the theory of change
Power, money, and decisionmaking. Closer to the people closest to the work.
I help values-aligned funders and organizations put people at the center of how change gets funded and led, with the human experience guiding the strategy
the problem
Most social impact strategy optimizes the institution. Meanwhile, the resources — money, decisionmaking, power — sit far from the people living the probelms that the work is meant to solve. That distance is where good intentions tend to stall
the approach
My work closes that distance.
Narrative is what connects a problem to the people who live it, to the solution they can see themselves in, and to those holding the resources to back it. It moves in three ways:
Experience becomes power.
When lived experience is treated as expertise, the people closest to the problem hold power, not just need.
ownership becomes power.
When people can see themselves in the path forward, they own the solution rather than receive it.
Access becomes power.
When those holding resources can see where they belong, they move them toward the work.
For funders + organizations
Navigating a generational transition, a strategy shift, or a moment of tension? Let’s build what comes next, together.
For convenors + event hosts
Looking for a speaker who puts people at the center of the conversation? Let’s talk about your room.
“Ricky is an exceptional facilitator who has a rare combination of skills: deep knowledge of board development, systems thinking from an equity lens, and the ability to hold space for complex group dynamics.”
– Steff Rosalez, CEO, Grandville Avenue Arts + Humanities
Ricky Benavidez 