By María Inés Pérez Unda, Executive Director, Pionero Philanthropy
In Colombia’s coffee region, representatives from more than 20 countries gathered with one big question: How can South–South collaboration move from talk to action? Governments, businesses, academics, and civil society leaders filled the space of the South–South Collaboration Forum, organised by the Presidential Agency for International Cooperation of Colombia, with ideas, stories, and challenges. I was proud to be part of these conversations, representing Guatemala and sharing what philanthropy can bring to the table.
At Pionero Philanthropy, my mission as Executive Director is to strengthen Guatemala’s nonprofit and philanthropic landscape through data, networks, and capacity building. In Colombia, I had the opportunity to share with participants the first-ever mapping of Guatemala’s philanthropic ecosystem, research carried out with WINGS, the global network of philanthropy support and development organisations with members in over 50 countries. The study made visible the many actors already working across the country while also revealing critical gaps in collaboration and support.
Dialogues for Change at CoLab 2
I had the privilege of facilitating ‘CoLab 2: Allies for Change’, a working session that asked: How can philanthropy and civil society help drive financing and innovation for development? Together with peers from across the Global South, I explored two pressing issues:
- The role of philanthropy in development financing ecosystems—from public budgets to private capital.
- How philanthropy can strengthen data integrity and improve monitoring and evaluation.
Earlier panels created the perfect stage for my session. In “What Unites Us as the Global South,” speakers warned that triangular cooperation often repeats the same circle of actors, leaving innovation behind. That was my cue to show how philanthropy—especially community philanthropy and grassroots initiatives, alongside corporate efforts—can inject fresh perspectives and unlock new solutions.
In “Innovative Instruments in Triangular Cooperation”, Norio Yonezaki, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) advisor, stressed that cooperation must deliver speed, effectiveness, and direct work with territories from the Global South. This created the perfect context to show how the Guatemala mapping can guide efforts and connect actors more effectively. By identifying who is working where, what the gaps are, and where collaboration is missing, mapping provides governments and partners with a practical tool to strengthen cooperation.
One remark that stayed with me came from a young student who noted that new generations don’t trust governments as much as they trust philanthropic movements. Young people feel greater confidence in those who work directly with their communities. For me, this observation highlights a significant opportunity: governments can find trusted allies on the ground in philanthropy—people and organisations who already know and serve the communities where policies are meant to have an impact. And this is another reason why mapping these actors is so important: it helps identify who is already embedded in the territories and can serve as a bridge between citizens and institutions.
What I shared from the mapping
The mapping of Guatemala’s philanthropic ecosystem showed a stark reality: the support infrastructure is almost nonexistent. There are very few organisations dedicated to strengthening philanthropy, little investment in the ecosystem, and limited collaboration across sectors.
Why does this matter? Because support infrastructure—the networks, associations, and platforms that connect donors and nonprofits—provides the backbone that makes philanthropy stronger and more effective. Without it, efforts remain scattered and underused.
The roadmap, as a living tool to strengthen domestic philanthropy, co-created with local partners, proposes clear actions:
- Connections: engage a broad range of actors and open conversations across sectors (government, academia, businesses, foundations, and communities).
- Capabilities: build support organisations that can offer training, resources, and coordination. Generate data that leverages the understanding of the philanthropic sector.
- Credibility: build trust among different actors to exchange knowledge, demonstrate impact and make the sector more visible and recognised
For CoLab participants, this wasn’t just theory. They saw how a map like this can become a practical guide for decision-making: showing where support is most urgent, who is present in a territory, and how actors can coordinate instead of duplicating work.
The key insight participants took home is that evidence builds trust and connections. When governments, donors, and civil society all work from the same data, collaboration becomes easier and more credible.
Lessons I took home
South–South cooperation is not about reinventing the wheel; it’s about sharing what already works. By exchanging knowledge intentionally, countries can save time, avoid repeating mistakes, and build on each other’s successes.
But for this to happen, dialogue must move beyond sporadic meetings. We need lasting structures—like national platforms and mechanisms, where governments, philanthropy, and civil society co-create development agendas, or develop national strategies for philanthropy that give diverse actors a clear role in shaping policy. These mechanisms ensure that philanthropy doesn’t just participate occasionally but becomes a permanent partner in decision-making.
A good example of this are country platforms, already being piloted in places like Brazil and Colombia. When these platforms are implemented, it is essential to keep them open and inclusive of all key stakeholders, including philanthropy, since they also serve to bundle investments and external funding and can be tied to specific thematic areas such as climate or education.
Each sector also brings its own lens: governments design vertical plans, civil society raises its voice for change, and philanthropy offers flexibility and innovation. Alone, these approaches fall short. Together, through a common agenda, they can align their strengths and create real impact.
This is why it is crucial for philanthropy to engage governments—and vice versa. Without this two-way dialogue, both risk working in silos, missing opportunities to collaborate more effectively for the benefit of communities.
From Inspiration to Action
I left Colombia inspired and convinced that the Guatemala mapping can serve as a model for other countries in the Global South. In the coming months, I will use these insights to deepen my work with local partners, advocate for a stronger enabling environment, and share lessons across borders.
We are also working to co-implement the roadmap, with several partners already engaged—including the Luis von Ahn Foundation, Ford Foundation, Hispanics in Philanthropy, International Funders for Indigenous Peoples, Seattle International Foundation, Focus Central America, and Fundación Avina. Looking ahead, we plan to host a side event at the Central America Donors Forum (CADF 2025) in Guatemala City on October 6–7, 2025, to validate the roadmap, co-implement it collectively, and bring in more allies.
My participation was made possible thanks to the support of WINGS, reflecting our shared commitment to strengthening South–South collaboration. Lasting change in the Global South depends on trust, shared learning, and the courage to imagine new ways of working together.
Learn more about the mapping of Guatemala’s philanthropic ecosystem here.
Inés Pérez Unda is the Executive Director of Pionero Philanthropy, an organization dedicated to mapping, accrediting, and training nonprofit organizations to strengthen their sustainability and impact, while helping them build trust-based relationships with donors and allies. With more than 12 years of experience leading multidisciplinary teams, she has strategically advanced social and educational projects in key government institutions as well as in both private and public education sectors.
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