Decide. Arise. Matter.
Our new name is a reminder and a commitment: act on what’s arising; build what matters.
Meaningful work begins with the matters arising, and becomes the work that must matter.
Who we are
Arising Matters is a governance & systems studio for people building better worlds. We work on what’s arising now and the matters that must endure—helping you design awards and funds, build new ways of working, and put the right systems around the work so it stands up in the world.
Two horizons we hold
Now work - the decisions, pilots and grants that must move today.
Forever work - the iterations, learnings, guardrails, participation and accountability that let good work last.
Who we serve
Funders: grantmaking model design; for purpose funds; decision & delegation charters; trust‑based funding (multi‑year/flexible support, light‑touch reporting); integrity & risk (conflicts, safeguarding, crisis response & escalation); open learning (transparency, documentation, contribution‑focused evaluation); interim stewardship while structures bed in.
Builders (nonprofits, social enterprises, campaigns): governance refresh (decision rights, accountability & participation across staff, boards, volunteers); partnership & grant‑readiness; campaign operations; data & privacy practices; learning infrastructure; org health (policies, handbooks, inclusive rituals).
Collaboratives — networks, pooled funds and coalitions aligning purpose, power and practice.
What we do
Funds & New Ways of Funding - eligibility, flows & approvals; decision rights; proportionate reporting; go/adjust/stop reviews.
Awards & Prizes - purpose, criteria, selection, stewardship; participation that honours lived experience; transparent documentation.
Pilots & Programmes - from hunch to learning: problem framing, test plans, safety & consent; sunsetting or scaling with care.
Governance (Wider & Deeper) - decision charters; integrity & risk; conflicts & escalation; participation & consent; simple learning rhythms.
Leadership & Stewardship - recruit values‑aligned board members and executives; provide temporary board/observer capacity while roles settle.
Transparency & Open Learning - publish how decisions are made, what’s being learned, and how others can adopt or adapt the approach.
Trust Transference - move decision rights, key relationships, and reputation from founder-led to institution-held; time-boxed handovers; role-based authority with dual-control safeguards.