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Learning as a survival strategy: Insights from Donika Dimovska
At a time when the world faces growing challenges and increasingly constrained resources, learning is not a luxury—it is a survival strategy. In a new opinion piece for Alliance magazine, Donika Dimovska, Chief Knowledge Officer at the Jacobs Foundation, reflects on why foundations must prioritize learning and adaptability to meet the demands of today’s complex environment.
In the face of shrinking foreign aid budgets, rising needs, and mounting pressures for immediate results, Dimovska emphasizes that funders must move beyond traditional approaches. Effective philanthropy today requires not only investing in what works, but also embracing intelligent failure, learning in real time, and having the courage to pivot when necessary.
Drawing on the Jacobs Foundation’s learning journey since launching Strategy 2030, she highlights some of the key tensions philanthropic organizations must navigate—balancing simplicity and complexity, independence and influence, and accountability and the freedom to learn.
At the Jacobs Foundation, we believe that building a world where every child can thrive depends on our ability to learn, adapt, and lead with evidence. As Dimovska’s piece underscores, meaningful change happens not by aiming for perfection, but by embracing curiosity and ensuring that learning is embedded at every step of the way.