The Network
Find out more about what we stand for,
who is involved and what our members say about the network
Get to know us
The community of practice offers a dedicated space embracing the collaborative spirit of innovation within mission-driven organisations (such as INGOs and UN agencies). Involved in the network are (1) innovation leaders heading or steering an innovation team in their organisation and (2) staff working in those innovation teams.
These teams range in size and placement in their organisational structure, but they share a common mission to create innovation culture and capacity, infuse innovative methodologies into program design, pioneer new solutions through research and iteration and spearhead innovation funds and challenges. This network stands as a testament to the power of collaboration in propelling meaningful change and driving innovation's role in creating and scaling social and environmental impact.
Some of our members
-
August Ritter
Member of the Founding Steering Group of the IFI Network
Managing Director
The Nature Conservancy -
Anne Merkle
Member of the Founding Steering Group of the IFI Network
Convenor & Chair of Steering Committee -
Julie Michel
Member of the Founding Steering Group of the IFI Network
Director of Innovation
Amnesty International USA -
Christian Graham
Member of the Founding Steering Group of the IFI Network
Experiments Team Co-Lead
Friends of the Earth -
Karen Reijnen
Member of the Founding Steering Group of the IFI Network
Innovation Director
Rainforest Alliance -
Anita Sundari Akella
Member of the Founding Steering Group of the IFI Network
Director, Impact at Scale
CARE USA -
Claudia Ricaurte
Network Coordinator
Innovation for Impact Network -
Jen Chin
Director of Innovation
The Nature Conservancy -
Ashleigh McGovern
VP, Innovation
Conservation International -
Emma-Lee Knape
Head of Innovation Hub for Eastern Africa
UN World Food Programme -
Florian Pomper
Head of Innovation
Caritas Vienna/Caritas Europa -
Pierre Gallien
Director of Innovation, Impact & Information
Humanity & Inclusion -
Johanna Jochim
Manager
UN Innovation Network -
Ruth Blackshaw
Innovation Network Officer
UN Innovation Network -
Dr. Laté Lawson-Lartego
Chief Innovation Officer
Oxfam -
Vanessa Ceia
Global Innovation Lead, Agile
Oxfam -
Morten Högnesen
Head of Program Innovation and Business Engagement
DRC - Danish refugee council -
Mitchell Sava
Vice President of EduLab
National Geographic -
Andrew Brough
Global Innovation Director, LIFT Lab
Save the Children International -
Alicia Rodriguez
Youth & ICT4D Project Coordinator
SOS Children's Villages International -
Maria Berenguer
Head of Youth & ICT4D
SOS Children's Villages International -
Sandra Raad
Head of WFP Innovation Network
UN World Food Programme -
Kevin Green
Vice President
Rare, Center for Behavior & the Environment -
Luke Hayman
Head of Scaling Innovation
Save the Children International -
Rachel Busse
Insight Guide
Alight -
Peter Konijn
Head of Knowledge & Innovation
Wetlands International -
Gift Ntuli
Innovation Specialist
UNDP - United Nations Development Programme -
Steve Dixon
Global MEAL Advisor
IMC - International Medical Corps -
Subodh Kumar
Senior Vice President - Innovation, Data4Good and Theology
Food for the Hungry -
Mariana Prieto
Director Conservation Design
CI - Conservation International -
Raquel Orellana
Director of Co-Creation
Alight -
Munir Ahmad
Global Innovaton Lead
Aga Khan Foundation -
Sarayu Agarwal
Global Innovation and Design Advisor
Aga Khan Foundation -
Anne Partridge
Innovation Fund Lead
IRC - International Rescue Committee -
Prabhash Upadhyaya
Senior Programme Adviser Innovation
UNICEF UK -
Rasha Toghlby
Innovation Advisor
ICRC - International Committee of the Red Cross -
Claudia Geluk
Fundraising & Innovation Officer
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency
Our Manifesto
We are:
Drivers of innovation representing some of the worlds largest INGOs & UN agencies
An inclusive community of innovation practitioners
Working in the social - humanitarian - conservation - space designing the future of NGOs.
An innovative force for social good
Fearless & disruptive
We believe:
The world is changing and we are running out of time
Today's challenges are complex and cross cutting requiring innovative solutions within the NGOs
Bureaucracy and fear of change stand in the way of real impact
Fear of failure and reputation loss paralyzes NGOs and prevents real innovation
Not-for-profits must evolve from legacy to futures thinking, from silos to systems thinking, from compliance to impact
Thus
NGOS are not fully leveraging their potential to solve the challenges of the world
But
Change is possible
NGOs have the potential for transformational impact and that deep know how resides within our collective group to unleash this potential
We will:
Inside our organisations:
Normalise experimentation, human centered design, futures thinking and other innovation practices
Change systems and beliefs from within, where success and mindful failure are equal
Disrupt the status quo by positioning innovation at the center of NGO work
Foster impactful innovation
As a community of practice:
Overcome our deficits and defeat through collective action
Work in collaboration across NGOs as synergies increase pace & depth of change
Catalyze change by sharing innovation best practices
Scale proven innovation practices across organizations
For the NGO space
Change how NGOs work in the world
Build partnerships with organizations around the globe
Support the next generation of innovation leaders
What our members are saying about the network
Highlights from Croatia Gathering 2024
August Ritter
The Nature Conservancy
Julie Michel
Amnesty International