For more than 15 years, Social Finance has worked with partners across sectors to implement programs that deliver measurable impact. But we want this knowledge to extend beyond our immediate partners, to build the field’s understanding and adoption of effective practices.
Overview
Through the Social Finance Institute, in partnership with affiliatedFellows and Senior Advisors, academic scholars, and practitioners, we produce actionableresearch and tools to drive changes in policy and practice at scale. The Institute’s work spans three areas, aimed at accelerating the use of innovative funding models to achieve impact: actionable resources and publications, cohort and learning modules, and educational outreach and advocacy.
The Social Finance Institute is a platform that provides research, evidence, and engagement for practitioners in partnership with leading scholars. The Institute team is bolstered by affiliated Fellows and Advisors and an independent Advisory Council.
The goals of the Social Finance Institute mirror our own goals as a funder pursuing scaled approaches to economic mobility for learners from low-income backgrounds. By building evidence and strategically engaging decision-makers in understanding what works and under what conditions, the Institute is poised to catalyze systemic change at a larger scale.
Carolynn Lee
Deputy Director - Education Grantmaking, Ascendium Education Group
No compensation was provided in exchange for testimonial.
Knowledge Development
Outside of the Institute, we work with funders and partners across sectors to conduct research and write publications. We often document lessons from the field or investigate key questions in blog posts, articles, and reports.
![Seven people in business attire posing for a group photo in front of a large screen.](https://socialfinance.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/fed-event-e1794429093970-500x386.jpg")
![Female Students Walking Outdoors On University Campus](https://socialfinance.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/anchor-institutions-report_two-students-walking-on-campus-scaled-e1667864440723-250x250.jpeg")