In this second episode of Peace Under Pressure, Dylan Mathews, Chief Executive Officer of Peace Direct, speaks with Isabela Marcon Ciceri about one of the most pressing challenges facing the peacebuilding sector today: how peacebuilders raise money in an era of shrinking aid budgets and shifting political priorities. Drawing on his experience leading a global organisation dedicated to locally led peacebuilding, Dylan argues that the sector is facing more than a funding crisis. He reflects on what he describes as a growing delegitimisation of peacebuilding itself, where belief in peace as a political and social project has increasingly fallen off the international agenda. The conversation explores the impact of donor cuts, the tensions between defence spending and peacebuilding investments, and the difficult choices organisations are being forced to make in an increasingly constrained funding environment. Dylan also shares practical insights on how local peacebuilders can navigate changing donor priorities, strengthen sustainable funding models, and advocate more effectively for the value of peacebuilding. Throughout the discussion, he highlights the importance of locally led approaches and the need to rethink how the international community supports those working to build peace on the ground. All of this takes place against the backdrop of growing global insecurity, increasing militarisation, and mounting pressure on civil society organisations working to prevent conflict and sustain peace. The Peace Corner Podcast is a collaboration between CSPPS and UNOY Peacebuilders.