Philanthropists, NGO representatives, thought leaders and academics will gather in Cape Town next week (Thursday 9 November) to share new perspectives on philanthropy in Africa. The event is being organised by non-profit trust Inyathelo, the South African Institute for Advancement. 

Some 200 representatives of non-profit organisations (NPOs) and civil society bodies gathered at the Woodstock, Cape Town offices of Inyathelo (The South African Institute for Advancement) on Wednesday 17 October to hear experts present on a variety of topics concerning the good management and sustainability of NPOs.

On behalf of the member organisations of the Funding Practice Alliance (FPA) I would like to invite one representative of your organisation to attend a provincial meeting with civil society organisations. We are embarking on provincial roadshows to share the findings of a research study completed in 2016. 

Civil society, community organisations and social movements will have to become more resilient during these increasingly complex, uncertain and troubling times. This will demand new organisational agility, imaginative leadership and synergistic partnerships. This policy brief explores alternatives towards creating a more sustainable and effective civil society space in South Africa. 

By William Gumede

Great fundraising is large-scale growth – increasing your organisation’s income and impact by two, three or many more times over a period of years. But how can you achieve this? Inyathelo recently co-hosted an invitation-only, 90-minute power session with master UK fundraiser Alan Clayton (11 September) to discuss the cultures, behaviours and leadership required.

Gill Bates, the chief executive of Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) Southern Africa, reports that the 2017 CAF World Giving Index shows that that in trying times, South Africans still tried to help where they could. “There is a new surge of energy on the continent and in South Africa, within the philanthropy, development and corporate social investment space, which is exciting to see,” says Bates.

By Nomsa Daniels, Chief Executive Officer, The Graça Machel Trust

I am honoured to have been invited to contribute a piece to Inyathelo’s 2016-2017 annual report under the theme of “Reimagining Our Future”. As a starting point, it is worth reminding ourselves of the steadfast and important role that advocacy organisations, like Inyathelo and the Graça Machel Trust, play in these tumultuous times. Advocacy is defined as “the act or process of supporting a cause”. In the case of the Graça Machel Trust, our cause is rooted in improving the lives of Africa’s women and children, to realise our vision of creating caring societies that value social justice, equal opportunity and sustainable development. 

By Cathy Duff, Director, Trialogue 

Originally published in the 2017 Inyathelo Annual Report.