The IPASA Annual Philanthropy Symposium is the only gathering exclusively for funders in South Africa, providing a unique opportunity for private philanthropy peers to come together and connect around issues and opportunities that are most relevant to their work. The Symposium offers a curated platform for independent funders to share knowledge and learnings and to collaborate on funding practice and priorities.
As IPASA marks its 10th year, the 2025 Annual Philanthropy Symposium is being hosted at a time of profound global and local change. Under the theme Stronger Together: Philanthropy for a Changing World, the symposium will explore how philanthropy can adapt to remain relevant, sustainable, and proactive amid growing uncertainty and disruption.
The symposium programme will reflect on philanthropy’s past progress, examine the current challenges facing the funding ecosystem, and look ahead to the trends and innovations shaping the future of giving. Sessions will be structured around the past, present, and future of philanthropy, covering topics such as risk and innovation; radical collaboration, local funding resilience, youth-led change, and the role of emerging technologies.
The symposium will convene a diverse group of sector leaders, next-generation voices, and changemakers from across the continent to explore how philanthropy can not only respond to change but help drive it.
IPASA will also be running a pre-symposium Masterclass on Impact Investing for Foundations on the afternoon of the 27th October, the day before the Symposium. This masterclass is open to all delegates and will be held at the Symposium venue, Asara Wine Farm.