Collective Action for Real Impact

Now in its 14th year, Harvard CID's GEM conference event brings together leaders, thinkers, and doers from academia, development, government, business, civil society, and philanthropy. For two days, change-makers convene in person at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and online to explore major issues and incubate new research ideas that have the power to revolutionize development paradigms. Past GEM conferences have focused on a wide range of topics from "Healing in an Unequal World" to "Trillion Dollar Ideas to Build Prosperity."

GEM Incubation Fund

New for GEM23, Harvard’s Center for International Development is launching the GEM Incubation Fund, in partnership with Harvard Radcliffe Institute. This fund will catalyze new collaborations between researchers and practitioners by providing seed funding and exploratory seminar and accelerator workshop programs to successful applicants.

GEM Foundations

GEM Foundations brings together leading philanthropic foundations and philanthropists to:  

  • reflect on opportunities to support innovations in international development 
  • discuss data trends on global generosity 
  • build a community between philanthropy and academia 
Join our call to action by becoming a climate champion. Commit to the GEM Incubation Fund that launched at the Global Empowerment Meeting in May 2023.