Leadership for Social Impact Institute

Leaders who change their communities deserve world-class development

We connect purpose-driven leaders, especially women early and mid-career, to the networks, coaching and Forums that help them thrive and lead.

What we do

Three ways leaders grow with us

Each program builds on the others. Many leaders start at a Forum, join a coaching cohort, and keep learning in the Hub.

1

Leadership for Social Impact Forums

7,100 participants · 148 countries and territories · 1,500+ organizations
See the 2027 Forums
2

Leadership Coaching

433 leaders · 88 countries · since 2020

Six one-on-one sessions over six months with a certified coach. University of Houston research found gains more than twice the typical result.

About the Coaching Program
3

Learning Hub

600+ mentors via MentorMatch since 2022

Recorded sessions, tools and mentoring for members wherever they work.

Visit the Learning Hub
At a glance
10,000+
participants in our programs since 2018
148
countries and territories
7,100
Forum participants since 2018
433
leaders coached since 2020
2027 Leadership for Social Impact Forums

Join us in Cambridge and online

April 28, 2027In person, Harvard Faculty Club, Cambridge, MA
June 15 and 16, 2027Online, live in 25 time zones
In-Person ForumOnline Forum
The problem

Women do most of the work in social impact and hold few of the top jobs

2X
Men are twice as likely to reach leadership roles, though women are 65% of staff.
FAIR SHARE, 2025
Under 1%
of US foundation grant dollars go to leadership development.
NCRP, 2015
3 in 4
women's organizations in crisis settings have cut staff since the 2025 aid cuts.
UN Women, 2026
63%of Leadership for Social Impact Institute Forum participants say it's the only formal leadership development they receive.
Evidence and learning

Impact

2X+

the typical gain from leadership coaching

The University of Houston studied our 2024 coaching cohort. Leaders grew far beyond what coaching programs usually achieve.

"Taken together, these are gains well above typical coaching results supporting the need for and the promise of this program."

Bradley Brummel, Professor of Psychology, University of Houston
Change in leaders (effect size)
Leader identity1.42
Work and family balance1.24
Growth0.73
Typical coaching program0.5 to 0.6
2024 cohort, n=25. University of Houston.
Cover of The World Needs More Impactful Leaders, Impact Report 2018 to 2026
Impact report 2018 to 2026

The world needs more impactful leaders

What changes when global development invests in women as leaders. Inside:

  • Why demand for Forum fellowships nearly tripled after the 2025 aid cuts
  • What the Forum and coaching change for leaders, with stories from Zambia, South Africa and Kenya
  • How employers turned one Forum into change across their organizations
  • Our theory of change, what's next in 2027 and how to invest
Read the Impact Report
Cover of the Global Leaders Coaching Program research results 2021 to 2024
Research results 2021 to 2024

Global Leaders Coaching Program

The University of Houston's independent evaluation of our coaching: how women's leader identity, work and family balance and growth changed, and how those gains compare with typical coaching programs.

Read the Research
In their words

What leaders tell us

"Thank you for creating a fellowship that does not just develop leaders, it builds a sisterhood."

Lilian Opiyo
Lilian Opiyo
Research Assistant, University of Nairobi, Kenya

It made me realize that I need to start seeing myself as my own hero leader and intentionally work on possessing those qualities.

Mirriam Lukundo Nachilembe
Mirriam Lukundo Nachilembe
Data Coordinator, CIDRZ, Zambia

The forum was a brilliant leadership reset.

Asanda (Saule) Ngoasheng
Asanda (Saule) Ngoasheng
Gender Mainstreaming Expert, DT Global, South Africa

There was a genuine openness in the room.

Aditi Ghosh
Aditi Ghosh
ChildFund Sri Lanka
Who sends their teams

1,500+ organizations have sent staff

Including:

Abt Associates
Aga Khan Foundation
CAMFED
Catholic Relief Services
Chemonics
ChildFund International
DAI
Devex
FHI 360
Gates Foundation
Global Affairs Canada
IREX
JSI
Pact
Palladium
Plan International USA
Save the Children US
Skoll Foundation
Tetra Tech
UNHCR
UNICEF
Winrock International
Women Deliver
World Bank Group
Why invest

Your gift puts a woman leader in the room

Donations fund women's access to leadership networks, leadership coaching and participation in our global Leadership for Social Impact Forums.

$695

One woman: the Online Leadership for Social Impact Forum plus four months of leadership development

$25,000

A cohort of 25 women: the Online Leadership for Social Impact Forum plus coaching

$100,000

Underwrites the Online Leadership for Social Impact Forum for 1,000 fellows

$500,000

Funds a full year of programs

Support a Leader
Women leaders laughing and talking around a table at a Leadership for Social Impact Forum

Leaders who change their communities deserve world-class development

We connect purpose-driven leaders, especially women early and mid-career, to the networks, coaching and Forums that help them thrive and lead.

What We Do

We develop purpose-driven leaders in global development, humanitarian aid, and social change, with a focus on women. The leaders we work with are in 100+ countries, from early-career professionals to CEOs and board members.

Women in this work face distinct barriers at every career stage, from reaching senior roles to leading organizations through change with limited resources.

For leaders: coaching, mentoring, peer community, and free learning resources.

For organizations: custom leadership courses delivered in-house to develop leaders at every level.

Explore our programs, or join us at the 2027 Leadership for Social Impact Forums.

10,000+participants in our programs since 2018
148countries and territories
7,100Forum participants since 2018
433leaders coached since 2020

2027 LEADERSHIP FOR SOCIAL IMPACT FORUMS

Join us in Cambridge and online

In person: Cambridge, MA, April 28, 2027

Online: live in 25 time zones, June 15 and 16, 2027

The problem

Women do most of the work in social impact and hold few of the top jobs

2X
Men are twice as likely to reach leadership roles, though women are 65% of staff.
FAIR SHARE, 2025
Under 1%
of US foundation grant dollars go to leadership development.
NCRP, 2015
63%of Leadership for Social Impact Institute Forum participants say it's the only formal leadership development they receive.

Breakthrough Learning for Leaders

Leadership for Social Impact Forums

Since 2018, 7,100 people have taken part in our Leadership for Social Impact Forums. Over the years they have come from 148 countries and territories, and more than 1,500 organizations have sent staff.

Join us in 2027!

In person: Harvard Faculty Club,

Cambridge, MA, April 28

Online: Live in 25 time zones

June 15 and 16, 2027

Explore the 2027 Forums

Global Leaders Coaching Program

Since 2020, our award-winning Global Leaders Coaching Program has coached 433 leaders from 88 countries.

University of Houston researchers found that women in the program grew in how strongly they see themselves as leaders by more than twice the typical gain for coaching.

Explore the Coaching Program

Online Learning Hub

Freely access recorded sessions, practical toolkits, and unvarnished case studies from social impact leaders across 100+ countries who share what works, what doesn't, and what they'd do differently.

Visit the Learning Hub