Is blended finance delivering on its promise to mobilize private capital for sustainable development at sclae? Or is it time to rethink the approach? This Impact for Breakfast event will feature an interactive session featuring two of Washington D.C.'s prominent thought leaders on blended finance: Joan Larrea (CEO of Convergence) and Kusi Hornberger (Partner at Dalberg and Founder of Scaling Impact Capital). While not a traditional debate, this conversation will include moments of debate-style dialogue, as the speakers engage with differing perspectives on some of the open questions surrounding blended finance today. Nicholas Institute expert Alix Zwane is co-chapter lead of the Impact for Breakfast D.C. chapter.

Attend the next Impact for Breakfast event, co-hosted in part by Alix Peterson Zwane (Nicholas Institute). In an era of heightened scrutiny and debate about the effectiveness and accountability of foreign aid, the practice of linking payments explicitly to development outcomes is gaining traction. Join others for a light breakfast and coffee and explore the timely and provocative topic: "What's the Role for Outcome Payments in the Future of Development Assistance?" Registration is required.

Decarbonizing the global economy and increasing climate resilience worldwide will require trillions of dollars, largely from private sector investors. What novel mechanisms, collaborative efforts, and policies can accelerate the mobilization of private capital? International and domestic thought leaders will exchange ideas at the second annual “From Billions to Trillions” summit at Duke University.

The landscape of development and development finance is undergoing dramatic shifts, with important ramifications for energy transitions in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Supporting equitable and investable approaches requires strategies and evidence that respond to these shifting dynamics. This event will bring together thought leaders, Duke alumni, students, and practitioners to discuss how impact-driven businesses, private sector capital, and concessional finance can adapt and thrive in this evolving environment.

This Impact for Breakfast event will discuss how international development efforts can adapt in unpredictable times. The Nicholas Institute's Alix Zwane will share her firsthand experience navigating political transitions in Great Britain during her tenure as CEO of Global Innovation Fund. She will then host a fireside chat with Ricki Seideman, a seasoned strategic communications and strategy veteran.

As climate change intensifies, many low- and middle-income countries face a precarious balancing act between addressing urgent climate adaptation and development needs and pursuing clean energy transitions. While these two objectives can be complementary, they also create challenging choices around meeting human development imperatives and decommissioning or avoiding fossil development. This panel will unpack these choices, and present energy transition strategies that put human flourishing at the center. This event is organized by Duke University and will be presented on the Main Stage of the Nest Climate Campus during Climate Week NYC.