Built to Last 2025

Collaboration as a catalyst The social innovation field is increasingly developing structured systems of collaboration, with partnerships sharing governance and measurement mechanisms to catalyse change. Over the past year, the most enduring alliances have been built on trust, co-creation and shared ambition, reflected in long-term agreements with governments, UN agencies, major corporates and community-led groups. The most effective partnerships share three defining characteristics: Community authority: engagement has evolved from basic participation or consultation toward shared decision- making, where local communities hold legitimacy and leadership, defining priorities and co-creating interventions. This echoes a core finding from last year’s report. Alignment on outcomes: partners blend value systems – funders, investors and corporates achieve return on investment through measurable outcomes, while communities gain dignity, inclusion and empowerment through greater respect and long-term benefits. The most effective partnerships use co-design, transparent metrics and shared accountability to achieve their goals. Operational openness: data sharing, joint governance and transparent communication about constraints or performance drive shared accountability, adaptability and credibility, building trust and resilience. The nature of stakeholders has also continued to evolve. Among social innovators, collaborations with philanthropic organizations have increased, while those with international agencies have declined. Partnerships with the private and public sectors have remained steady, and notably, collaborations facilitated by the Foundation have doubled. Given the significant upheavals faced by the sector this year, further shifts in the composition of partnerships are likely. Our annual survey shows that 68% of social innovators saw their collaborations and partnerships affected over the past year due to changing conditions in the sector. This reflects both strain and renewal. While some alliances slowed as partners lost funding, others deepened, with organizations pooling resources and expertise to bridge gaps and co-fund interventions. Even those not directly affected experienced ripple effects through their partners, absorbing disruptions in joint programmes, funding flows and coordination across the ecosystem, yet responding with solidarity and shared problem-solving. To respond to disruptions, DOT has taken steps to streamline operations and funding, putting greater effort into collaborative partnerships and a networked approach to development impact, leveraging skills and expertise within the network to fulfill project roles. Janet Longmore DOT, Canada Image Ca Schwab Foundation 2026 Awardees and Impact Report18