What We Do

We work to make the country a place where economic opportunity is shared equitably. To do this, codify evidence-based strategies and amplify them deeper within systems – specifically within and between the public funding and philanthropic systems.

SystemsChange brings a strategic eye to identifying, braiding, unlocking, and optimizing funding within the public system to catalyze and sustain economic mobility. We identify available funding for optimization and create Action Memos that include:

  • Identified amounts of mandatory public funding to meet the objective and actions necessary to access the funding

  • Identified available private funding to meet the objective and actions necessary to access the funding

  • An example of braiding to align and optimize the funding

These are available at the national, state, and community levels for impact.

Focus Areas of Support

  • Adaptive Re-use of Public Buildings

    Adaptive reuse involves repurposing existing buildings for a new function, rather than demolishing them. This approach offers a sustainable and cost-effective way to revitalize urban areas, preserve historical architecture, and reduce waste.

    SystemsChange can work with you to provide develop a playbook on optimal uses of properties, community engagement, and identified funding streams

  • Affordable and Attainable Workforce Housing

    “Thriving communities rely on a robust workforce to fuel economic growth. Workforce Housing plays a crucial role in attracting and retaining talent, ensuring that local businesses have access to a steady pool of employees. By enabling workers to live near their workplaces, Workforce Housing reduces commute times, increases productivity, and stimulates local economies.” — DeNova Homes

    SystemsChange can work with you to provide the blueprint for success — community input, capital stacks, developer identification, etc.

  • Automatic and Universal 529 Plans

    Research show that among low-moderate-income (LMI) children, 72% with school savings of $500 or more enroll in college. Some college experience increases lifetime earnings by over $240,000 and an associates degree increases lifetime earnings by over $420,000. Tax advantaged savings plans, like 529 plans, can assist with small dollar school savings.

    SystemsChange can work with you to build a place-based automatic and universal Omnibus 529 plan.

  • Braiding and Blending of Resources

    Blending and braiding are both strategies for combining funding from multiple sources to support a program or initiative, but they differ in how the funds are used and tracked. Blending involves commingling funds from different sources into a single pot, while braiding involves coordinating and aligning different funding streams while maintaining their separate identities and tracking costs.

    SystemsChange has deep experience in identifying resources to meet an objective and using braid and blend techniques to sustainably fund the important social impact.

  • Mandatory Public Funding Optimization

    There are certain types of public funding that the federal government is mandated by law and payments must be made. The primary type of mandatory federal public funding is formula funding, also referred to as block grants. This is a type of non-competitive grant that distributes funds to state and local governments based on a formula set by Congress through law. The federal government allocates funds to a state agency that then re-allocates or awards the funds to eligible groups.

    SystemsChange is highly proficient in mandatory funds across federal agencies and can support strategies in accessing the funds.