Giving Matchmaker for Latin America: Smarter Funding with Data

Philanthropy in the Global South requires more than capital—it demands strategic alignment, trust, and visibility. Yet in Latin America, these barriers are even greater due to limited access to standardized nonprofit data, fragmented funding ecosystems, and a lack of visibility for high-impact organizations.
As major international aid pulls back from Latin America, the region faces a funding cliff—putting critical social programs, conservation efforts, and humanitarian initiatives at risk. The urgency to identify and support investable, high-impact solutions has never been greater.
Most funding decisions still rely on instinct, networks, or past grantees—but what if funders could take a data-driven approach to identify and invest in the most impactful nonprofits?
This hands-on session brings together data-driven philanthropy leaders (Propel, 60 Decibels, SSIRñ) alongside nonprofit voices from Latin America to collaboratively shape smarter funding practices. Participants will explore Propel’s Nonprofit Directory—a platform that allows funders to discover vetted social organizations—introducing a scalable and replicable model that integrates strategy and data into the funding process. We prioritize underrepresented voices, ensuring direct input from the organizations most affected by funding disparities.

Workshop Structure (60 min):
1. Intro + Demo: Why Philanthropy in Latin America Needs Data (10 min)
Key stats on giving in Latin America.
How funders currently find nonprofits—why networks & instinct still dominate funding decisions.
Live Demo: Propel’s Nonprofit Directory—a data-driven tool for smarter giving.
2. Group Activity: The Funding Challenge (20 min)
Participants will:
Act as funders, given a fictional budget, philanthropic vision, and priority countries.
Analyze real nonprofit data from Propel’s directory to make funding decisions.
Present funding strategies, justifying allocations and priorities.
3. Small-group discussion: Real Conversations, Real Solutions (25 min)
Small-group discussion (15 min):
What challenges have participants faced when funding or seeking funding?
How can data drive smarter philanthropic decisions?
What barriers prevent funding from reaching high-impact organizations?
Report back to the room (10 min): Key takeaways and insights from groups.
4. Actionable Takeaways (5 min)
Gather participants’ feedback to enhance Propel’s Nonprofit Directory.
Explain how to access Propel’s Nonprofit Directory.
Share final reflections on how can data transform philanthropy in Latin America?