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Funders’ Roundtable on the Future of Development

We are a platform to catalyze collaboration among philanthropic funders working to build a more trusted, effective, and equitable development system.

Are  you  a  grantmaker  or  philanthropy  organization  interested  in  the  future  of  development? 

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About  Us 

Mission

The Roundtable promotes high-impact collaboration among not-for-profit foundations and other grantmakers committed to a reimagined development system that is trusted, effective, and equitable.

What is it and what it offers:

  • An action-oriented collaboration and learning space.
  • Real-time intelligence, rapid learning, strategy development, agile action.

“The  time  to  act  is  now” 

Global power shifts, conflict, climate change, inequality, and technological disruption are reshaping the development landscape. Traditional aid is shrinking, civic space is under pressure and calls to address deep power imbalances are growing louder.

Amid these challenges lie opportunities for renewal. Emerging ideas — many led by voices from the Global South — offer new pathways toward a more trusted, equitable, and effective development system. Philanthropy can help seed, support, and scale this change.

  • “With crisis comes opportunity. For philanthropy, that opportunity is to stand with the Global South to shift the development landscape to one that centers their agency and intrinsic dignity.”

    Srik Gopal, President and CEO of Humanity United

  • “We must come together across divides, turning this moment into an opportunity to reimagine and create the systems and the institutions we need to ensure a more just and equitable world where people and nature flourish.” 

    Nancy Lindborg, CEO of The David and Lucile Packard Foundation

  • “I urge international grantmakers to help build a new and more effective development and humanitarian system, build for the challenges and capabilities of the 21st century. We can also help make sure that local actors have a leading role in writing this new chapter.”

    Peter Laugharn, CEO of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

The Four Shifts We Are Pursuing
The  Four  Shifts  We  Are  Pursuing 

  • Building a new era of international development cooperation

  • Remodeling development finance flows

  • Strengthening locally-led development

  • Improving philanthropic collaboration

Future  of  Development  Initiatives  Mapping 

The Funders’ Roundtable Initiative Mapping is a living, interactive resource that tracks initiatives shaping the future of international development. Developed through desk research and contributions from the Funders’ Roundtable community, it helps funders identify emerging trends, discover potential partners, and better understand the evolving development ecosystem.

The mapping includes initiatives that align with one or more of the Roundtable’s Four Shifts, have a clear identity and active programme of work, and seek to influence the sector beyond a single organisation.

As a living resource, it is regularly updated, and we welcome suggestions for new initiatives.

Know  of  an  initiative  that  should  be  included? 

We welcome suggestions that help keep this mapping current and comprehensive. Please complete the form below with as much information as possible. All submissions are reviewed against our inclusion criteria and validated before being added to the mapping.

Suggest an Initiative

Which of the Four Shifts does it relate to? (select all that apply)

Please note: Submission of an initiative does not guarantee inclusion. All suggestions are reviewed against our inclusion criteria and validated before being added to the mapping.

Key  upcoming  events 

Request an event to be added

Resources 

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER: OCTOBER, 2026 by Roundtable Team

This edition is particularly rich in data, from the latest reports to more qualitative perspectives on how to assess meaningful change.

Deep Dive: Mobilising more private capital, but are we measuring what matters? by By Gary Foster, CEO of Publish What You Fund

“I can mobilise more private capital, but you’ll get less impact.” A candid remark from a European DFI CEO at the World Bank Annual Meetings prompts Gary Foster, CEO of Publish What You Fund, to reflect on the gap between record capital mobilisation and real development impact.

Deep Dive: Global South Leadership Is Taking Center Stage. But Where Does Leadership Actually Sit? by Roundtable team

Across the conversations the Funders’ Roundtable held during UNGA week, one message resonated above all: Global South leadership is taking center stage.

Get  Involved 

Join the Roundtable community

Register to receive updates, learning invites, and collaboration opportunities.

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