Building resilient
institutions that last
The Institute for Regenerative Systems Architecture (IRSA™) advances the emerging field of regenerative capital theory—a fourth capital class alongside debt, equity, and grants.
Through rigorous research platforms and applied implementations, we design capital structures that strengthen institutions over time, enabling them to tackle humanity's most complex challenges for the public good.
The Philanthropy Dilemma
For decades, charitable giving has faced a fundamental tension:
Spend it all now
Traditional grants create immediate impact but the money is gone forever. No matter how well-used, that capital can never help another person.
Lock it up forever
Perpetual endowments preserve capital but only deploy 5% annually. $100M sitting in an endowment means $95M not helping anyone this year.
PSC offers a third path: deploy capital now for immediate impact, then have it flow back to help again—all without loans, interest, or financial burden.
System Value Multiplier (SVM)
SVM measures the total value created per dollar invested over 30 years. Higher R factors (recycling rates) dramatically increase impact.
30-Year Impact Comparison
Source: PSC Paper v2.1 | R = Recycling Rate (% of capital returned by beneficiaries)
Capital Model Comparison
| Feature | Grant | Debt | PSC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interest Rate | N/A | 5-20% | 0% |
| Creates Liability | No | Yes | No |
| Capital Recycles | No | Yes (with profit) | Yes (soft repayment) |
| Time Horizon | One-time | Fixed term | Perpetual |
| 30-Year SVM* | 1.7× | ~19× | 16×–51× |
*SVM = System Value Multiplier (Total System Value / Initial Capital)
How PSC Compares
PSC isn't just another impact investing model. It's fundamentally different.
Traditional Philanthropy
Give once, impact once
Traditional Loans
Returns capital with interest
Impact Investing
Blended returns approach
Perpetual Social Capital
Gift that keeps cycling
The PSC Cycle
Simple in concept, powerful in effect.
Donor Gives
$100K as a charitable gift
Beneficiary Receives
Uses funds for real needs
When Able, Pays Forward
Returns what they can (no pressure)
Capital Helps Again
Next beneficiary receives gift
The key insight: If 90% of capital returns each cycle (R=0.9), your $100K gift creates $1.6M in total system value over time. At 95% return (R=0.95), it's $2.7 million—exceeding debt.
Calculate your impactThe Research
Academic foundations of PSC
The Perpetual Social Capital Framework
Roshan Ghadamian
The foundational paper introducing PSC as a fourth capital class alongside debt, equity, and grants.
Regenerative Capital Theory: Beyond Debt, Equity, and Grants
Roshan Ghadamian
A field-defining paper establishing 'Regenerative Capital' as a distinct economic paradigm.
The Political Economy of Regenerative Capital
Roshan Ghadamian
How PSC reshapes power, weakens fragility-based control, and functions as a governance technology.
Interactive Tools
Visualize, model, and explore PSC scenarios
Research Programs
IRSA's research spans multiple domains of regenerative systems design, with flagship programs in capital theory and practical implementations.
Re:School
Learn to design systems that strengthen over time. The educational arm of IRSA, built on Regenerative Architecture Thinking (RAT).
Re:School offers executive education, advisory services, and in-house programs for foundation leaders, policy makers, and social entrepreneurs seeking to implement regenerative capital structures.
Executive Education
2-5 day intensive programs for senior leaders
Advisory Services
Strategic consulting for implementation
In-House Programs
Custom training for organisations
Open Learning
Free explainers & dashboards
Build Regenerative Systems
Whether you're exploring regenerative capital theory, designing perpetual institutions, or seeking training for your organisation—IRSA provides the research, tools, and education you need.