systems change advocacy
Advocacy lies at the heart of our mission towards structural transformation that shifts resources to the frontlines of impact. We actively contribute to collective efforts within our field to reshape funding practices to be more direct, and elevate the voices of African leaders as essential experts and drivers in philanthropy and sustainable development.
How We Do Advocacy
Advocacy Insights
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![Bahati Satir Omar of Uwezo Youth Empowerment]()
Investing in the Leaders of Impact
Local partners know what works and what doesn’t; and they use their expertise and perspective to design creative and cost-effective interventions that deliver sustainable results. By investing in their strategic vision, we can change the trajectory of development and social impact across the continent.
It’s Time to Reimagine Foreign Aid | The New York Times
Philanthropy’s Obsession With Scale | Skoll.org
Imbalance in Funding African CSOs | African Philanthropy Forum
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![Stories of Local Leadership event at UNGA]()
Merging Funding with Trust
For decades, philanthropy has been missing out on opportunities to support the African-led organizations that deliver sustainable, high-impact solutions tailored to their communities and countries because of prescriptive and restrictive funding. By forming trust-based partnerships grounded in mutual respect and understanding, funders and organizations can work together to ensure sustainable development on the ground.
Get Proximal, Build Trust and Develop Relationships | Innovate Philanthropy Symposium
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![Our co-CEO Katie at the African Philanthropy Forum]()
Transforming the Funding Process
Grant application processes are typically overly-burdensome, time consuming, and not transparent, causing barriers for aligned partners and funders to find each other. Designing more efficient and equitable decision making processes creates more opportunities for connection and collaboration.
Funder Collaboratives in Africa | Stanford Social Innovation Review
Addressing the funding inequity to African-led organizations | CNBC Africa
Learning Highlights
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Key principles, metrics and actions that funders can adopt to increase their investment into locally-led organizations, developed in collaboration with the International Development Innovation Alliance.
Principle 1: Give Flexible Funding to Local or National Innovators
Principle 2: Drive Resources Directly to Underrepresented and Marginalized Groups
Principle 3: Simplify the Funding Process to be Fair and Transparent
Principle 4: Build Diverse Teams for Funding Design and Decision-Making
Principle 5: Be Transparent with and Accountable to Innovators
Principle 6: Solicit Feedback and Listen to Innovators
Principle 7: Center and Elevate Collaborative Local Leadership
Principle 8: Advocate for Wider Systems Change to more Equitably Share Power
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The Gates Foundation’s Introduction to Collaborative Funding, featuring our co-CEO Atti Worku.