A surprise conversation. Networking. Feeling a spark. Finding your kindred spirit. Cultivating local connections.

Connecting with others is what makes us human. And, it is central to the Skoll Foundation’s approach to supporting social entrepreneurs and social innovators around the world. Cultivating community and seeding connections have been among our top objectives since our founding in 1999, as our partners have voiced the value of thoughtfully curated spaces to gather and learn with others.

Philanthropy now has a unique opportunity to support these connections. At a time when so many in the philanthropic and nonprofit fields are wrestling with social and political upheaval, an evolving funding landscape, and an environment marked by uncertainty, we heard a potent desire to connect in person.

So, in recent months, we supported several partners to imagine and implement regional gatherings to extend the dialogue and amplify the impact of the 2025 Skoll World Forum—held in April in Oxford, U.K.—by making connections in new and existing communities.

The first, called Impact Connection, was hosted and organized by TEDxAmazônia and Profile in São Paulo, Brazil. Right on its heels was Changemakers in Focus, hosted and organized in Nairobi, Kenya by Docubox. Our partners shared that these events helped strengthen a shared commitment to social change across sectors and weave together a colorful, multilayered fabric of support and solidarity.

“Bringing the regional gathering to life was a powerful and relevant way to give more people access to the knowledge and connections fostered [in Oxford],” says Rodrigo V. Cunha, the CEO of Profile. “It brings the energy, spirit, and inspiration of the Forum into a local context.”

Where the Magic Happens

Though conceptualized as opportunities to continue the Skoll World Forum dialogue in new locations, these two events went far beyond so-called “regional watch parties,” opening new pathways for learning and camaraderie.

Our partners designed original gatherings that brought together new people, new ideas, new solutions, and new approaches. Both the Kenya and Brazil events engaged over 250 change leaders from each region, including Awardees, Fellows, and others in the Skoll network, as well as many more.

Read the full article about cultivating local connections for global impact at Skoll.