FSG is excited to offer The Funder’s Role in Systems Change. Attendees can register for the full series or choose a single session to join.
- Full Series Pass: The Funder’s Role in Systems Change (2 workshops)
- The Water of Systems Change: A Deep Dive for Funders – Tuesday, October 6. 2pm – 3:30pm ET
- Getting Tactical: Funder Tools and Strategies for Systems Change – Wednesday, October 21. 1pm – 2:30pm ET
ABOUT THIS WORKSHOP SERIES
Communities face complex challenges that cannot be solved through programs alone. Increasingly, funders are asking a different question:
“How can we as funders help create lasting systems change?”
The Funder’s Role in Systems Change is a two-part online workshop series designed specifically for leaders in funding organizations who want practical strategy and tools to strengthen their approach to supporting systems change efforts.
This series, created by FSG, explores how philanthropy can use both grantmaking and other approaches to influence the policies, relationships, power dynamics, knowledge, and investments that shape long-term community outcomes.
Attendees may register for the complete two-part series or join either workshop individually.
- Session 1 – The Water of Systems Change: A Deep Dive for Funders
Tuesday, October 6, 2026 / 2pm – 3:30pm ET - Session 2 – Getting Tactical: Funder Tools and Strategies for Systems Change
Wednesday, October 21 / 1pm – 2:30pm ET
Visit Our Eventbrite Site to Register
What Is Valuable about This Series?
Unlike a traditional webinar, this series is intentionally designed as a small cohort experience to support philanthropy leaders.
Each 90-minute session combines practical guidance and frameworks, facilitated small-group discussion, and peer learning so participants have space to reflect on their own work, learn from other leaders across philanthropy, and consider how these ideas apply within their organizations.
Whether your funding organization is new to supporting systems change efforts or looking to deepen your existing work, you’ll leave with practical strategies, new perspectives, and tools you can immediately apply in your work.
These workshops are specifically designed for facilitated small peer group learning, so spots are limited. Registration will close once cohort capacity has been reached.
Who Should Attend?
This series is designed specifically for professionals working in funding organizations who are responsible for shaping philanthropic strategy, partnerships, or grantmaking. To support candid peer learning among funders, registration is limited to individuals currently serving in these roles within funding organizations.
We review registrations to help ensure the workshop is the right fit for participants. If we determine that a registrant is not currently working in a funding organization, we will cancel the registration and provide a full refund. We encourage those interested in systems change more broadly to explore our future workshops designed for a wider audience.
Workshop Descriptions and Focus
1) The Water of Systems Change: A Deep Dive for Funders
Tuesday, October 6, 2026 / 2pm – 3:30pm ET
Many funders aspire to support systems change, but it can feel overwhelming to determine where to focus and what systems change actually requires.
This interactive workshop introduces participants to the Water of Systems Change framework, which explores six conditions that influence lasting change, from policies and resource flows to relationships, power dynamics, and mental models.
Together, participants will explore how these different layers of a system interact and consider how funders can support change across multiple levels – moving beyond funding programs or services.
Through facilitated small group discussion and reflection with peers, participants will begin applying the framework to their own work.
Participants will:
- Understand the six conditions that influence systems change
- Explore where your current work fits within a broader systems change framework
- Identify opportunities to create greater leverage for long-term change
- Consider how systems thinking can strengthen your relationships with grantees and community partners
Session Leads: Fay Hanleybrown, Managing Director, FSG, and Ryan De Souza, Director, FSG
2) Getting Tactical: Funder Tools and Strategies for Systems Change
Wednesday, October 21, 2026 / 1pm – 2:30pm ET
Funders have many ways to influence change beyond making grants.
Building on concepts introduced in Session One, this workshop explores the Funder’s Palette, a new practical framework describing ten complementary approaches that funders can use to advance systems change, from strengthening organizations and developing leaders to organizing funders, shifting narratives, cultivating collaboration, and advocating for policy change.
Rather than presenting a single “right” strategy, this workshop helps participants think intentionally about which approaches best fit their organization’s goals, relationships, and community context.
Participants will also have opportunities to learn from other philanthropy leaders and reflect on how these approaches can strengthen both grantmaking and broader philanthropic strategy.
Participants will:
- Become familiar with ten approaches funders can use to support systems change
- Explore how different strategies can complement one another across a funding portfolio
- Reflect on where their organization is already creating systems change and where opportunities exist to expand its impact
- Leave with practical ideas for aligning grantmaking, partnerships, and organizational strategy to support long-term community outcomes
Session Leads: Abigail Ridgway, Managing Director, FSG and Miya Cain, Associate Director, FSG
Registration Information
Attendees can register on Eventbrite for a full series pass to join both workshops or register for a single workshop.
Each 90-minute online session includes facilitated instruction, peer discussion, and practical application activities. Registration also includes workshop materials and three months access to the session recording following each session.
To Register: Visit our Eventbrite site
Registration Fees
- Individual Workshop: $250
- Full Series Pass (Both Workshops): $400
Registration Deadlines:
To join either the full series or an individual workshop, you must register via our Eventbrite site by the dates below. If the workshop reaches maximum capacity, registration will close before these dates. We encourage you to register soon to reserve your spot.
- Full Series Pass registration: Friday, October 2, 2026
- The Water of Systems Change: A Deep Dive for Funders – Friday, October 2, 2026
- Getting Tactical: Funder Tools and Strategies for Systems Change – Friday, October, 16, 2026
Cancellations and Refunds: Refunds are available, minus the cost for processing fees and taxes, as long as registrants contact us ahead of the cancellation deadline. The cancellation deadlines are:
- Full Series Pass: Wednesday, September 30, 2026
- The Water of Systems Change: A Deep Dive for Funders – Wednesday, September 30, 2026
- Getting Tactical: Funder Tools and Strategies for Systems Change: Thursday, October 15, 2026
Please see our FAQ below for more information about cancelling your workshop registration.
Have More Questions? Please see our FAQ further down this page for answers to frequently asked questions. If your question is not addressed in our FAQ, please reach out to Tracy Timmons-Gray at: tracy.timmons-gray@collectiveimpactforum.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I register for the Funder’s Role in Systems Change? Please visit our Eventbrite site to register.
Is “The Funder’s Role in Systems Change” in-person or online? This is an online learning series. Zoom Meeting will be used for all sessions.
What time zone are the workshops listed in? Each Session is listed in Eastern Time (US & Canada). If you are joining from another time zone, please note the time difference and when you should join.
I do not work at a funding organization but I am interested in this topic? Can I still join? This workshop series is designed specifically for professionals working in funding organizations who are responsible for shaping philanthropic strategy, partnerships, or grantmaking. To support candid peer learning among funders, registration is limited to individuals currently serving in these roles.
We review registrations to help ensure the workshop is the right fit for participants. If we determine that a registrant is not currently working in a funding organization, we will cancel the registration and provide a full refund. We encourage those interested in systems change more broadly to explore our future workshops designed for a wider audience.
What will each workshop entail? Each 90-minute workshop will include a mix of presentation, Q&A, and facilitated small group discussions.
What accessibility practices will this series include? Zoom auto-captions will be enabled for each workshop. Ahead of the workshop, we will send copies of any presentation or handouts that the workshop will use. After the workshop, we will share recordings of the session as well as any referenced resources. Please reach out to tracy.timmons-gray@collectiveimpactforum.org if you need other accessibility measures not mentioned above.
What’s the difference between the Full Series Pass and Single Workshop registration? If you sign up for the full “The Funder’s Role in Systems Change” workshop series pass, you are signing up for both the October 6 and October 21 workshops. If you sign up for a single workshop in the series, you will be registering for a specific workshop.
Will workshops be recorded? The workshop presentation and full group Q&A will be recorded and shared after the workshop with those who registered. Breakout group discussions that occur during the workshop will not be recorded. Recordings will be shared within one week after the workshop.
Can my team sign-up with one registration? No. Each person will require their own registration as this is an active workshop where attendees will be broken up into small groups during the workshop for discussion during the session.
How do I request a refund? Registered participants who decide to cancel their participation in either the full workshop series or a single workshop will receive a refund of their registration fee minus the processing fees and related taxes. All refund requests should be emailed to tracy.timmons-gray@collectiveimpactforum.org. We are unable to process refunds after a refund deadline has passed.
Refund Cancellation Deadlines:
Full Workshop Series:
For a full series pass refund, requests for cancellations will be honored through Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
Single Workshops:
If you register for a single workshop, these are the refund deadlines. These are only for those who registered for a single workshop and not a full series pass.
- The Water of Systems Change: A Deep Dive for Funders – Wednesday, September 30, 2026
- Getting Tactical: Funder Tools and Strategies for Systems Change – Thursday, October 15, 2026
