Trust That Shifts Power: A Talanoa (dialogue) on philanthropy and locally led adaptation

About this event

Finance shapes not only what adaptation work gets done but also who decides, whose knowledge matters, how risk is shared and whether communities have the freedom to respond to changing circumstances. This dialogue will bring together community representatives, philanthropic funders, intermediaries and adaptation practitioners for an open conversation on trust, power and locally led adaptation. It will not be a panel or a series of institutional presentations. Participants will share experiences, listen to different perspectives and explore what trust-based funding looks like in practice. Some of the expected dialogue participants include various community groups, Plastic Solutions Fund, Turning Tides Facility, Samdhana Institute, Jesuit Refugee Service and many more. Our central question is: 💡What would adaptation finance look and feel like if communities had genuine power to shape decisions, use resources and define success? The conversation will explore: ✨ When has trust enabled communities to act—and when has its absence created barriers? ✨ What behaviours and funding practices build genuine trust? ✨ What prevents funders from sharing power, providing flexibility or accepting uncertainty? ✨ What could funders, intermediaries and community partners do differently? By the end of the session, we hope to have identified practical changes that can make adaptation funding more responsive to local priorities, more equitable in decision-making, and more supportive of long-term relationships. 💬More information here: https://adaptationresearchalliance.org/knowledge-base/adaptation-research-alliance-ara/trust-that-shifts-power-a-talanoa-dialogue-on-philanthropy-and-locally-led-adaptation/ ☕Coffee and snacks will be served.