Ecosystem Learning — The Learning Philanthropy Framework

What is Ecosystem Learning

Contributing to learning beyond your own organization.

No philanthropy creates lasting change alone. Ecosystem Learning recognizes that learning becomes more valuable when it is shared, challenged, and developed collectively across organizations, sectors, and communities.

By actively participating in broader learning ecosystems, philanthropies strengthen not only their own work but also the collective capacity of the field to respond to complex social challenges.

Diverse, trusted relationships that support collective learning and aligned action

Complex challenges require strong connections across organizations, communities, and systems. Strengthen Relationships & Networks helps philanthropies identify and invest in relationships that advance shared goals, while broadening whose knowledge and perspectives inform the work. By building trust, practising transparency, and sustaining reciprocal connections, philanthropies become more responsive to changing contexts and better able to learn and act alongside others.

Maturity spectrum:

Not Yet Engaging	Initiating	Building	Embedding	Thriving
We do not yet take a strategic approach to external relationships. We rely on a narrow set of familiar or historical contacts, with little awareness of gaps in who we engage. Communication is guarded, and relationship quality is low; individuals often act as gatekeepers rather than enabling broader connections.	We have identified high priority relationships and networks that we should more proactively pursue to achieve our goals. A few individuals begin building external relationships, but this is based on individual initiative, not an organizational expectation. External relationships are mostly transactional and with familiar partners that are seen as the primary sources of community voice.	We place growing value on external relationships and encourage staff to build connections with strategic partners and peers to support shared goals; early efforts to broaden who we engage begin to emerge. Some staff establish direct relationships with affected communities and/or stakeholders, and we start to diversify beyond the most familiar actors, though this is uneven across teams. We reinforce the importance of trust and transparency by listening and responding to external partners, but relationship quality varies across the organization.	We ensure that staff across functions are connected to strategically selected networks that support learning, collaboration, and collective success. We intentionally diversify our relationships beyond historical partners. Trust and transparency are consistently reinforced through our actions, and strong, reciprocal relationships are now the norm.	We cultivate and sustain a diverse, strategically aligned ecosystem of external relationships, including deep and direct engagement with impacted communities and/or stakeholders. Our strong relationships and networks enable us to activate ecosystems when needed, convene with credibility, and be responsive to shifting contexts. High-trust, transparent relationships are embedded cultural norms, enabling us to learn with others and support others in their learning as part of interconnected networks.

Curating and sharing knowledge to strengthen collective learning.

Knowledge has greater value when it is developed and shared with others. Steward Knowledge helps philanthropies work with partners and communities to identify, curate, and distribute insights that support better decisions and aligned action. By including diverse perspectives, sharing knowledge responsibly, and helping others generate and apply learning, philanthropies strengthen the capacity of the wider system to adapt.

Maturity spectrum:

Not Yet Engaging	Initiating	Building	Embedding	Thriving
We do not yet invest in producing field-level or system-level knowledge. We narrowly define valid knowledge sources, intentionally or unintentionally excluding important and often overlooked perspectives.	There is a verbal commitment to producing relevant knowledge that could benefit the field or system. We limit external knowledge sharing of our work to our successes. . We are aware of what knowledge should not be shared publicly, in order to avoid harm to partners and other system actors.	We sometimes: curate relevant knowledge with input from partners or peers, and there are early efforts to include diverse perspectives. share knowledge with relevant external actors, though this often depends on individual staff interest or capacity. There is growing awareness of our role in strengthening field- or system-level capacity to learn and adapt, with early initiatives (e.g., joint reflection sessions or cross-organizational learning products) underway.	We often: curate relevant, high-quality knowledge products collaboratively, with regular inclusion of partner and community perspectives. share knowledge with a relevant and diverse range of external system actors as part of our organizational routines and in ways that do no harm. Strengthen the system’s ability to learn and adapt by curating and disseminating insights that support collective reflection and coordinated action	We consistently and systematically: work in partnership with relevant partners communities, and / or relevant stakeholders to determine what knowledge is most needed to make progress and curate insights collaboratively as part of our grantmaking. curate, synthesize, and distribute knowledge in ways that build shared understanding, inform decision-making, support long-term adaptation within the field or system, and protect partners and system actors in closing civic spaces, and/or strengthen the system’s long-term capacity to learn and adapt by supporting others to generate, interpret, and use knowledge for decision-making and collective action.

Not Yet Engaging

Initiating

Building

Embedding

Thriving

We do not yet invest in producing field-level or system-level knowledge.
We narrowly define valid knowledge sources, intentionally or unintentionally excluding important and often overlooked perspectives.

There is a verbal commitment to producing relevant knowledge that could benefit the field or system.
We limit external knowledge sharing of our work to our successes. .
We are aware of what knowledge should not be shared publicly, in order to avoid harm to partners and other system actors.

We sometimes:

curate relevant knowledge with input from partners or peers, and there are early efforts to include diverse perspectives.
share knowledge with relevant external actors, though this often depends on individual staff interest or capacity.
There is growing awareness of our role in strengthening field- or system-level capacity to learn and adapt, with early initiatives (e.g., joint reflection sessions or cross-organizational learning products) underway.

We often:

curate relevant, high-quality knowledge products collaboratively, with regular inclusion of partner and community perspectives.
share knowledge with a relevant and diverse range of external system actors as part of our organizational routines and in ways that do no harm.
Strengthen the system’s ability to learn and adapt by curating and disseminating insights that support collective reflection and coordinated action

We consistently and systematically:

work in partnership with relevant partners communities, and / or relevant stakeholders to determine what knowledge is most needed to make progress and curate insights collaboratively as part of our grantmaking.
curate, synthesize, and distribute knowledge in ways that build shared understanding, inform decision-making, support long-term adaptation within the field or system, and protect partners and system actors in closing civic spaces, and/or
strengthen the system’s long-term capacity to learn and adapt by supporting others to generate, interpret, and use knowledge for decision-making and collective action.

Bringing diverse actors together for inclusive learning and action.

Convening can create space for people to learn, build shared understanding, and coordinate action. Convene helps philanthropies participate in and lead gatherings that include relevant system actors and acknowledge differences in power. By co-creating agendas, enabling diverse participation, and connecting reflection to action, philanthropies can support shared ownership of learning and more effective responses to systemic challenges.

Maturity spectrum:

Not Yet Engaging	Initiating	Building	Embedding	Thriving
We do not yet use convenings as a tool for inclusive learning or action across a system. Any convenings that we participate in are primarily transactional or performative	We have identified strategic convenings to participate in or (co-)lead that are relevant to the system challenges we seek to address. We have made a verbal commitment to inclusion in convenings, but participation is limited to privileged partners. Our convenings are funder-driven, with limited opportunities for joint reflection with other system actors.	We have prioritized convenings and allocated minimal resources to participate in and/or lead strategic convenings. Some convenings include a more diverse mix of actors beyond partners, with early efforts to acknowledge our role and power in the space. Some convenings lead to shared ownership of learning and early forms of coordinated action, though this is not yet consistent.	We have allocated appropriate levels of resources to participate in and/or lead strategic convenings. The majority of convenings are designed to include a diverse set of relevant system actors, and we frequently acknowledge and account for our own role, power, and perspective within these spaces and invite other actors to shape the agenda and outcomes. Convenings that we (co-)chair or actively participate in often result in shared ownership of learning and coordinated action to address systemic challenges.	We are widely recognized as a trusted convener and/or convening participant that brings together a broad ecosystem of relevant actors in inclusive, safe, and co-created spaces. We consistently demonstrate awareness of our role and power within these spaces, participating as one actor among many while systematically enabling others to shape the agenda and outcomes. Convenings that we (co-)chair or actively participate in consistently and systematically result in shared ownership of learning and coordinated action to address systemic challenges. Convening is part of our organizational identity and strategy. We consistently and systematically assess or refine convenings that demonstrably increase our impact; we end convenings (or our participation in them) when they are no longer needed or strategic.

Using learning to test ideas and shape wider change.

Learning can help philanthropies develop new approaches and influence change beyond their own work. Innovate & Influence encourages thoughtful experimentation, learning from success and failure, and collaboration with partners on emerging solutions. By applying and sharing what they learn, philanthropies can shape narratives, inform policy and practice, and coordinate efforts that contribute to lasting change across a field or system.

Maturity spectrum:

Not Yet Engaging	Initiating	Building	Embedding	Thriving
We do not yet invest in innovation or experimentation, relying almost exclusively on established practices. We do not use our learning to shape narratives or influence policy or practice. Our attempts to influence narratives, policy, and practice are not based on learning.	We maintain a verbal commitment to innovation and have plans in place. We occasionally share learning externally, mostly to highlight successes rather than to influence broader narratives. There is growing awareness of our potential role in using learning to influence policy or practice.	We sometimes support innovation and experimentation, with early efforts to learn from failure and test new approaches. We sometimes contribute our learning to shape narratives on system challenges and solutions. We have established early initiatives (e.g., joint research) to use our learning to inform policy and practice, and have identified additional strategic areas of policy and practice that we can influence with our learning.	We often: resource innovation and experimentation in collaboration with partners, and learning from both successes and failures to inform systems change. use our learning to shape narratives that affect how system challenges are understood. follow through on using our learning for strategic policy and practice priorities in collaboration with peers and partners.	We are widely recognized as leaders in fostering innovation because we consistently and systematically take smart bets, experiment, support emergent solutions, learn from failure, and/or scale what works. We incentivize these actions across our teams and enable other actors to do so. We consistently and systematically use our learning to: shape narratives and norms that influence the wider field, shifting how challenges and solutions are understood. influence policy and practice by working with funders, communities, and / or relevant stakeholders to coordinate efforts and resources that drive lasting systems change.

Not Yet Engaging

Initiating

Building

Embedding

Thriving

We do not yet invest in innovation or experimentation, relying almost exclusively on established practices.
We do not use our learning to shape narratives or influence policy or practice.
Our attempts to influence narratives, policy, and practice are not based on learning.

We maintain a verbal commitment to innovation and have plans in place.
We occasionally share learning externally, mostly to highlight successes rather than to influence broader narratives.
There is growing awareness of our potential role in using learning to influence policy or practice.

We sometimes support innovation and experimentation, with early efforts to learn from failure and test new approaches.
We sometimes contribute our learning to shape narratives on system challenges and solutions.
We have established early initiatives (e.g., joint research) to use our learning to inform policy and practice, and have identified additional strategic areas of policy and practice that we can influence with our learning.

We often:

resource innovation and experimentation in collaboration with partners, and learning from both successes and failures to inform systems change.
use our learning to shape narratives that affect how system challenges are understood.
follow through on using our learning for strategic policy and practice priorities in collaboration with peers and partners.

We are widely recognized as leaders in fostering innovation because we consistently and systematically take smart bets, experiment, support emergent solutions, learn from failure, and/or scale what works. We incentivize these actions across our teams and enable other actors to do so.
We consistently and systematically use our learning to:
shape narratives and norms that influence the wider field, shifting how challenges and solutions are understood.
influence policy and practice by working with funders, communities, and / or relevant stakeholders to coordinate efforts and resources that drive lasting systems change.

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