OXFORD, England — When Rakesh Rajani was first approached to explore opportunities at Co-Impact, a new model for collaborative philanthropy, he was skeptical.
“The idea that a bunch of billionaires are going to come together and somehow solve the world’s problems — I thought, ‘What is that about?’” he recalled. “I said, ‘I don't think I’m your guy for this. I actually don’t believe in it.’”
But Rajani says the idea that he could be wrong is a posture he brings to everything, especially the things he believes in most deeply. So he decided to take a call with Co-Impact CEO Olivia Leland. Originally from Tanzania, Rajani started and led organizations focused on education, citizen agency, and democracy, before joining the Ford Foundation, and he said he often draws on his background in civil society in his work in philanthropy.