Systems Thinking for Impact Investing

The Systems Thinking for Impact Investing project equips investors with practical ways to integrate systems thinking across strategy, implementation, and impact measurement.

Through emerging research and real-world examples, this work:

  • Bridges conceptual ideas to practical actions that impact investors can take
  • Provides accessible entry points, regardless of where you are on your systems journey
  • Offers concrete tools and strategies for starting, deepening, and enhancing your practice

This initiative is designed for impact-first investors — particularly foundations, family offices, and impact-oriented funds. Whether you’re seeking a first step or aiming to embed systems thinking more fully, our resources are designed to meet you where you are.

  • If you’re beginning to explore systems approaches, we recommend starting with the Impact Investing Handbook – see Chapters 1-3 in particular.
  • If you’d like to review additional materials, take a look at the comments section of this LinkedIn post that lists some relevant guides and articles.
  • If you’d like to stay connected, share feedback, or express interest in upcoming learning and collaboration opportunities – use the form below or this link.

Primer: Systems Thinking for Impact Investing

The Primer introduces how systems thinking can reshape impact investing strategy and practice, through:

  • The relevance of systems perspectives for investors
    An integrative framework featuring six key shifts
  • Practical strategies, examples, and pathways for application
  • Case examples from six diverse organizations putting systems thinking into action

→ Download the Primer

Playbook: Integrating Systems Thinking into Impact Investing

The Playbook builds on the Primer by offering a flexible set of tools to help investors and advisors move from mindset to practice, including:

  • Diagnostics, prompts, and practical worksheets
  • Tools to integrate systems thinking across strategy, due diligence, portfolio construction, IMM, and governance
  • Options for starting, deepening, and enhancing your systems approach over time

→ Download the Playbook

Engagement Opportunities

Webinars and Presentations

  • November 2025: AVPA Conference workshop
  • November 2025: Impact Europe Conference panel session
  • September 2025: Latimpacto Conference workshop
  • September 2025: Webinar with Impact Frontiers – Recording
  • May 2025: Webinar (Part 2) with Saïd Business School — Recording
  • April 2025: Webinar (Part 1) with Saïd Business School — Recording
  • April 2025: Skoll World Forum
  • April 2025: AVPN Conference session
  • April 2024: Skoll World Forum

Learning Cohort

January – April 2026 | Virtual | For Foundations and Family Offices

Earlier this year, RPA launched the Systems Thinking for Impact Investing Primer and Playbook. The response across conferences, webinars, and networks has been strong: asset owners see the value of systems thinking, but many want a structured, peer-based way to apply it in practice. They’ve told us they want:

  • Structure to work systematically through the frameworks and tools.
  • Examples and guidance from practitioners already working with these approaches.
  • Peer learning to see how others are applying these ideas.
  • Spacing to test, reflect, and adapt between sessions.

The Systems Thinking for Impact Investing Learning Cohort was created in direct response.

About the Program

This four-month virtual cohort (January to April 2026) provides a guided, practice-oriented pathway for foundations and family offices to explore how systems thinking can inform their impact investing strategy, investment processes, and impact measurement.

Participants will work through tools and exercises from the Primer and Playbook, supported by peer exchange, live facilitation by Karim Harji, and practical examples from investors and practitioners integrating systems approaches in their own work.

We are curating a diverse mix of organizations across geographies, mandates, and levels of experience to create a rich and balanced learning environment. This program is designed for foundations and family offices that:

  • Are already active in impact investing or beginning to embed systems perspectives.
  • Want to understand how to integrate systems thinking across strategy, governance, investment decisions, and IMM.
  • Value structured, high-quality peer learning in a small, candid setting.

Program Design

  • Four virtual sessions, combining short presentations, small-group breakouts, and interactive exercises, held monthly between January and April 2026
    • Session 1 – January 15 (9–11 am ET)
    • Session 2 – February 12 (9–11 am ET)
    • Session 3 – March 12 (9–11 am ET)
    • Session 4 – April 9 (9–11am ET)
  • Each session includes a 90-minute live session, followed by a 30-minute office hours immediately after for questions and deeper exchange.
  • For those attending the Skoll World Forum, there will be an optional in-person convening to continue the dialogue and share emerging lessons.

What You’ll Gain

  • Clarity: what systems thinking means for impact investors, and where it fits for you.
  • Structure: a progression of sessions, tools, and exercises that build on each other.
  • Practice: applied exercises to test and adapt to your context.
  • Perspective: peer and expert insights on where to start and how to improve.
  • Support: office hours for your questions and hearing from your peers.

Participation and Fees

We are using a tiered pricing model to encourage participation from a range of organizations and regions. 

Anchor Partners: $10,000 USD
This tier is intended for foundations, family offices, or aligned collaborators who want to participate in the cohort, while enabling broader access and advancing field-building.

  • Two personalized 60-minute coaching calls 
  • Recognition in program materials (optional)
  • Early insight into examples, adaptations, and new tools
  • Speaking and recognition during in-person Skoll session
  • Post-program debrief or follow-up session

Global North Participants: $5,000 USD
For organizations based in / operating from the Global North. This covers cohort delivery, facilitation, materials, and access for up to two people from the organization.

Global South Participants: $2,500 USD
For organizations based in / operating from the Global South. This covers cohort delivery, facilitation, materials, and access for up to two people from the organization.

 Learn more here: Download Learning Cohort Overview (PDF)

Apply for the Cohort here: https://bit.ly/stii-learn 

Connect With Us

Sign up here to stay connected, share feedback, or express interest in upcoming learning and collaboration opportunities.