Driving Systems Change Together 

United Way of the Greater Capital Region welcomed community leaders, partners, and changemakers to the Blake Annex for a special gathering focused on an ambitious idea: systems change.

For 100 years, United Way has brought people together to address immediate needs, but United Way President and CEO, Peter Gannon emphasized that today’s challenges demand something deeper.

“Systems-change is more than a buzzword,” he said. “The issues we face as a community don’t have one-size-fits-all solutions. They require long-term investments, creative approaches, and the engagement of people who live with these challenges every single day.”

That vision is what gave rise to the Luminosity Collaborative, United Way’s multi-year effort to support early-stage ideas, test bold approaches, and foster leadership in equity-driven problem solving. From SPARK, to SHINE, to the current initiative, Luminosity has grown into a platform for transformative work.

To date, United Way has supported 23 individual leaders and invested more than $700,000 in community-based organizations driving innovation—all while maintaining its century-long role of creating space for different perspectives and meeting urgent needs.

A Conversation with Changemakers

The panel discussion brought together leaders from across the three phases of Luminosity. Each panelist shared their experience navigating complex issues in new ways:

• Dr. Renee Rodriguez Goodemote of the Community Health Center & Saratoga Hospital described how her team cultivates neutral, collaborative spaces for health equity. By focusing on trust and inclusivity, they’ve created room for diverse partners to co-create solutions.

• Kathy McNiece & Andy Gilpin from CAPTAIN Community Services underscored that how organizations work together is just as important as what they do. They spoke about how Luminosity encouraged them to keep asking, “How do we show up together differently?”

• Jammella Anderson, founder of Free Food Fridge, spoke about shifting the narrative around hunger. What began as a mutual aid effort has grown into a community-driven movement. As Anderson explained, “It’s neighbors supporting neighbors.”

• Reverend Dr. Amaury Tañón-Santos, with Sycamore Collaborative, shared how organizations must stay flexible in uncertain times. He spoke candidly about pivoting in response to shifting social and economic pressures.

• Jane Ginsburg of Jewish Family Services reflected on youth mental health and how systems change requires new evaluation methods. Instead of focusing only on numbers, her team prioritizes “learning as strategy”—capturing stories and building solutions that last.

• Claire Reid, United Way’s Chief Impact Officer, highlighted the organization’s unique role as both funder and learner. By gathering diverse perspectives and walking alongside partners, United Way has been able to rethink how resources are shared and how systems evolve.

Lessons on Progress

The panelists also addressed one of the hardest questions: How do you measure success in systems change?
Traditional funding models want to see immediate impact through numbers and percentage points.

Progress, they emphasized, doesn’t always follow a straight line. Instead, it looks like building trust and laying the groundwork for transformation that may take years to come into full view.

Systems change isn’t just a strategy—it’s a movement.
And when community members, nonprofits, and funders commit to working differently, we create the conditions for lasting equity and opportunity.