This article is based on the premise that local communities’ engagement in development processes is a key factor to increase the chances of long lasting success. In this context, we present community philanthropy as a viable strategy for international development organizations to engage civil society in the advancement and sustainability of development goals. To this end, we (a.) draw on the available international development and community philanthropy literature to establish background information and examine what makes collaboration feasible, (b.) present three cases of collaboration between community philanthropy and international development organizations, and (c.) conclude with lessons learned and recommendations. Real-life examples demonstrate that there is not a “one-size-fits-all” approach, but rather a set of good practices that can be established