By Fia van Rensburg and Louise Driver from IPASA – Independent Philanthropy Association South Africa, and Shelly Satuku from SIVIO Institute
Across Southern Africa, the philanthropic landscape is being reshaped by overlapping crises: diminishing development aid, regulatory restrictions, climate shocks, and growing societal challenges. In response, local actors are exploring new strategies for resilience—shifting away from reliance on external aid and toward locally rooted, community-led systems of giving and collaboration.
This shift goes beyond short-term projects or funding streams. It requires a deeper investment in the philanthropy ecosystem itself: the networks, institutions, policies, and cultural norms that support sustained, locally driven giving.
Facing Funding and Regulatory Headwinds
Southern Africa is experiencing a sharp decline in external development assistance. Both IPASA and SIVIO highlight how the withdrawal of major funders like USAID, along with budget cuts from European donors, have strained organisations across sectors—particularly those focused on health, gender-based violence, and education.
At the same time, the regulatory environment is tightening. New laws in South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe—ostensibly aimed at preventing money laundering and terrorism financing—have introduced burdensome restrictions on non-profit registration and operations. These conditions have made it more difficult to move philanthropic resources where they’re most needed and threaten the sustainability of many civil society organisations, especially at the community level.
IPASA: Catalysing Climate-Responsive Philanthropy in South Africa
In South Africa, the Independent Philanthropy Association South Africa (IPASA) is working to support the local philanthropic sector in becoming more resilient and system-oriented. A central initiative is the South African Philanthropy Commitment on Climate Change, which promotes collaboration among funders in addressing climate issues and supports integration of climate considerations into funding strategies.
This commitment is part of a broader movement to localise climate philanthropy, with IPASA convening funders, offering learning opportunities, and developing a report on the enabling environment for climate philanthropy. The effort also draws inspiration from global movements while remaining grounded in South Africa’s specific social, economic, and environmental context.
SIVIO Institute: Building National Ecosystems from the Ground Up
In Zimbabwe and Malawi, the SIVIO Institute is piloting a bottom-up approach to strengthening philanthropy ecosystems. Through support from the Lift Up Philanthropy Fund, SIVIO collaborated with 23 community philanthropy organisations to establish national networks that promote learning, advocacy, and collaboration.
SIVIO’s approach is designed to:
- Diversify funding sources by tapping into individual and corporate giving.
- Build collective advocacy capacity to respond to regulatory threats.
- Foster collaboration among funders, support organisations, and regulators.
- Shift mindsets from donor dependency to community agency and ownership.
Initiatives such as the AfricaGiving digital fundraising platform and the Ease of Doing Philanthropy Index further support transparency, awareness, and self-sufficiency.
Laying the Groundwork for Systems Change
Both IPASA and SIVIO emphasise that strengthening philanthropy ecosystems is essential for sustainable development and long-term resilience. Their work supports:
- Improved cross-sector coordination, especially around climate action.
- Stronger local leadership and institutional capacity.
- Recognition of community-based giving models as legitimate and impactful.
Importantly, these efforts are not about simply replacing external aid, but about reimagining how philanthropy operates—building infrastructures that can endure beyond the crisis and support local solutions at scale.
The Role of Philanthropy Support Organisations
At the heart of this work are Philanthropy Support Organisations (PSOs), which play a pivotal role in strengthening the infrastructure for giving. By connecting actors across sectors, convening collaborative spaces, and producing data and analysis, PSOs help surface shared priorities and catalyse collective action. In contexts where civic space is under pressure and resources are limited, PSOs act as vital anchors—building awareness around pressing national and regional issues, from climate change to youth unemployment, while also advocating for enabling policy environments.
Crucially, PSOs are also helping transform how philanthropy is practiced. They are pushing for more progressive and inclusive funding models—ones that move away from rigid project cycles and short-term grants, toward long-term, flexible investments in locally led solutions. Through efforts such as peer learning, joint advocacy, and support for community-rooted organisations, PSOs are advancing a systems change agenda that centres sustainability, equity, and agency.
This shift is not only timely—it’s necessary. To truly unlock the potential of philanthropy in Southern Africa, the sector must invest in its own ecosystem. PSOs are showing what this looks like in practice: leadership that listens, partnerships that empower, and strategies that endure.
A Call to Action
Southern Africa’s philanthropic actors are charting a path forward rooted in solidarity, sustainability, and self-determination. The work of IPASA and SIVIO offers concrete examples of how PSOs build stronger, more connected, and more responsive giving ecosystems. Global funders and partners can support this transformation not by directing it, but by trusting local leadership, enabling experimentation, and investing in long-term ecosystem health.
In a time of constraint, this is a story of possibility: a region not just weathering the storm, but building the structures to thrive beyond it.
This article is part of a mini blog series showcasing the progress of grantees supported through the 2024 Call for Proposals under WINGS’ LiftUpPhilanthropy Fund. In the coming months, we’ll be sharing similar updates from the Asia-Pacific region – so stay tuned.
A new Call for Proposals was launched in 2025, attracting 69 applications from organisations across 24 countries. All submissions are currently under review, with selected grantees to be announced in November 2025.
Fia van Rensburg is a seasoned development professional with over 25 years of experience spanning all aspects of project and programme management. Currently serving as the Knowledge Management lead at IPASA, she brings extensive expertise in monitoring and evaluation, including experience as an independent evaluator.
Louise Driver is the Executive Director at IPASA, the Independent Philanthropy Association South Africa, a membership-based philanthropy network which promotes, supports and strengthens independent philanthropy in South Africa. Prior to joining IPASA, Louise held for 9 years the position of CEO of the Children’s Hospital Trust at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital.
Shelly Satuku is the Program Coordinator at the SIVIO Institute’s Centre for Philanthropy and Communities and a 2023-2024 ShiftThePower Fellow. She leads an initiative, supported by the WINGS LiftUpPhilanthropy, to build and strengthen the philanthropy ecosystem for community organisations in Zimbabwe and Malawi.
To get first access to our blogs every month, subscribe to our newsletter here.