Bridging the Gap: Catalytic Capital Powering Proximate Social Entrepreneurs

For proximate founders, there is often an exacerbated valley of death between the early-stage funding offered by pitch competitions and fellowships and more traditional forms of impact or commercial capital. Philanthropy plays a critical role in filling this gap and propelling scale through catalytic grant programs, innovative funding structures, and dynamic partnerships. This session invites participants to explore how trailblazers from across the philanthropic ecosystem experiment with groundbreaking financial tools and ultimately close the funding gap faced by proximate leaders. Join us as we explore the innovative frontier of catalytic philanthropy, where thought leaders, practitioners, and experts come together to understand the complexities and opportunities within this realm. Together, we’ll reshape the landscape, catalyze proximate social entrepreneurs, and make progress towards broader goals for systems-level change.