Full Report

Winds that sustain

Team and governance

Eyes on the horizon

Beja by Cristiane Sultani

Currents of
the year

Winds that sustain

Team and governance

Ventos que sustentam

Equipe e governança

Currents of
the year

Listen to the poem:

Always forward

I am always ahead of your gaze,

They cannot reach me, but they try to follow me;

I am the line where the sky meets the sea,

I am a promise that insists on existing.

They cannot touch me, but they feel my call,

I am the distance that invites you to continue;

I guide steps that learn to trust

In what is yet to be built.

I have seen rivers flow without knowing

Whether the sea would be shelter or vastness;

I have seen seeds break through to grow.

I am a limit, but also a direction.

I am that which teaches us to remain

Looking beyond one’s own condition.

I am silence before the new step,

I am the risk that broadens vision;

I am the space between fear and trait

That transforms intention into action.

I am not a full stop or a farewell,

I am an invitation to go further;

I am the line that projects life

Into a time yet to come.

Who am I?

Philanthropy, in its meaning, is the “deep love of humanity,” the “generosity and selflessness towards others,” as presented in the dictionary. Of course, the concept goes far beyond just relating this connection between people. It needs to be updated to include nature and the planet. However, it was this wealth of care that motivated Cristiane Sultani to found Instituto Beja in 2021, and since then, the institution has sought to translate this philanthropy into systemic, courageous, and, above all, risk-taking action. “We were born to discuss and think together about new ways of acting and investing, through listening,” points out Cristiane. On a daily basis, we call this “oxygenation.”

In a scenario of intense “polycrisis,” that is, in which climatic, social, and democratic challenges are intertwined, Instituto Beja is betting on “polycapital”: mobilizing not only financial resources, but also repertoires, networks, and the ability to influence change.

The organization thus becomes a living laboratory in which family philanthropic capital is free to experiment, make mistakes, and adjust course with agility. “Our mission is to strengthen the infrastructure of philanthropy in Brazil, ensuring that it is more collaborative, technological, and deeply committed to racial justice and democracy,” says the founder.

“Beja’s great differentiator is experimenting, being open to mistakes and learning from those mistakes quickly. I would also highlight joint construction and listening to the field. It’s not what we think, but what we hear.”

Photo: Jonatha Bongestab

Check out Cristiane’s interview on the five-year history of Instituto Beja, marked by constant learning.

Throughout its five-year history, Instituto Beja has sought to be innovative in its philanthropic activities. What do we mean when we refer to the organization’s catalytic purpose?

Cristiane Sultani - In Brazil, philanthropy is still considered small compared to international standards. And small does not simply mean in terms of the value of donated resources, but also in terms of its potential. Obviously, there are exceptions to the rule, but on average, the result still falls short of what is expected from the potential of philanthropy in Brazil, whether with resources from current philanthropists or with the entry of new ones. When we say that Beja has a catalytic purpose, we are referring to how these resources should be used systematically and efficiently to the point that they can multiply their effects, that is, attract new capital or new resources of different kinds to the field.

On different occasions, you mention that, in view of the polycrisis that humanity is currently experiencing, it is necessary to use polycapital. What does that mean?

Cristiane Sultani- The polycrisis is what we are currently experiencing: climate crisis, geopolitical wars, resource scarcity, the planet’s inability to support the current number of people and the way resources are used today. Polycapital, on the other hand, is exactly how catalytic not only the use of financial resources can be, but also the other capitals that we all have: whether it be business capital, professional knowledge, networks, the ability to relate, institutional influence, etc. Sometimes, the most important thing is not Beja’s financial resources for organizations, but the network, the contacts, the opening of channels that is done. This is where we place polycrisis and polycapital.

You point out in your remarks that “philanthropic capital is venture capital. Beja, the [Institute] takes great risks in the name of learning. Because without experimentation, there is no innovation.” Why do you say that this is venture capital?

Cristiane Sultani - There is a discussion in philanthropy about control and lack of trust. So, regardless of the effort and impact caused by civil society organizations, philanthropy has power over the use of capital. If relationships of trust are not established, you increasingly want to control the use of money. Why do I say it is risky? Because free donation also presupposes the transfer of control. Obviously, we work with methodologies, tools, and criteria that can minimize risk, but it exists. The government cannot risk capital because it is accountable for its taxpayers’ money; companies, in most cases, have partners; publicly traded companies are accountable to their investors. So, for me, the real capital that can take risks in the service of society to experiment and innovate is family philanthropy capital. That is why I insist that it must be efficient, but with more confidence in what is being done and more appetite for innovation.

And how has this venture capital marked the Instituto Beja’s journey since its creation?

Cristiane Sultani - For example, we understand that collaboration brings efficiency to the process, so we create laboratories where we can experiment with this collaboration with other partners, in addition to fostering an environment not only for experimentation but also for the adoption of new practices, seeking innovation around the world. Sometimes innovation is not about bringing a new idea, but rather doing things differently from what is already being done.

Thus, based on this scenario of polycrisis, technological issues, and all the current opportunities that exist, we are always putting capital where we can effectively experiment with what is being discussed. And we believe that this capital is risky because it can make and correct mistakes quickly, which is important.

With Beja, for example, after a year and a half, we saw that the mission was not being efficient. So, we completely changed it to work on the infrastructure of philanthropy in Brazil. This rapid change creates the prospect that this venture capital can be made available for experimentation.

How were the Programmatic Axes chosen: Philanthropy Infrastructure, Democracy, and Racial Justice? How do these Axes relate to the mission of promoting positive impact in the field of philanthropy and fostering innovation, collaboration, effectiveness, and societal engagement to solve systemic problems?

Cristiane Sultani - Our mission is to strengthen the infrastructure of philanthropy , as we believe that philanthropy in Brazil needs to expand collaboration and increase investment in technology and public policy advocacy. Much is being done, but more is needed. So, we work in this area of cultural change, providing examples, experimenting, using venture capital, as I mentioned before, to foster new ideas. Although we have only been pursuing this new mission for a short time, we have gained recognition from the sector in this regard and attracted new partners. This has made a lot of sense.

The Racial Justice axis is fundamental given the gap we have in Brazil. When we have a country where the majority of the population is black and brown, but all rankings show that positions in the market are not being occupied by this population, we see the need to act on the racial issue. Economist Eduardo Giannetti always points out that you cannot change a country when a child is born with a different set of opportunities. In other words, if we do not act on this issue, we will never end inequalities. So, for me, this is very profound. We cannot get used to inequalities. It is a matter of dignity.

In the democracy axes, we still have very few philanthropists working in this regard. Our perspective is to work to create and increase the possibility of exercising citizenship rights, so that citizens understand the importance of democracy and do not underestimate it due to polarization or candidate preference.

Today, we understand that in order to have an efficient and coherent infrastructure [for philanthropy], we need to work on these other two axes: Democracy and Racial Justice.

One of the aspects mentioned in the Instituto Beja’s manifesto is the mission to oxygenate philanthropy, because as the world changes, philanthropy needs to innovate. What advances has the Institute made since its creation in 2021?

Cristiane Sultani - We have some interesting initiatives to share in this regard. For example, we have managed to establish an alliance to work in a structured way to improve the legal and tax infrastructure for philanthropy.

At first, it was understood that a better tax environment would attract more private social capital. The movement was started by Beja and immediately adopted by other institutions to engage in collaborative advocacy, working to promote changes in order to exempt donations from tax and other issues, such as those related to endowment funds.

We saw this action as a paradigm shift. Today, the alliance is firmly established, having secured a victory on the issue of thegift tax and gained the trust of many institutions.

In a short period of time, this leadership was recognized and today is everything we dream of, as it is a co-leadership in which several institutions actually work together in partnership, in a sense of trust and collective understanding.

Another example of a bolder initiative is the global partnership and creation of the Center for Exponential Change (CMe), which is the Brazilian hub of a global support network for System Orchestrators*. We understood that several governments were investing in new technologies and that there were models in India, China, and the United States, but in Brazil, more investment was
needed. We didn’t know where to start, because it’s not our area of expertise, but we used the capital to take that risk based on a model that was already being used in India, a center that had been created there and was looking for global partners. So Beja came in as a global partner of major philanthropies—Nilekani Philanthropies (India), New Profit (US), Skoll Foundation (Global), Waverley Street Foundation (Global), and Yellowwoods Foundation (South Africa)—from the Global South to co-found the Centre for Exponential Change [C4EC], a global network that now has hubs in South Africa, Rwanda, and India, in addition to Brazil. Another key point of this partnership is the establishment of the Global South as a priority.

Therefore, for me, this partnership is a breath of fresh air. In India, philanthropy and private social investment played an important role in building the technological infrastructure that enabled the government to create a digital identity system and a unified registry for its 1.4 billion inhabitants. It is stories like these that inspire us to think about what is possible here. So, we have the C4EC hub in Brazil, the CMe (Centro para Mudanças Exponenciais), which has been created and is taking shape. We already have six partners approved by the global network to join this journey toward exponential change, driving a shift in mindset to develop scalable, high-impact solutions that address inequality more quickly and sustainably.

“I believe that one of our differentiators is the fact that we have managed to open many international channels. I am very happy when I hear testimonials from other philanthropic organizations such as: ‘We approved this partner because we saw that they were in your portfolio.’

There is, therefore, a recognition that we aredoing something different.”

Another initiative that I believe sets us apart is Filantropando, a movement that was created to bring together philanthropists and civil society organizations in order to promote joint listening and explore innovative paths for the field. It was actually from the first edition of Filantropando that we created the advocacy movement for tax legislation now known as the Alliance for the Strengthening of Civil Society. I see, then, that Filantropando has the potential to bring together everyone involved in the field: donors, partners, consultants, etc., and reflect on what is new, what they are doing differently, how they can contribute, and what is being done that can be improved.

Regarding 2025, what can we highlight as the main milestones and results?

Cristiane Sultani - Over the course of the year, we were able to better define the role of the Center for Exponential Change. It was very good to hear from the first three partners who participated in the journey that there is a multiplier effect of actions, not only for the mission of that institution, but also in the way of thinking and acting in the field, in how they are now able, at a congress, conference, or in any collective environment, to get these ideas discussed.

Another very important point was the maturity of the relationship with the Instituto Toriba in curating Filantropando based on the imagination and possibilities of conversations that seem obvious – but end up not happening – and also the opportunity to create this safe space for conversations to take place. It was very interesting to be able to discuss how we can transform our own territory, our own map, our own way of thinking and acting.

The arrival of topics such as new longevity, with the creation of a laboratory focused on this subject, was another positive point. The country’s pyramid has inverted, and the government itself has not paid much attention to it. There are so many public policies that need to be created or revisited based on intergenerational coexistence between children, adults, and the elderly. There are still several questions to be answered: Who is this elderly person? From what age?

I think we had many achievements this year.

What about changes in direction? What adjustments to strategies can be mentioned? What was experimented and adjusted in 2025 by the organization?

Cristiane Sultani - We still had a very fragmented view of our portfolio given the pace of change in Beja’s mission. So, in 2025, we had an important internal reflection on what the strategic axes would actually be and what they represent, because it is from our portfolio that we are able to communicate what we really do. I believe this was an intense exercise for the year. And from there, we had changes in structure, team, etc. In addition, we did a lot of listening in the field to find out what sets Beja apart for these various actors.

Regarding the themes of Filantropando, the event hosted seven roundtable discussions organized into four waves, connecting climate justice, territory, communication, imagination, and transformative financing. Why did you call it Unlikely Dialogues?

Cristiane Sultani - COP is a very institutional event, based on an European and American model. And it’s not that it’s impossible, but it’s unlikely that some dialogues will take place, such as those concerning religiosity. We know that, with COP being held in Brazil, riverine and indigenous people, for example, had the opportunity to attend the Conference, through the exercise of democracy, but these conversations were not going to be debated in larger venues, with the reciprocity that occurred at Filantropando. This opportunity to bring up topics that were not on the official agenda of the meeting attracted partners who, naturally, would not have been interested in listening. It was very effective.

There were some very memorable moments. Daniel Calarco, president of the Observatório Internacional da Juventude, for example, recalled that before the Conference, many people said that Brazil did not have the infrastructure to host a COP, questioning why it was in Belém, etc. And then he asked: “But is it really true that a city that hosts the largest religious event in the country, which is the Círio de Nazaré, with more than 2 million people every year, does not have the infrastructure, or is this the European way of thinking, expecting South America to host events like France does?” This reflects the stance of those who are unwilling to accept the conditions the country offers.

At Filantropando, we were fortunate to not only promote conversations, but also bring local culture onto the boat, with bands sharing their experience of the territory with us, as well as food produced by the people of the territory. Many foreigners also participated in the conversations. The CEO of Black Jaguar Foundation, our partner, for example, is Dutch, and he pointed out: “I haven’t seen this happen anywhere else at COP. I’m impressed. I didn’t expect to have this quality of conversation and this opportunity to listen and learn.” So, I think I would describe Beja’s participation outside COP as a great win of enrichment and knowledge for all of us participants.

To close the conversation by looking at the field of family philanthropy, what paths would you point out, for the new generation of philanthropists that is coming?

Cristiane Sultani - There are high expectations about what these new generations will do and how they will use their capital. We are yet to find out, but we are working to inspire them. I think the Beja movement already tends to be inspirational. And we want people to come and experience it with us. The invitation is here.

Throughout its five-year history, Instituto Beja has sought to be innovative in its philanthropic activities. What do we mean when we refer to the organization’s catalytic purpose?

Cristiane Sultani - In Brazil, philanthropy is still considered small compared to international standards. And small does not simply mean in terms of the value of donated resources, but also in terms of its potential. Obviously, there are exceptions to the rule, but on average, the result still falls short of what is expected from the potential of philanthropy in Brazil, whether with resources from current philanthropists or with the entry of new ones. When we say that Beja has a catalytic purpose, we are referring to how these resources should be used systematically and efficiently to the point that they can multiply their effects, that is, attract new capital or new resources of different kinds to the field.

On different occasions, you mention that, in view of the polycrisis that humanity is currently experiencing, it is necessary to use polycapital. What does that mean?

Cristiane Sultani- The polycrisis is what we are currently experiencing: climate crisis, geopolitical wars, resource scarcity, the planet’s inability to support the current number of people and the way resources are used today. Polycapital, on the other hand, is exactly how catalytic not only the use of financial resources can be, but also the other capitals that we all have: whether it be business capital, professional knowledge, networks, the ability to relate, institutional influence, etc. Sometimes, the most important thing is not Beja’s financial resources for organizations, but the network, the contacts, the opening of channels that is done. This is where we place polycrisis and polycapital.

You point out in your remarks that “philanthropic capital is venture capital. Beja, the [Institute] takes great risks in the name of learning. Because without experimentation, there is no innovation.” Why do you say that this is venture capital?

Cristiane Sultani - There is a discussion in philanthropy about control and lack of trust. So, regardless of the effort and impact caused by civil society organizations, philanthropy has power over the use of capital. If relationships of trust are not established, you increasingly want to control the use of money. Why do I say it is risky? Because free donation also presupposes the transfer of control. Obviously, we work with methodologies, tools, and criteria that can minimize risk, but it exists. The government cannot risk capital because it is accountable for its taxpayers’ money; companies, in most cases, have partners; publicly traded companies are accountable to their investors. So, for me, the real capital that can take risks in the service of society to experiment and innovate is family philanthropy capital. That is why I insist that it must be efficient, but with more confidence in what is being done and more appetite for innovation.

And how has this venture capital marked the Instituto Beja’s journey since its creation?

Cristiane Sultani - For example, we understand that collaboration brings efficiency to the process, so we create laboratories where we can experiment with this collaboration with other partners, in addition to fostering an environment not only for experimentation but also for the adoption of new practices, seeking innovation around the world. Sometimes innovation is not about bringing a new idea, but rather doing things differently from what is already being done.

Thus, based on this scenario of polycrisis, technological issues, and all the current opportunities that exist, we are always putting capital where we can effectively experiment with what is being discussed. And we believe that this capital is risky because it can make and correct mistakes quickly, which is important.

With Beja, for example, after a year and a half, we saw that the mission was not being efficient. So, we completely changed it to work on the infrastructure of philanthropy in Brazil. This rapid change creates the prospect that this venture capital can be made available for experimentation.

How were the Programmatic Axes chosen: Philanthropy Infrastructure, Democracy, and Racial Justice? How do these Axes relate to the mission of promoting positive impact in the field of philanthropy and fostering innovation, collaboration, effectiveness, and societal engagement to solve systemic problems?

Cristiane Sultani - Our mission is to strengthen the infrastructure of philanthropy , as we believe that philanthropy in Brazil needs to expand collaboration and increase investment in technology and public policy advocacy. Much is being done, but more is needed. So, we work in this area of cultural change, providing examples, experimenting, using venture capital, as I mentioned before, to foster new ideas. Although we have only been pursuing this new mission for a short time, we have gained recognition from the sector in this regard and attracted new partners. This has made a lot of sense.

The Racial Justice axis is fundamental given the gap we have in Brazil. When we have a country where the majority of the population is black and brown, but all rankings show that positions in the market are not being occupied by this population, we see the need to act on the racial issue. Economist Eduardo Giannetti always points out that you cannot change a country when a child is born with a different set of opportunities. In other words, if we do not act on this issue, we will never end inequalities. So, for me, this is very profound. We cannot get used to inequalities. It is a matter of dignity.

In the democracy axes, we still have very few philanthropists working in this regard. Our perspective is to work to create and increase the possibility of exercising citizenship rights, so that citizens understand the importance of democracy and do not underestimate it due to polarization or candidate preference.

Today, we understand that in order to have an efficient and coherent infrastructure [for philanthropy], we need to work on these other two axes: Democracy and Racial Justice.

One of the aspects mentioned in the Instituto Beja’s manifesto is the mission to oxygenate philanthropy, because as the world changes, philanthropy needs to innovate. What advances has the Institute made since its creation in 2021?

Cristiane Sultani - We have some interesting initiatives to share in this regard. For example, we have managed to establish an alliance to work in a structured way to improve the legal and tax infrastructure for philanthropy.

At first, it was understood that a better tax environment would attract more private social capital. The movement was started by Beja and immediately adopted by other institutions to engage in collaborative advocacy, working to promote changes in order to exempt donations from tax and other issues, such as those related to endowment funds.

We saw this action as a paradigm shift. Today, the alliance is firmly established, having secured a victory on the issue of thegift tax and gained the trust of many institutions.

In a short period of time, this leadership was recognized and today is everything we dream of, as it is a co-leadership in which several institutions actually work together in partnership, in a sense of trust and collective understanding.

Another example of a bolder initiative is the global partnership and creation of the Center for Exponential Change (CMe), which is the Brazilian hub of a global support network for System Orchestrators*. We understood that several governments were investing in new technologies and that there were models in India, China, and the United States, but in Brazil, more investment was
needed. We didn’t know where to start, because it’s not our area of expertise, but we used the capital to take that risk based on a model that was already being used in India, a center that had been created there and was looking for global partners. So Beja came in as a global partner of major philanthropies—Nilekani Philanthropies (India), New Profit (US), Skoll Foundation (Global), Waverley Street Foundation (Global), and Yellowwoods Foundation (South Africa)—from the Global South to co-found the Centre for Exponential Change [C4EC], a global network that now has hubs in South Africa, Rwanda, and India, in addition to Brazil. Another key point of this partnership is the establishment of the Global South as a priority.

Therefore, for me, this partnership is a breath of fresh air. In India, philanthropy and private social investment played an important role in building the technological infrastructure that enabled the government to create a digital identity system and a unified registry for its 1.4 billion inhabitants. It is stories like these that inspire us to think about what is possible here. So, we have the C4EC hub in Brazil, the CMe (Centro para Mudanças Exponenciais), which has been created and is taking shape. We already have six partners approved by the global network to join this journey toward exponential change, driving a shift in mindset to develop scalable, high-impact solutions that address inequality more quickly and sustainably.

“I believe that one of our differentiators is the fact that we have managed to open many international channels. I am very happy when I hear testimonials from other philanthropic organizations such as: ‘We approved this partner because we saw that they were in your portfolio.’

There is, therefore, a recognition that we aredoing something different.”

Another initiative that I believe sets us apart is Filantropando, a movement that was created to bring together philanthropists and civil society organizations in order to promote joint listening and explore innovative paths for the field. It was actually from the first edition of Filantropando that we created the advocacy movement for tax legislation now known as the Alliance for the Strengthening of Civil Society. I see, then, that Filantropando has the potential to bring together everyone involved in the field: donors, partners, consultants, etc., and reflect on what is new, what they are doing differently, how they can contribute, and what is being done that can be improved.

Regarding 2025, what can we highlight as the main milestones and results?

Cristiane Sultani - Over the course of the year, we were able to better define the role of the Center for Exponential Change. It was very good to hear from the first three partners who participated in the journey that there is a multiplier effect of actions, not only for the mission of that institution, but also in the way of thinking and acting in the field, in how they are now able, at a congress, conference, or in any collective environment, to get these ideas discussed.

Another very important point was the maturity of the relationship with the Instituto Toriba in curating Filantropando based on the imagination and possibilities of conversations that seem obvious – but end up not happening – and also the opportunity to create this safe space for conversations to take place. It was very interesting to be able to discuss how we can transform our own territory, our own map, our own way of thinking and acting.

The arrival of topics such as new longevity, with the creation of a laboratory focused on this subject, was another positive point. The country’s pyramid has inverted, and the government itself has not paid much attention to it. There are so many public policies that need to be created or revisited based on intergenerational coexistence between children, adults, and the elderly. There are still several questions to be answered: Who is this elderly person? From what age?

I think we had many achievements this year.

What about changes in direction? What adjustments to strategies can be mentioned? What was experimented and adjusted in 2025 by the organization?

Cristiane Sultani - We still had a very fragmented view of our portfolio given the pace of change in Beja’s mission. So, in 2025, we had an important internal reflection on what the strategic axes would actually be and what they represent, because it is from our portfolio that we are able to communicate what we really do. I believe this was an intense exercise for the year. And from there, we had changes in structure, team, etc. In addition, we did a lot of listening in the field to find out what sets Beja apart for these various actors.

Regarding the themes of Filantropando, the event hosted seven roundtable discussions organized into four waves, connecting climate justice, territory, communication, imagination, and transformative financing. Why did you call it Unlikely Dialogues?

Cristiane Sultani - COP is a very institutional event, based on an European and American model. And it’s not that it’s impossible, but it’s unlikely that some dialogues will take place, such as those concerning religiosity. We know that, with COP being held in Brazil, riverine and indigenous people, for example, had the opportunity to attend the Conference, through the exercise of democracy, but these conversations were not going to be debated in larger venues, with the reciprocity that occurred at Filantropando. This opportunity to bring up topics that were not on the official agenda of the meeting attracted partners who, naturally, would not have been interested in listening. It was very effective.

There were some very memorable moments. Daniel Calarco, president of the Observatório Internacional da Juventude, for example, recalled that before the Conference, many people said that Brazil did not have the infrastructure to host a COP, questioning why it was in Belém, etc. And then he asked: “But is it really true that a city that hosts the largest religious event in the country, which is the Círio de Nazaré, with more than 2 million people every year, does not have the infrastructure, or is this the European way of thinking, expecting South America to host events like France does?” This reflects the stance of those who are unwilling to accept the conditions the country offers.

At Filantropando, we were fortunate to not only promote conversations, but also bring local culture onto the boat, with bands sharing their experience of the territory with us, as well as food produced by the people of the territory. Many foreigners also participated in the conversations. The CEO of Black Jaguar Foundation, our partner, for example, is Dutch, and he pointed out: “I haven’t seen this happen anywhere else at COP. I’m impressed. I didn’t expect to have this quality of conversation and this opportunity to listen and learn.” So, I think I would describe Beja’s participation outside COP as a great win of enrichment and knowledge for all of us participants.

To close the conversation by looking at the field of family philanthropy, what paths would you point out, for the new generation of philanthropists that is coming?

Cristiane Sultani - There are high expectations about what these new generations will do and how they will use their capital. We are yet to find out, but we are working to inspire them. I think the Beja movement already tends to be inspirational. And we want people to come and experience it with us. The invitation is here.

Check out the special video series: “The strength of the wind in 2025 at Instituto Beja”, with Cristiane Sultani:

Episodes

    Navigate between chapters

    Winds that sustain

    Team and governance

    Currents of the year

    Milestones and crossings