Spring Impact Spring Impact

Social Impact at Scale

Spring Impact Spring Impact

Five ways to fund for lasting impact

Insights on strengthening funder partnerships for impact at scale.

Insights on:
Strategy
Emma Colenbrander
Managing Director
February 7, 2025
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First, we know that impact at scale is not just about growing an organisation – it’s about sustained, transformative, evidence-based change that keeps people at the centre. It means addressing root causes in ways that interrupt vicious cycles and reduce the prevalence of problems in the long term.

Second, we also know that no one can drive this level of change alone. Achieving meaningful impact requires deep collaboration – not just among implementing organisations, but also between funders, and between funders and implementers.

So, how can funders invest in a way that strengthens partnerships and drives lasting impact?

Here are five shifts that can make a difference:

1. Trust-based funding and co-creation can go hand in hand.

Working closely with implementers – listening, learning, and challenging in a supportive way – can deepen impact and build stronger partnerships.

 

2. Scaling a programme isn’t the same as scaling systems-change.

Different scaling pathways require different funding strategies and success metrics. Moving beyond ‘numbers reached’ can help unlock deeper impact.

 

3. Collaboration beats competition.

No single organisation can scale a solution alone. Funders can play a vital role in supporting partnerships and investing in ecosystem-building, not just individual interventions.

 

4. Collaborate with other funders to shift mindsets towards solving systemic problems.

The biggest challenges demand collective action. When funders work together, they unlock greater resources and shared learning to drive lasting change.

 

5. Meet implementers where they are.

Recognise that the journey to scale is a long and messy one. Invest in building capacity and leaders that will adapt and solve problems in the future, not just scale what they’re doing in the here and now.

 

When funders and implementers work together, aligning resources with real needs, scaling impact becomes possible.

If you’d like to dive deeper, read our past article where we unpack each approach.

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