By Marlene Marlene Ogawa, Country Director: South Africa, The Synergos Institute
Systemic transformation takes place through people
Philanthropy and the development sector are at a crucial point. We face geopolitical instability, economic uncertainty, climate crises, and increasing social divides. Yet, amid these challenges, new opportunities arise to rethink how philanthropy can build resilience and encourage transformation.
At the core of this moment is an often overlooked fact: development work involves people. Civil society leaders, grassroots organizers, funders, and many others carry out this work. Their effectiveness relies not just on funding or organizational structures but also on their wellbeing, adaptability, and personal capacity.
This shift has seen the development of initiatives like the Global Philanthropists Circle, Spiritual Civilization Collaborative, and Inner Work for Social Change programs, which shows that inner development and human wellbeing are integral to systemic transformation. By creating spaces for reflection, relationship-building, and collective leadership, changemakers can be helped to sustain their efforts and enhance their impact.
More people recognize that investing in wellbeing is key to maintaining social transformation. For philanthropy, this means broadening the definition of impact to include not just external outcomes in communities but also the resilience and wholeness of those effecting change.
Connection instead of control
Change is a constant part of life. For philanthropy, this reality requires more than simply adjusting funding priorities; it calls for welcoming change as both a challenge and an opportunity.
Traditional philanthropy often focuses on stability, structure, and long-term planning. While these elements are important, they can struggle in unpredictable times. We also need the ability to be creative, compassionate, and brave in uncertain situations.
Bridging leadership reflects an approach that responds to this need – it relies on connection instead of authority or control. It builds trust across divides, encourages collaboration, and creates room for diverse viewpoints. Strong relationships that can weather turbulence and adapt to new realities are a form of resilience itself.
Inner work as path to outer change
The personal lives of changemakers matter. Burnout, stress, and compassion fatigue are common in the development sector. If left unaddressed, these issues reduce effectiveness, weaken organizational culture, and limit the impact of philanthropic efforts.
Initiatives like the Spiritual Civilization Collaborative Community, connects leaders and create spaces where philanthropy meets contemplation, self-reflection, and spirituality. In these spaces, leaders explore how inner work influences their outer actions. Similarly, through the Global Philanthropists Circle, we organize retreats, learning journeys, and peer experiences to promote wellbeing and foster connection.
Inner work involves mindfulness, reflection, and self-awareness that keep leaders connected to their values, maintain empathy, and cultivate clarity amid complexity. This resilience enables them to show up not just as professionals but as whole individuals.
The Spiritual Civilization concept reflects this perspective – it acknowledges that societies rely on both material progress and moral, emotional, and spiritual growth. For changemakers, this shift redefines social change as a collaborative journey grounded in compassion and hope.
Why well-being matters for philanthropy
The reasons for investing in wellbeing are obvious:
- Sustainability of efforts: Social initiatives struggle when the leaders behind them are exhausted. Supporting wellbeing boosts the long-term effectiveness of change efforts.
- Innovation and adaptability: Wellbeing practices create the mental and emotional space necessary for creative problem-solving, which is vital in unpredictable situations.
- Healthier organizational cultures: Promoting care, trust, and collaboration leads to better retention, enhanced engagement with communities, and increased effectiveness.
- Alignment with human-centered values: Development is about human dignity. Prioritizing wellbeing supports the very values that philanthropy aims to promote.
What philanthropy can do
The focus should not be whether wellbeing matters, but how to support it effectively. Key strategies include:
- Embed wellbeing in grantmaking: Create grants that specifically fund staff wellbeing, reflective practices, and leadership development, such as retreats, coaching, or mental health services.
- Model wellbeing internally: Philanthropic organizations should lead by example, fostering cultures of care, promoting healthy work-life balance, and encouraging staff to engage in inner work.
- Support bridging leadership: Invest in leadership programs that improve listening, dialogue, and collaboration across divides—essential skills for solving systemic problems.
- Shift metrics of success: Broaden success indicators to include measures of resilience, relationship strength, and wellbeing, moving beyond mere numbers.
- Foster peer learning: Establish practice communities where changemakers can share experiences, learn from one another, and build collective resilience.
Toward a culture of wholeness
These strategies call for a cultural shift. Development work often operates on a mindset of scarcity—stretching individuals thin, prioritizing outputs over human flourishing, and glorifying sacrifice. However, case studies from Synergos’ Inner Work for Social Change illustrate that leaders and organizations investing in inner wellbeing become more effective agents of change.
A new paradigm is emerging. It sees wellbeing not as competing with impact but as crucial to it. When changemakers flourish, their work becomes more effective, their relationships grow stronger, and their contributions endure.
This requires bravery. It asks philanthropy to reevaluate power dynamics, timelines, and expectations. It encourages funders to shift from transactional grantmaking to deeper partnerships that nurture not only projects but also the human spirit behind them.
Embracing change for real
The world is changing in unpredictable ways. Philanthropy must also embrace change—not as a threat to stability but as an invitation to grow.
By investing in people and their wellbeing, philanthropy can help build a sector that is more resilient, adaptable, and aligned with deeper values of compassion and connection. This effort is unfolding through initiatives like The Wellbeing Project, co-created by Synergos with Ashoka, Georgetown University, Impact Hub, Porticus, and the Skoll Foundation. Together, this global community promotes changemaker wellbeing through programming, communities of practice, and the Global and Regional Hearth Summits.
Transformation begins within – by nurturing inner strength, connecting with purpose, and caring for the wellbeing of changemakers, we lay the groundwork for lasting social impact. During this time of uncertainty and opportunity, one truth remains: the greatest resource in development is people. Investing in their wellbeing means investing in the future of humanity.