Organizations that employ a network or community approach all face the same never-ending challenge: fundraising!

Welcome to the Networks Festival's Pitch Sessions where network practitioners have the opportunity to share their network messages and story and engage with funder feedback in a dynamic and engaging setting.

Many network practitioners struggle to secure the resources they need to achieve their goals and bring their ideas to life. Many funders are interested in supporting networks more fully – but struggle to justify how proposals from networks match their own goals.

This session will feature a jury of funders who will listen intently to diverse network leaders as they practice justifying their network's model and approach – and offer feedback to help networks hone their message to better appeal to funders interests and needs. Although only a few leaders will have the opportunity to pitch, everybody learns from the process.

The pitch will be followed by a short dialogue around how funders can also adapt their own practices to be more receptive to network-based models and approaches.

This is one of two pitch sessions hosted at this year's networks festival.

What do I gain from participating?

Network leaders will:

• Learn how to effectively communicate your network's value and impact
• Understand how to "make the case" to attract resources and scale your initiatives
• Have the opportunity to offer direct feedback to funders for how they can adapt their own structures to better support network practitioners

Network Leaders & Funders

Badin Borde is project manager at Siemens Stiftung in the work area education. His work focuses on climate change education and the foundation's international education networks in Africa, Europe and Latin America. Connecting spatiality and education, he operationalizes local networks of STEM education, education for sustainable development and climate change education internationally.

Cathrin Jerie is Program Manager at the Jacob Foundation focusing on creating multi-
stakeholder coalitions to improve cross-sectoral cooperation. The ultimate goal is to
contribute to a better education system by bridging research with practice for the benefit of
more effective education solutions. Cathrin is also responsible for the exclusive community of
Jacobs Fellows from different sectors. In that capacity she has built partnerships with
different universities, accelerators, and thinktanks to co-create our fellowship programs, has
launched a platform, which is the virtual home of the fellows and ensures that the network is
not only strong online but also offline. Prior to her role at the Jacobs Foundation she worked in the health sector advocating for better standards in maternal and newborn health. Before that she was a journalist at a regional Swiss newspaper pioneering the role of a cross media reporter.

Victoria Cabral has extensive experience implementing collective impact approaches, having worked with government agencies, grassroots organisations, activists, and funders to establish and strengthen citizen participation mechanisms, promoting transparency, accountability, and responsiveness in service delivery. As a Director of Citizen Voice and Alliances at Child Rights Network International in London, Victoria leads the organisation’s efforts to become an intersectional feminist and anti-oppressive practice-based organisation. Victoria’s previous experience was in the health sector, where she convened and managed numerous networks and coalitions that brought together communities with lived experience of mental health inequalities and statutory organisations responsible for planning and delivering services to tackle mental health inequalities at a systemic level. Victoria holds a degree in Law from the University of Nottingham and a Master’s Degree in Human Rights from University College London (London). 

Arun Venkatesan is the Co-founder and CEO of Villgro USA, and is currently focused on co-designing a 'Global Network of Impact Incubators' that spans ecosystems in Africa, SE Asia and S Asia. He is continuing past roles as business leader and innovator directing the development of innovative concepts into tangible entities. Arun has worked with various small-scale and start-up companies both in the US and India, in a product development capacity leveraging academic research groups and independent development teams. He has extensive experience coordinating development projects using external vendors for rapid turn-around of various product components. 

Hosted at the Pitch Tent

As the sun beats down on the vibrant network festival grounds, a colorful tent catches your attention. In the “Pitch Tent: Where Network Leaders and Funders Meet" people mingle and engage in lively conversation. In one corner, a group brainstorms ways to evaluate the impact of their collaborative efforts. Others discuss the potential for funding networks to create systems change. As attendees say their goodbyes and exchange their contact details, the sense of excitement for future collaboration lingers in the air.

What is the Networks Festival?

Embark on a month-long journey filled with connection, curiosity, and play bringing together thousands of changemakers, funders, conveners, companies, and governments to explore the power of networks to transform our world.

As you step into the festival grounds, you'll be greeted by a buzzing atmosphere of excitement and innovation. Everywhere you look, there are people eagerly discussing the latest breakthroughs in network theory, sharing stories of how networks have changed their lives and communities, and dreaming up new ways to harness the power of connections.

Leveraging the power of lived experience, we will strengthen our collective practice, directly increase funding opportunities for networks, and foster new collaborations to scale innovations and amplify transformational impact on the lives of billions around the world.

Whether you're a seasoned networker, curious changemaker, or philanthropist interest in "doing things differently" – there's something for everyone at the Networks Festival. Join us!