Building community in a changing world

Note: This article was originally published on LinkedIn in English and in El Financiero in Spanish.

Over the past four years, I had the privilege of co-leading the Secretariat of the CIFAR Alliance, a global community bringing together some of the larger financial institutions, investors, innovators, researchers, and development organizations working to advance climate adaptation and resilience through inclusive finance and innovation, collectively representing over USD 200 billion in assets. What began during COVID as a small group of organizations committed to bridging financial inclusion and climate expertise evolved into a collaborative platform spanning multiple countries and sectors, connecting members seeking practical solutions for communities most affected by climate change. 

I have been working on community building since 2012, beginning with the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community. This work is never simple, even in more predictable times, but it becomes particularly complex in the present moment when, as Gramsci wrote, the old world is dying and the new one struggles to be born. In times like these, uncertainty and its monsters are part of the difficult terrain we must navigate.

We were not creating a traditional network. We were nurturing a space where institutions that often operate in parallel could listen and trust each other, and where colleagues at different stages of our climate journey could exchange perspectives, challenge ideas, and identify opportunities for collaboration. We tried to bridge communities that do not always naturally converge, financial inclusion and investors, with climate adaptation practitioners and experts. A space to better understand the realities faced by communities experiencing the daily impacts of climate change, and to explore how finance, innovation, and collective action can respond in meaningful ways, all while the broader climate adaptation and development field was still finding its footing.

The reflections below are lessons I carry with humility from the privilege of helping build this community, alongside amazing colleagues:

1. Trust takes time and sits at the center of everything

Trust cannot be accelerated through process alone. It grows through consistency, openness, and moments of shared vulnerability. As often said, impact moves at the speed of trust. Communities strengthen when members can express not only ambitions but also fears, uncertainties, and constraints. It takes a village.

2. Culture does not happen by accident 

Culture shapes whether a community becomes transactional or transformational. Being intentional about tone, diversity, inclusion, respect, humor, and curiosity creates the conditions for people to truly participate. As the well known saying goes, culture eats strategy for breakfast. Shared values, simple governance guidelines, and clear decision or voting mechanisms, even when lightweight, signal fairness, transparency, and shared ownership.

3. Authenticity matters more than positioning 

People recognize quickly whether a space is designed for collective progress or for individual visibility. Being transparent about motivations builds credibility. People offer their most valuable asset, their time, only when they feel the exchange is meaningful.

4. Tools should support interaction, not replace it 

Platforms and tools can enable collaboration, use them thoughtfully and do not put them at the center. A simple touch, don’t always share your screen, only when necessary. Let people see each other, even virtually. Connection happens between people, words, ideas and laughter, not between slides.

5. Meet members where they are 

Communities cannot be built by imposing agendas, meet people where they are instead of expecting them to follow your agenda. Membership grows by understanding where members already see value and building bridges between priorities. Alignment often emerges through listening rather than talking.

6. Results are difficult to measure but essential to sustain momentum 

Community impact is often indirect and long term, especially in climate, but tracking even the small stuff and signals of progress really matters. Designing simple frameworks using AI tools, documenting exchanges, and building dashboards helps make collaboration visible and keep momentum-commitment alive. 

7. Funding community is hard.

You will hear many NO’s, and that is probably the hardest part of the job. Know and treasure your champions. Know who understands the value of community and stay close to them. They make the work possible, and when tough times come, they will stay the course.

8. Lead with your heart. 

Communities respond to genuine commitment. Consistency, generosity, and clarity of intention matter more than visibility or performance.

9. Moments of uncertainty create openings for connection 

Periods of disruption/fear often accelerate collaboration. When people are searching for orientation, community can offer perspective, support, and shared direction.

10. Think inside the box (I know, this might sound unpopular) 

A world without constraints does not exist. Innovation happens within limits, not outside them. The most meaningful solutions come from imagining possibilities with the cards we hold in our hands. Constraints keep us grounded and often make ideas stronger, and can also save you from countless meetings that lead nowhere.

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These are some of the humbling lessons I carry from this journey, shared in the hope that they may serve others doing this important work of building-growing community. 

We explore many of these ideas in greater depth in the CIFAR Alliance Ecosystem Playbook, a publication developed together with my dear colleague and founder of the Alliance, David del Ser, which reflects our collective experience designing and nurturing innovation ecosystems grounded in trust, collaboration, and shared purpose.

As an African proverb says, If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. That is at the heart of it all. 

A short video capturing moments of this wonderful experience here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPUyPInIbB4