At Rise Up Together, we know that advancing gender justice requires more than leadership skills – it requires access, strategy, and the ability to navigate systems that have historically excluded local leaders and community-rooted organizations. That’s why our Leadership and Advocacy Accelerators include a distinctive and transformative feature: donor panels.
Far from a standard fundraising session, these virtual panels put leaders in direct conversation with funders who are shaping the field and resourcing systems change that benefits women, girls, and gender-nonconforming people around the world.
As Josie Ramos, Rise Up Together’s Director of Learning, explained, “Donor panels give Rise Up Leaders the chance to engage directly with funders, learn different funding strategies, and build understanding that strengthens their ability to advance change in their communities.” In other words, these panels offer a space where learning, exposure, and partnership intersect – a space that opens a level playing field in ways traditional philanthropy rarely does.
Power and access are central to the value of donor panels. Traditional funding systems are often opaque, invitation-only, or weighted toward large or well-established organizations, leaving smaller, community-rooted groups at a disadvantage.
Our panels help demystify philanthropy and create a counterweight to these barriers. Josie described it this way: “Donor panels reduce the distance between leaders and funders. We start by asking donors to share their stories – how they came into this space, what motivates them. Engaging with these personal experiences makes funders feel more human, approachable, and accessible.”
The panels also model authentic partnership. Leaders ask bold, strategic questions, and funders gain insight into the realities, innovations, and challenges occurring on the ground.
“Leaders ask thoughtful questions and donors listen. We lay a foundation for mutual trust,” Josie noted. “We frame donors as partners in change and collaborators in a shared mission. That mindset begins to shift the power dynamic in profound ways.”
Our donor panels normalize access, cultivate mutual learning, and reinforce the idea that donor relationships are meant to be collaborative, not extractive.
Timing and context are carefully considered.
Panels are held after each Leadership and Advocacy Accelerator, once leaders have built strong peer relationships and are actively developing proposals. This timing matters: peer trust emboldens leaders to ask challenging, strategic questions and fosters rich, candid dialogue with funders. Virtual panels have expanded this even further, bringing international funders into conversation with leaders from multiple countries and creating a truly global learning environment.
The panels leave leaders better equipped to navigate the funding landscape,” Josie reflected.
“Even without direct follow-up, leaders gain clarity on funding strategies, learn what funders prioritize, and leave with confidence to navigate spaces that may have once felt out of reach.”
Donor panels represent the intersection of learning, exposure, and real-world application that makes Rise Up Together’s Accelerator model truly unique. They demystify philanthropy, normalize access to funders, and create a space where leaders can grow, ask questions, and emerge more prepared to secure resources for their organizations and communities.
As Josie put it, “The more accessible and collaborative these spaces are, the more effective our leaders can be in driving progress in gender equity and justice.” At the heart of every donor panel is a simple principle: leaders and funders are partners in change. Through these conversations, Rise Up Leaders gain not only knowledge, but confidence, connection, and a clearer path to creating a world where everyone can thrive.
