, budgets, and institutional practices.
Build powerful coalitions
Enduring systems change requires collective action. We help our partners build “winning coalitions”: alliances that include government and private actors, civil society organizations, feminist movements, and local communities.
Address structural exclusion
Most existing systems were built to serve some and not others. Our approach is focused on making systems work better for everyone and ensuring institutions are more equitable and responsive.
Change the narrative
Systems are also shaped and reinforced by the stories we tell. So our approach seeks to shift social norms and challenge discriminatory narratives, particularly around gender.
When systems are fairer, lives improve, societies thrive, and opportunities open up for all.
Philanthropy's role
A new, bold collaboration in philanthropy can work at scale and create more inclusive societies.
The issues we care about are facing strong headwinds. It’s time to step up boldly to the challenge and accelerate proven solutions to maintain momentum. Connecting a global community of funders brings resources, expertise, and experience that allow us to do more together than we could do alone.
This isn’t about growing an individual organization or scaling single solutions. It’s about providing longer-term funding and strategic support to a proven, collaborative approach. Together we can scale change through public or private systems and ensure it is sustained through national commitments and resources, and truly owned locally.
Aligning with your goals, we can curate portfolios, leverage pooled resources, and help you deepen and expand your impact on the issues you care about. Together, we can support larger, longer-term initiatives that work at the true scale of the problem.
How we do this
Back bold, locally-led solutions
We primarily fund women-led organizations rooted in their communities in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Advance collaboration over competition
Our model supports collective action. We help partners find allies, form coalitions, and scale their impact together.
Invest in strategy and build organizational capability
Our design grants give partners the space, resources, and support they need to sharpen their strategies and capacity before scaling. Our partners tell us this phase is vital and rare.
Commit to the long term
Our grants provide long-term support and our non-financial assistance includes coaching, peer learning, and coalition-building.
Create meaningful engagement
We bring our funding partners and program partners together to learn from each other, unlocking the power of connection and collaboration.
Champion a new kind of philanthropy
As we prove the impact of our collaborative approach, we shift the sector toward larger, longer-term, and more inclusive funding. We use our voice to influence how funding is moved and who gets to lead.
Together, we’re building a growing movement to rethink how philanthropy works and who it serves.
Gender equality
Centering gender equality can ensure that systems meet the needs of women and girls and are transformed to be more equitable for everyone.
Education. Healthcare. Economies. Millions of women and girls are excluded from these fundamental systems by design, blocking their pathway to equality and progress. We mobilize collaborative funding for locally-rooted, women-led organizations that are playing a critical role in unblocking those pathways.
Our partners are turning exclusion into opportunity for millions of women and girls. As a result of their efforts, more women hold positions of leadership in their communities and institutions, and more women and girls have power and agency over their own futures.
How we do this
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Center gender equality in systems change
Our vision is to ensure that systems not only meet the needs of women and girls but are fundamentally transformed by their leadership and participation. -
Apply an intersectional lens
Gender discrimination intersects with race, caste, class, disability, and sexual identity. So we support solutions that acknowledge this strategic complexity and address these overlapping barriers.
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Invest in women-led, locally-rooted organizations
We prioritize funding for Global South-led, women-led organizations that are deeply connected to the communities and the systems they seek to change.
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Strengthen women’s leadership and agency
We support initiatives that increase the voice, power, and leadership of women—particularly in decision-making roles. We focus on supporting women in public institutions, civil society, and the domains of law and economics.
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Shift social norms and narratives
We fund efforts to make women’s agency and leadership normal. Our partners tell new stories about the capability and contribution of women as leaders and carers, and open space for new ways of thinking.
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Integrate gender into learning and accountability
Transformation is a process. We support our partners to gather the data on what is working, to share learning, and to reflect on progress.
Learning, measurement, and evaluation
Meaningful change depends on continuous learning. We build learning cultures that support better decisions and stronger results.
We support our partners – and ourselves – to track progress, reflect on what’s working, and adapt approaches over time. We also share evidence and insights to help build momentum and deliver broader systems change.
By staying curious, open, and willing to learn from both success and failure, we aim to keep improving our work, supporting our partners, and contributing to better practice across the philanthropy field.