Not the next quarter. Not the next election cycle. Not the next sustainability report. The future.

The kind of future where a young woman escaping violence can access dignified work. Where communities in remote regions can shape their own development. Where social mobility is not an exception but a possibility. Where prosperity is shared, not concentrated.

“My greatest motivation to lead the work at One is to witness value-generating projects whose results are sustainable over time and drive new initiatives” – Monica Gil Ryan

Throughout my career, I have worked at the intersection of public policy, private sector leadership, and social transformation. Those experiences taught me that lasting change does not happen by accident. It requires intention, resources, patience, and above all, trust.

That conviction is what led us at One Inversión Social to rethink a fundamental question: how can capital become a force for transformation?

At One, we believe social investment is not charity. It is one of the most strategic investments a society can make. We connect philanthropists, families, companies, and foundations with initiatives capable of generating measurable, sustainable, and systemic impact. Our work is based on a simple premise: resources create greater value when they are deployed with rigor, purpose, and a long-term vision.

Yet despite growing conversations around ESG, sustainability, and corporate citizenship, many important questions remain unanswered.

Why do we continue to finance short-term solutions for long-term problems? Why do we expect communities facing generations of exclusion to demonstrate transformational outcomes in six or twelve months? Why do we still measure social progress primarily through outputs rather than through lasting changes in people’s lives? And perhaps most importantly: Why do we trust financial markets to think in decades but expect social transformation to happen overnight?

One of the most common mistakes in philanthropy is impatience. We want immediate indicators. We want certainty. We want guarantees. But social change does not operate according to quarterly reporting cycles.

The most meaningful transformations often begin with something difficult to quantify: trust. Trust between organizations and communities. Trust between funders and local leaders. Trust that allows experimentation, learning, adaptation, and growth.

My two experiences at Harvard Business School reinforced the importance of technical rigor, evidence-based decision-making, policy design, and measurement. These tools matter deeply. Data matters. Evaluation matters.

But the field taught me something equally important. No framework, however sophisticated, can replace listening.

The leaders who understand the challenges of a territory are often the people who live there every day. Community organizations, grassroots leaders, local entrepreneurs, and social innovators frequently possess knowledge that no external consultant can replicate.

The role of philanthropy is not to arrive with all the answers. Its role is to identify those already creating solutions, provide them with patient and flexible capital, and help them scale what is already working.

This is where the private sector has an extraordinary opportunity.

For decades, many companies approached social responsibility as an activity adjacent to business. A donation here. A project there. A photograph for the annual report. That model is no longer enough.

The companies shaping the future are integrating social impact into their core operations. They are strengthening local supply chains, diversifying procurement, investing in talent development, supporting entrepreneurship, and using their operational capabilities to address challenges within their ecosystems.

The question is no longer whether companies should contribute to social transformation. The question is how intentionally they are doing it.

Because every allocation of capital is ultimately a statement about the future we want to build. Every investment reflects a belief. Every philanthropic decision reveals a priority. Every partnership sends a signal about whose voices matter and whose solutions deserve support.

So I return to the question. Who is financing the future?

Governments cannot do it alone. Communities should not have to do it alone. And philanthropy, while powerful, will never be enough if it remains disconnected from the broader economic system.

The future will be financed by those willing to think beyond immediate returns. By leaders who understand that prosperity and social cohesion are inseparable. By companies that recognize impact as a strategic asset. By philanthropists who combine the discipline of analysis with the humility of listening.

Most importantly, it will be financed by those who understand that social transformation is not an expense. It is an investment.

The challenge before us is not whether resources exist. The challenge is whether we have the courage, the patience, and the vision to direct them where they matter most.

Because the future is already being financed. The real question is: are we investing in the right one?

If this conversation resonates with you, I’d love to continue it. Let’s rethink together how philanthropy, business, and long-term social investment can help finance the future we all want to build.

Follow the conversation:
LinkedIn: Mónica Gil Ryan (linkedin.com/in/monica-gil-coca-5bb08143)
Instagram: @monicagilryan

In 2024, this organization consolidated its commitment to a social investment model that combines purpose, strategy, and sustainability, connecting donors with revolutionary leaders who run organizations and social enterprises that respond to Colombia’s most important challenges, aimed at reducing inequality and poverty, improving quality of life, and protecting natural resources.

A model born out of urgency, but also of hope

Colombia is one of the most biodiverse countries per square meter on the planet, rich in a variety of plants, birds, and ecosystems. However, it is one of the most unequal: 39% of its population lives in poverty, and 12% in extreme poverty. In this context, more than 200,000 social organizations struggle to survive, and more than 80% do not survive more than two years of operation due to the lack of sustainable models, the absence of monitoring systems, the high dependence on donations, and weak teamwork.

Barista School students. Photo credit: One Inversión Social.

With your help, we can break this cycle. Donate here today to learn more and to help strengthen the delicate social fabric of Colombia.

Faced with this reality, ONE is committed to a different form of philanthropy, moving from the traditional to the strategic, that is, developing a model that goes beyond the donation. Through its BeOne methodology, ONE offers patient capital, strategic accompaniment, capacity building, access to networks, and collective leadership.

During 2024, ONE allocated a total of $472,807 USD in patient capital and $70,926 USD in strategic capital backed by more than 400 hours of direct accompaniment.

Some of the stories that make the impact visible:

1. Coffee, education, and life projects

In Medellín, the One Forest project, in partnership with the Juguemos en el Bosque Foundation, has converted a tuk-tuk into a Mobile Barista School to train young people in situations of vulnerability or poverty. By 2024, 44 young people had graduated, 65% had access to jobs, and their income had increased by 550%.

The tuk-tuk was converted into a Mobile Barista School. Photo credit: One Inversión Social.

Imagine what we can achieve together. Every contribution you donate sows opportunities like this. Support here!

“With a cup of coffee as a symbol of hope, we show that when opportunities come along, lives really can be transformed.” – Lucas Velilla, director of Juguemos en el Bosque Foundation.

2. Light for the nights of La Guajira

In areas where electricity is a luxury, the Casa Grata project, in partnership with Tierra Grata, installed more than 886 solar systems, benefiting 4,000 users and generating a reduction of 733 tons of CO₂ (carbon dioxide equivalent from the use of clean energy).

The installation of more than 886 solar systems, benefiting 4,000 users. Photo credit: One Inversión Social.

One was a real and tangible driver of transformation. Beyond the investment, it gave us the strength to grow and bring dignity to thousands of homes where not only light is the protagonist, but also security, opportunities, employment, study, and well-being.’ – Jennifer Colpas, Co-founder of Tierra Grata.

3. Ballet FROM and FOR everyone

With the Ballet Metropolitano de Medellín, ONE supported the democratization of dance, reaching audiences that had never entered a theatre or seen ballet. The working conditions of the artists were improved, new jobs were created, and works such as BOTERO were brought to more than 4,300 people.

Ballet Metropolitano de Medellín. Photo credit: One Inversión Social.

“The financial and strategic capital provided to our organization represented an increase in quality and outreach indicators; we reached more people with their contribution. But, beyond this support, the value that we highlight today is the trust that allows us to believe in and create new possibilities for the professionalization of ballet in the country through dance.” – Juliana Acosta, director of the Ballet Metropolitano de Medellín.

Are you passionate about art with social impact? Donate and help democratize culture. DONATE NOW.

4. La Pascasia

In the heart of Medellín, La Pascasia has become a cultural meeting point. In 2024 more than 30,000 people attended its events with a strong component of cultural democratization with 569 artists benefiting.

La Pascasia is a cultural meeting point hosting events benefiting over 569 artists. Photo credit: One Inversión Social.

‘Thanks to ONE, we were able to expand our programming, open more days, offer more subsidized tickets, and improve remuneration to artists compared to 2023. Thus, art became more accessible. – Jaime Suárez, Administrative Manager of La Pascasia.

5. Strengthening businesses to strengthen communities

With the 4Impact program, in alliance with Créame Incubadora de Empresas, 172 companies were supported to improve their capacities and connect them to value chains. The result: more jobs, more income, and a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem.

‘They didn’t just add resources: they added purpose. That made the difference”. – Juan Manuel Higuita, director of Créame.

A better future is possible if we do it together

The 4Impact program. Photo credit: One Inversión Social.

ONE has shown that it is not necessary to wait for a political or economic miracle to transform the harsh reality that Colombia is living. With well-thought-out decisions, well-invested resources, and added to the conviction that a better country is possible, a more dignified life for countless Colombians is possible. In 2025, they will continue to seek strategic allies who share that vision both in Colombia and beyond. ONE is more than an organization: it is a community determined to be part of the solution.

‘The road ahead may present challenges, but I am convinced that together, we have the vision, passion, and determination to overcome them. Every investment we make, every partnership we forge, and every life we transform brings us closer to our goal of creating a more equitable and sustainable Colombia – Mónica Gil, CEO of One Social Investment.

You, too, can be part of this transformative community. Join ONE with a significant donation. Make it here!

Photos courtesy: One Inversión Social.