Who You’ll Learn From
- Co-Founder of Raise Up Advisory helping social entrepreneurs unlock the next-level order of magnitude in fundraising and advisin grant-makers on maximizing their capital, including grantee capacity-building programs
- Fractional Head of Fundraising for Kidogo and DAF Advisor to the Zera Fund, an initiative of Melinda French Gates and Pivotal Ventures
Alternative Funding Strategies
Building a funding model for the next stage of growth
Senior leaders responsible for funding have weathered a shrinking, less predictable pool of traditional aid, and now face a harder question: who will pay for their impact at scale? For many, philanthropy remains part of the answer, but the founder-reliant networking that got them here won’t get them to the next stage of growth. In this session, leaders will clarify the role philanthropy should play alongside earned income and government funding, and build a practical picture of what their organization needs in place to unlock one of today’s largest pools of available funding: individual major gifts and donor-advised funds (DAFs).
Specifically, they will:
- Identify who will pay for their impact at scale, and the role philanthropy plays alongside earned income and government funding on that path
- Assess their organization’s readiness for major gifts and DAFs, and review practical steps to prepare
- Gain access to a network of leaders across sectors and functional areas from around the world
This program will be offered in English (Zoom automated captions available in 35 languages).
Who Should Attend
Senior leaders (Directors and above) who:
- Own or shape their organization’s funding strategy and funder relationships
- Can devote the time to learn and grow with peers across the globe
We recommend that two leaders from an organization participate together. Participating with a colleague fosters accountability and thought partnership that makes it easier to share learnings across an organization.
Program Schedule
See this in your time zone here.
Tuesday, December 1st, 7 – 9 am Pacific Time
Applications close November 27
What to Expect
A 2-hour session (with a midpoint break) combines expert-led frameworks drawn from real-world experience with structured peer conversation in hand-matched breakout groups of 4–5 leaders, paired by experience level, sector, or geography to make every exchange count.
Come ready to engage: sessions run on Zoom with cameras on, which is central to how connection and trust develop in the room. A reliable internet connection is recommended. Everything from the session, including slides, templates, worksheets, and curated resources, is shared post-session so learning continues outside the virtual room.
What Leaders Have Said
“I found myself nodding when peers were describing their challenges, whether their work was in healthcare, financing, or agriculture.”
– Previous Leaders Studio Participant
“The session was highly practical and grounded in real-world decision making rather than theory.”
– Previous Leaders Studio Participant
“Loved that the session was practical and relevant for where we are in the organisational journey.”– Previous Leaders Studio Participant
About Rippleworks Leaders Studio
Rippleworks Leaders Studio is a series of expert-led learning programs designed specifically for social ventures. We partner with leading industry executives to run interactive, results-driven learning programs where social venture leaders gain critical skills so ventures can deliver impact at scale.