At Common Cause: How Development Funders and Philanthropy Collaborate in Africa

Abstract

Philanthropists, development aid agencies, multilateral banks, and development finance institutions are taking a fresh look at how they can achieve more together. It comes at a critical moment when overseas aid budgets are shrinking, and social needs are growing.This report focuses on collaborations that benefit Africa. The research involved talking with representatives of 29 development funders, foundations, and intermediary organisations in late 2024 and early 2025. Based on the interviews, they identified three models of collaboration that follow a sliding scale of formality and structure: 1) information sharing and networking; 2) pooling capital for increased impact, including blended finance that de-risks socially beneficial investments to attract private investors; and 3) joint initiatives that draw on participants' technical skills and networking ability to magnify the impact of financial commitments