Earlier in the year, we had read a blog from a previous London Funders event about systems change. It said that while most funders were trying to incorporate systems thinking into their work, there was still uncertainty and confusion surrounding the term. Definitions varied widely, and the whole concept often felt abstract and hard to apply. As a group that spends lots of time thinking about systems, we asked if we could run an interactive session as a part of the 2025 festival of learning to see if we could move a bit further all together.
Since the phrase systems change is fast at risk of becoming another sector buzzword, we wanted to move beyond the terminology and focus on what systems thinking can actually look like in funders’ day-to-day work.
When it comes to systems change, there are 6 key questions that we find really helpful. They can help us reflect on our work and how it fits into the bigger picture:
- Why does this system matter to you? What’s your deeper motivation—the North Star guiding your work?
- What part of the system are you trying to shift or improve?
- Where are you pushing for change? Where does your work sit geographically, politically, or structurally?
- When might change become visible? When might you see hopeful glimmers that hint at longer-term shifts?
- Who are you doing this with? What relationships, networks, or communities are you part of or need to build?
- How are you going about it? What methods, mindsets, and practices are you using - how are you taking care of yourselves and others in the system?
We invited participants to work in pairs and focus on two of these questions: one they felt their organisation was already thinking about a lot, and one they hadn’t yet explored much. This created space for reflective conversations—what we called a “mirror and window” approach. People looked inward at their own organisation’s practices, as if using a mirror, and outward at the wider system they’re part of, just like looking out of a window
The conversations highlighted just how many funders are trying to join the dots—between programmes, between teams, and across sectors. And they showed that systems thinking doesn’t have to be esoteric. With the right questions, it becomes a way to think more clearly, act more collaboratively, and hold complexity without becoming paralysed by it.
Systems thinking doesn’t have to be esoteric. With the right questions, it becomes a way to think more clearly, act more collaboratively, and hold complexity without becoming paralysed by it.
Learning from Practice: Samantha Stewart
We were delighted to be joined by Samantha Stewart, Programme Leader at the Nationwide Foundation, who shared reflections from her work on systems change.
Sam described how, when they began, they realised they couldn’t change the housing system without first understanding it - what was working, what wasn’t, and how their own funding practices played a role. This meant looking not just at external change, but also at internal culture: how decisions were made, where funding was going, and how to move away from short-term cycles to more adaptive, long-term work.
A major theme of the Q&A was how to bring others along. Funders asked: How do you convince colleagues or boards who want measurable results quickly? Sam’s response was both pragmatic and hopeful. She suggested using a dual time frame—delivering small, visible wins in the short term, while holding space for long-term, transformative outcomes. She also stressed the value of relationships: funding that prioritises trust, connection, and collaboration can often create deeper and more lasting change than project outputs alone.
Sam also shared how helpful it had been to have external support - someone outside the organisation who could facilitate learning sessions, provide challenge, and act as a sounding board. Systems change isn’t a solo endeavour, and it helps to have others alongside you on the journey. We have spent some time talking about the role of a Learning Partner, a role that centres internal organisational growth as much as it keeps an eye out for the outcomes.
A Continuing Conversation
Since the session, we’ve had thoughtful we’ve had thoughtful follow-up conversations with people from across the funding community, including colleagues in local government like the GLA.
There’s a clear appetite for making sense of systems change—not just as a concept, but as a practical way to improve how we work.
Ultimately, this session reminded us that systems thinking is less about grand theories and more about asking better questions, paying attention to relationships, and staying open to learning. It’s something we can all start doing—right where we are. If you are interested in the tools and questions we have spoken about, you can find more information with our online session guide here.