By William Gumede, Chairperson, Democracy Works Foundation and the author of Restless Nation: Making Sense of Troubled Times (Tafelberg). 

South African non-profit organisations (NPOs) and higher education institutions (HEIs) face ongoing funding challenges – but this is being addressed with professional training that is creating a growing cadre of qualified practitioners who can better attract much-needed resources.

With August being Women’s Month, it’s fitting that our Executive Director Jessica Rees-Jones will shortly be attending a major conference where female leaders will connect and collaborate to help bring about social and economic transformation across the continent.

South African NPOs (not for profit organisations) will continue to access vital advice and support from Inyathelo, the South African Institute for Advancement, thanks to a generous grant of US$150 000 (about R2 million) from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.

Western Cape non-profit organisations (NPOS) that use sport to help uplift youth in disadvantaged communities got a welcome boost in July when 24 fit and enthusiastic students from America and England volunteered their services for three weeks. They were linked to Beyond Sports, an organisation set up seven years ago to create opportunities for student athletes to enjoy life-changing cross-cultural experiences.

We invite you to join us for a workshop that will provide you with an overview of planning and monitoring methods, as well as practical tools for programme planning and monitoring. 

Inyathelo is about to embark on a strategic planning process for the next three to five years – so it’s perfect timing for our  Executive Director, Jessica Rees-Jones,  to attend an innovative  programme on strategic non-profit management at one of India’s most progressive universities, Ashoka.

In an effort to help eliminate economic inequality through improved education, The Kresge Foundation has awarded a grant of US$857 734 (about R11,1 million) to Inyathelo, the South African Institute for Advancement, for the Kresge-Inyathelo Advancement Initiative (KIAI).

Many non-profit and  non-government organisations (NPOs and NGOs) and higher education institutions are in urgent need of financial support  – making the importance of writing excellent funding proposals  more vital than ever.